Articles
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Budget & Tax, Energy
Myths and facts: Is Oklahoma’s one-percent tax on horizontal drilling a subsidy that created a state government budget shortfall? The answer is no
Myth: Oklahoma’s current gross production tax rate of 1 percent on horizontal and deep oil and natural gas wells is a “subsidy” for the energy industry that has caused a budget shortfall for state government.Jonathan Small & Dave Bond | May 19, 2014
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Budget & Tax, Energy
Myths and facts: Do poll results show that Oklahomans want to raise taxes on energy drilling? Far from it
Myth: Oklahomans “overwhelmingly” wish to raise taxes on oil and natural gas drilling within the state.Jonathan Small & Dave Bond | May 14, 2014
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Budget & Tax, Education
Myths and facts: Will raising Oklahoma’s gross production tax by 600 percent provide $250 million more for schools? Not likely
Myth: If Oklahoma’s gross production tax rate on horizontal and deep-well drilling for oil and natural gas is increased from 1 percent to 7 percent, Oklahoma schoolchildren will benefit from more than $250 million in additional public education spending.Jonathan Small & Dave Bond | May 13, 2014
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Higher Education
College graduation rates should concern policymakers
Disruptive innovation is all around us. The $10,000 bachelor’s degree is here to stay, for example. Harvard business professor Clayton Christensen says “15 years from now more than half of the universities will be in bankruptcy, including the state schools.” It’s time for Oklahoma’s political leaders to reconsider some things.Brandon Dutcher | May 13, 2014
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Budget & Tax
Myths and facts: Is Oklahoma state government experiencing a budget shortfall? The answer is no
Myth: Oklahoma is “unable to fund state services” like schools, roads, and prisons because state tax collections, appropriations, and total spending are below prior years, creating a budget shortfall.Jonathan Small & Dave Bond | May 12, 2014
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Education
On fixed costs, school administrators can’t have it both ways
“If you have more students, you need more teachers,” Duncan superintendent Sherry Labyer sensibly told the Duncan Banner in February. If, for example, 250 new students show up to enroll in Duncan’s public schools, then obviously administrators will need to hire more teachers.Brandon Dutcher | May 12, 2014
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Budget & Tax
Making the best of a bad situation
Policymakers face an important decision in the last few weeks of the legislative session.Jonathan Small | May 12, 2014
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Agriculture
Guiding principles for free-market agriculture policy
Earlier this year, the U.S. Congress passed a farm bill projected to cost almost a trillion dollars over the next 10 years. Most of the spending goes toward food and nutrition programs (like food stamps), but more than 15 percent of the total, or $14.6 billion per year, is allocated for farm commodity and crop insurance programs that subsidize farmers’ premiums, deductibles, or both.Jayson Lusk | May 9, 2014
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Culture & the Family
Families, Not Government, Can Reduce Generational Poverty
I have previously written in these pages (“Black Leaders Say Personal Responsibility Key to Economic Opportunity,” July 2013) about the mayor of a great city, a prize-winning economist, and an award-winning actor who all speak about the need for stable families.Wendy Warcholik, Ph.D. | May 7, 2014
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Budget & Tax
Considering both income and property taxes in ‘Oklahoma vs. Texas’ comparisons
In discussions about whether to reduce and eventually eliminate Oklahoma’s penalty on work — our state’s personal income tax — it’s often mentioned that Texas, our neighbor to the south, is an income-tax-free state.Jonathan Small | May 7, 2014