Articles
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Budget & Tax
Oklahoma budget timeline explained
Last year Oklahoma had a budget surplus of $355 million. In the three previous years, Oklahoma experienced revenue shortfalls prompting across-the-board spending cuts and a special legislative session.Rick Farmer, Ph.D. | December 19, 2019
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Budget & Tax
Tribes concede casino fees subject to renegotiation
Stitt said a compact extension will allow both sides to preserve their legal positions while negotiations continue.Ray Carter | December 18, 2019
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Budget & Tax
Oklahoma tribes pursue casinos in states with higher rates
In arguing against Gov. Kevin Stitt’s call for the State of Oklahoma to receive higher exclusivity payments for monopoly casino rights, Oklahoma’s tribal casino operators often argue that the benefits of the state’s low rates accrue to Oklahoma anyway because they have nowhere else to go with their earnings.Ray Carter | December 16, 2019
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Budget & Tax, Health Care
State government funds group that blames health problems on racism
In recent years, the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) has paid at least $1.6 million to an organization that “believes that the most powerful risk factors in health are laws and policies that have perpetuated the legacy of racism, discrimination, and segregation throughout our nation’s history.”Ray Carter | December 13, 2019
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Budget & Tax
State savings may increase even in flat budget year
State lawmakers will likely face a flat budget in the 2020 session, with possibly less revenue than what was certified last year. But state savings could increase, nonetheless.Ray Carter | December 12, 2019
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Budget & Tax
Oklahoma City makes the nice list
A new report ranks Oklahoma City the number-one city in North America in “ease of doing business.”Curtis Shelton | December 11, 2019
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Budget & Tax, Health Care
Conflict seen between Medicaid effort, food-stamp reform
As Oklahoma prepares for a likely statewide vote in 2020 on dramatically expanding the Medicaid entitlement to cover hundreds of thousands of able-bodied adults, the state is ironically ahead of national trends in controlling the expansion of a second entitlement program—food stamps—for a similar population.Mike Brake | December 10, 2019
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Budget & Tax
Stitt’s budget to ‘keep a lid’ on spending
Gov. Kevin Stitt’s secretary of budget says a shift is underway in Oklahoma government. He said the governor’s next budget plan will focus more on efficiency than increased spending.Ray Carter | December 6, 2019
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Budget & Tax
Low casino fees a problem for Henry administration too
Gov. Kevin Stitt isn’t the first statewide officeholder to raise the issue of casino operating fees.Ray Carter | December 6, 2019
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Budget & Tax
Never enough: Here come the state agency wish lists
So far, Oklahoma state agencies have requested $454 in additional funding for the next fiscal year—and the wish list keeps getting longer.Curtis Shelton | November 25, 2019