Articles
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Budget & Tax
Stitt cracks down on federal grants that lead to state spending hikes
One agency’s use of federal grants led to diversion of a half-million dollars in state appropriations this year to replace those funds when the agency lost the grant. To prevent history from repeating, Gov. Kevin Stitt has ordered agencies to submit federal grant applications to his office for advance review.Ray Carter | September 27, 2019
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Budget & Tax, Health Care
Does Oklahoma’s uninsured rate reflect reality?
Officially, 14 percent of Oklahomans are uninsured. But one Senate leader questions whether that statistic reflects reality because it excludes a significant number of people: those who receive care through Indian Health Service facilities or other tribal government programs.Ray Carter | August 28, 2019
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Budget & Tax, Economy, Good Government
Stitt’s proposal would not be first change to state gaming compacts
While Gov. Kevin Stitt’s call to renegotiate Oklahoma’s gaming compacts has drawn opposition, Stitt’s proposal would not be the first alteration of those state-tribal agreements. In fact, just over a year ago, the compacts were indirectly revised. And the year-ago revisions drew opposition not from tribal governments, but from officials who felt the new agreement shortchanged state government.Ray Carter | August 26, 2019
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Budget & Tax, Economy, Good Government
Deregulation could spur state growth, lawmakers told
For Oklahoma lawmakers seeking to boost economic growth and job creation in Oklahoma, one expert says a key step is to pare down regulation. “There is considerable evidence, academic evidence, that regulations slow economic growth.”Ray Carter | August 26, 2019
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Budget & Tax
Oklahoma tribes enter Arkansas market despite higher taxes
Tribal governments have objected to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s suggestion that fees paid by tribes to state government should be boosted higher than the current 6-percent rate on slot machines. Yet, at the same time, three Oklahoma tribes are seeking to open casinos in Arkansas where the gambling tax rate is as high as 20 percent.Ray Carter | August 22, 2019
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Budget & Tax
LOFT Oversight Committee debates how to measure effectiveness
Members of the Oversight Committee for the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) voted Tuesday to begin the process of hiring a director for the newly created office, but much of the meeting was spent discussing a more fundamental question: How can officials best measure the effectiveness of LOFT without making it subject to undue political influence?Ray Carter | August 20, 2019
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Budget & Tax
Tribal stances on gaming-fee increase contrast with past tax-increase position
In 2018, some tribal officials were among those urging Oklahomans to “step up” and pay higher taxes. Today, those same tribal entities are opposed to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s call to renegotiate tribal gaming compacts and possibly increase the “exclusivity fee” paid by tribes.Ray Carter | August 5, 2019
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Budget & Tax
Debate over state savings continues
Gov. Kevin Stitt's decision to prioritize savings for future downturns continues to draw objections.Ray Carter | August 2, 2019
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Budget & Tax
Tribal casino and gaming compacts getting renewed attention
Whereas the majority of casinos in other states are commercially owned, Oklahoma’s casino and gaming compacts have effectively established a monopoly for tribal casinos and gaming. Gov. Kevin Stitt believes it’s time to renegotiate the compacts.Jonathan Small & Curtis Shelton | July 31, 2019
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Budget & Tax
For wealth migration, overall tax burden matters
While the income tax rate may be a good indicator of a state’s potential for growth, a state’s overall tax burden is also an important metric to consider when assessing a state’s financial competitiveness.Curtis Shelton | July 24, 2019