Articles
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Budget & Tax
TSET spending priorities questioned
An Oklahoma trust established to administer funds from the 1998 tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) is ripe for reform, according to lawmakers and other critics of the trust. They say that some of the money could be better spent to help alleviate the state’s budget challenges.Jay Chilton | October 10, 2017
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Education
Teacher hiring devastated by emergency 'common sense shortage'
It all comes down to trust. Do we trust schools to use their own judgment when hiring teachers? Or do we think that if we give schools freedom to hire and fire, they’re going to foolishly hire and retain bad teachers?Greg Forster, Ph.D. | October 5, 2017
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Budget & Tax
Cost Avoidance #11: Time to reform TSET
Time to reform TSET: Stop Spending on Night Clubs, Billboards, and Overpaid ExecutivesTrent England | October 5, 2017
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Budget & Tax
Cost Avoidance #11: Time to reform TSET
Because it would require a vote of the people, this reform would not immediately produce revenue for this budget. But it would free up about $50 million per year in revenue, rather than demanding more from taxpayers.Trent England | October 4, 2017
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Budget & Tax
Cost Avoidance #10: Legally access the rainy day fund
Oklahoma has a Constitutional Reserve Fund, more commonly known as the Rainy Day Fund, for such a time as this.Trent England | October 4, 2017
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Budget & Tax
How does Oklahoma state spending compare?
With special session underway, it is important not to miss the forest for the trees. What is the truth about state government spending?Curtis Shelton | October 4, 2017
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Budget & Tax
How does Oklahoma state spending compare?
As of 2016 Oklahoma was spending $4,577 per person, more than Texas and Tennessee.Curtis Shelton | October 3, 2017
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Budget & Tax
Cost Avoidance #10: Legally access the rainy day fund
Oklahoma has a Constitutional Reserve Fund, more commonly known as the Rainy Day Fund, for such a time as this.Trent England | October 3, 2017
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Budget & Tax, Good Government
Conservative leaders' open letter to policymakers
Policymakers must make the same difficult choices being made by the most vulnerable, by working Oklahoma families, and by small businesses and other job creators in Oklahoma.Larry Parman, Tom Coburn & Frank Keating | October 3, 2017
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Budget & Tax
Cost Avoidance #7,9: Use cash on hand
Instead of raising taxes, legislators should consider spending surplus certified cash ($83 million) and accessing the CIRB account (over $100 million).Trent England | October 2, 2017