Articles
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Budget & Tax, Health Care
Warnings prove true as Medicaid expansion strains Oklahoma state budget
Medicaid is blowing a hole in the state budget, with the Oklahoma Health Care Authority requesting nearly $500 million in new funding. Able-bodied, working-age adults added under the Obamacare Medicaid expansion continue to drive costs upward.Ray Carter | February 4, 2026
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Budget & Tax
Devon relocation highlights tax issue
Devon Energy’s decision to merge with Coterra and place the combined headquarters in Houston has reignited Oklahoma’s long-running fight over the state income tax.Ray Carter | February 3, 2026
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Budget & Tax, Education
Democrats criticize Stitt’s final address, challenge his tax and education priorities
Democratic lawmakers slammed Gov. Kevin Stitt’s final State of the State address, arguing that his $1.6 billion in tax cuts were ill-advised. One exception: Democratic state Sen. Mary Boren backed Stitt’s criticism of OSSAA over its treatment of open-transfer students.Ray Carter | February 3, 2026
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Budget & Tax
Stitt seeks to cap spending, expand school choice, rein in welfare costs
In his eighth and final State of the State address, Gov. Kevin Stitt urged lawmakers to lock in long-term fiscal restraint, expand educational freedom, and give voters the chance to curb runaway government.Ray Carter | February 2, 2026
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Budget & Tax
New Oklahoma data show rising school revenue—and a soaring cash pile
New data show Oklahoma public schools have far more money today than they did 15 years ago. Adjusted for inflation, per-pupil funding rose from $12,598 to $13,751. At the same time, districts have dramatically increased their unspent cash reserves.Curtis Shelton | January 30, 2026
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Budget & Tax, Good Government
Welfare fraud is baked in. Here’s what Gov. Stitt’s review should tackle
National scandals have exposed how welfare programs are built on incentives that reward signing up more recipients and pushing out more money, while offering almost no accountability for fraud. Gov. Kevin Stitt has ordered a review of Oklahoma’s welfare system. Here are some ideas.Trent England | January 29, 2026
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Budget & Tax, Education
Stitt launches school choice hub, opts Oklahoma into new federal tax credit
Gov. Kevin Stitt marked National School Choice Week by ordering the creation of an Oklahoma School Choice Hub—an online, parent-friendly resource launching within 90 days—and announcing that Oklahoma will join a new federal tax-credit program that funds private-school scholarships.Ray Carter | January 27, 2026
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Budget & Tax, Good Government
Minnesota’s fraud crisis should prompt Oklahoma lawmakers to act
Massive welfare fraud scandals in Minnesota have drawn national outrage—and Oklahoma shouldn’t kid itself that similar problems aren’t happening here.Jonathan Small | January 21, 2026
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Budget & Tax, Law & Principles
Oklahoma House Speaker: No taxpayer benefits for illegals
Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert has introduced two bills aimed at ensuring that taxpayer-funded assistance programs—from SNAP and TANF to Medicaid and WIC—are provided only to individuals who are lawfully present in the United States.Ray Carter | January 16, 2026
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Budget & Tax
Oklahoma income-tax phaseout kicks in
Oklahoma’s income-tax phaseout plan took its first step on January 1, reducing the number of brackets from six to three and trimming each by a quarter point, lowering the top rate from 4.75% to 4.5%. The cuts come as state revenues remain stable with modest growth.Curtis Shelton | January 13, 2026