Articles
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Budget & Tax, Energy
Free Market Friday: Decimating wind subsidies
In a report from the state of Oklahoma Incentive Evaluation Commission on the tax credit for zero-emission facilities, the commission made clear that state subsidies for wind power generation in Oklahoma are decimating the state budget.Jonathan Small | November 4, 2016
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Agriculture
‘Food Movement’ Agenda Not the Best Path Forward
The change in presidential administrations is likely to usher in a new set of policy ideas and proposals. In the case of food and agriculture, the new president does not have to look far, as prominent food writers have already been making an aggressive case to retool the way the federal government regulates food and the farm.Jayson Lusk | November 2, 2016
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Good Government
When Government Officials View Us as Children
The Oklahoma legislature passed a straightforward law legalizing brewers to sell their own beer on their own premises. They could already give out samples, and wineries were earlier freed to sell their own wine and host wine tastings. With the brewery law set to take effect on August 26 of this year, everyone was happy. Everyone except Keith Burt.Trent England | November 1, 2016
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Law & Principles
The Lesser Prairie Chicken and the Constitution
What is the best way to protect the environment in Oklahoma? Is it through local partnerships, where landowners, local industries, and state or local government work together? Or should we surrender power to Washington, D.C., letting people who may have never set foot in Oklahoma tell us what to do? This is the kind of practical question the Constitution is all about.Trent England | November 1, 2016
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Education
WHY GOVERNMENT GOVERNS ITS SCHOOLS WRONG (AND HOW TO FIX IT)
Oklahoma policymakers should take a hard look at school board elections, building-level autonomy, principal training, transparency measures, and other public-school governance reforms.Greg Forster, Ph.D. | November 1, 2016
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Higher Education
Free Market Friday: Prioritization, not politicking
Black Lives Matter student-activists recently staged a “die-in” at the University of Oklahoma. I think you’ll agree, nothing says “we shall overcome” quite like (significantly taxpayer subsidized) 19-year-olds with hand-held supercomputers lying on the ground posting selfies on Instagram.Jonathan Small | October 28, 2016
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Higher Education
Higher Ed Bloat Wastes Millions
As Perspective readers well know, OCPA is devoted to public policy research and analysis. But what you may not realize is that in OCPA’s 22-year history we also have raised $127,000 and awarded it to Oklahoma students to attend college. That’s a pretty substantial amount, especially when you consider that scholarship-granting is not even our mission as an organization. But it shows just how strongly we believe in higher education.Brandon Dutcher | October 25, 2016
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Education
Free Market Friday: For pre-K choices
Next week in downtown Oklahoma City, several organizations are hosting a statewide conference on early-childhood issues.Jonathan Small | October 21, 2016
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Education
With a Boost from a School Choice Program, Life-Changing School Coming to Oklahoma
One of the nation’s most effective college prep and work experience programs will come to Oklahoma in one year, thanks to existing state policy providing a steady model for financing. Students from economically challenged backgrounds will be able to access the high-quality high school education model and job program beginning in fall 2017.Patrick B. McGuigan | October 14, 2016
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Agriculture
Free Market Friday: A simple truth
Next time you go grocery shopping, take a hard look at that can of green beans. Say the shelf price is $1. Part of the cost represents the beans themselves, part the canning and shipping costs. But there’s a hidden cost as well – the cost of federal regulation. How much is it?Jonathan Small | October 14, 2016