Articles
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Budget & Tax
OMES savings partially offset by increased fees
The Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) will request $12.7 million less in state appropriations this year. But those savings will be partly offset by a planned increase in the fees OMES charges other agencies for information technology (IT) services. And those fees, which will cumulatively total more than $3 million, will in many instances be covered by increased appropriations to other agencies, reducing state savings.Ray Carter | January 28, 2020
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Budget & Tax
Aerospace tax-credit debacle points up need for reform
Recent problems with Oklahoma’s engineering tax credit highlight the problems with tax incentives generally. Policymakers should reduce taxes for all Oklahomans, not just a few.Curtis Shelton | January 28, 2020
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Budget & Tax
Governor responds to tribes’ casino lawsuit
The state’s filing notes gaming compacts say auto-renewal occurs only if racetracks are allowed to conduct electronic gaming “pursuant to any governmental action of the state or court order following the effective date of this Compact.”Ray Carter | January 24, 2020
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Budget & Tax
Fallin administration, Legislature may have violated tribal compacts
A recent lawsuit filed by three tribal governments raises a major question: Did a law passed by the Legislature and signed by former Gov. Mary Fallin in 2017 violate state-tribal gaming compacts, opening the door for tribes to now seek damages?Ray Carter | January 20, 2020
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Budget & Tax
Financial expert says Oklahoma casino fees below market rates
Gov. Kevin Stitt says the debate over the fees casino operators pay Oklahoma government for monopoly rights must focus on market value.Ray Carter | January 13, 2020
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Budget & Tax
Reports indicate state economic slowdown
Revenue projections certified by the State Board of Equalization in December showed Oklahoma lawmakers will have little additional money to spend in this year’s legislative session—an increase of just one-tenth of 1 percent.Ray Carter | January 7, 2020
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Budget & Tax
Fiscal restraint will be tested in 2020
The Board of Equalization has certified a small increase in revenue for the upcoming fiscal year. Policymakers must resist the urge to enact “revenue enhancements” and instead practice fiscal responsibility.Curtis Shelton | January 6, 2020
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Budget & Tax
Tribes sue state, but concede casino fees subject to renegotiation
Three tribal governments have filed a lawsuit asking a federal court to declare that their casino gaming compacts automatically renew. Yet in that same lawsuit those tribes concede that the fees they pay Oklahoma government for geographic monopolies on casino gaming are subject to renegotiation.Ray Carter | January 3, 2020
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Budget & Tax
State government to have ‘flat’ budget next year
The State Board of Equalization has certified that the governor and lawmakers will have only $9 million more to spend in the 2020 legislative session than in 2019. That represents an increase of just one-tenth of 1 percent.Ray Carter | December 23, 2019
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Budget & Tax
Compulsive gamblers can self-ban; expert calls the idea ‘almost worthless’
Les Bernal, national director of Stop Predatory Gambling, cites studies that show that half of the profits from commercial gambling come from addicted gamblers.Mike Brake | December 20, 2019