Articles
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Economy
SQ 832 copies policies that raised prices elsewhere
States forcing a $15 minimum wage saw prices rise faster than Oklahoma while experiencing weaker wage growth. With SQ 832 mirroring the same policies that drove up costs and reduced opportunities elsewhere, the data suggest Oklahoma should stick with the approach that’s delivering real wage gains without inflation.Curtis Shelton | February 26, 2026
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Economy
SQ 832 ties Oklahoma wages to NYC socialist mayor’s agenda
If approved, State Question 832 would peg Oklahoma’s minimum wage to the urban-center cost-of-living index. This would effectively allow leaders in high-cost cities, such as Zohran Mamdani, to indirectly dictate Oklahoma’s wage law.Ray Carter | February 17, 2026
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Economy
SQ 832 could raise prices for everyone
SQ 832 would increase Oklahoma’s minimum wage by tying it to the cost of living in expensive urban centers. Research repeatedly shows that significant minimum-wage hikes push up prices in sectors that are heavy on minimum-wage labor.Curtis Shelton | February 5, 2026
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Economy
From minimum-wage mandates to credit-card fees: the same anti-freedom playbook
Efforts to raise Oklahoma’s minimum wage and to push the federal Credit Card Competition Act share a common flaw: a fundamental distrust of free markets.Jonathan Small | February 2, 2026
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Education, Economy
Report: Oklahoma ranks 16th in school choice, trails Arkansas and Texas
A new report ranks Oklahoma 16th nationally for its student-centered funding programs, highlighting the strong performance of the Oklahoma Parental Tax Credit program—but also warning that the state’s $250 million cap is holding back thousands of families who want access to private-school options.Ray Carter | January 28, 2026
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Economy
Hern launches policy institute to expand opportunities for future generations
U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Tulsa, who rose from poverty to become a highly successful businessman before entering Congress, is launching the Hern Policy Institute to help future generations access the same opportunities he enjoyed.Ray Carter | January 22, 2026
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Law & Principles, Economy
Study warns minimum-wage hike would cost Oklahoma 16,000 jobs, hit small businesses hardest
New research from the National Federation of Independent Business finds that the minimum wage increase proposed in State Question 832 would significantly damage Oklahoma’s economy, costing an estimated 16,112 jobs over 10 years—nearly 9,700 of them at small businesses—and reducing economic output by $697 million.Curtis Shelton | January 15, 2026
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Economy
Oklahoma continues to attract movers
A new U-Haul Growth Index report shows Oklahoma remains one of the nation’s most popular destinations for movers, ranking 14th in net inbound traffic. According to U-Haul, blue-to-red state migration “continues to be a discernible trend.”Ray Carter | January 8, 2026
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Law & Principles, Economy
Montana’s inflation-indexed minimum wage squeezes small businesses
Since tying its minimum wage to inflation in 2007, Montana has seen higher business failure rates, weaker startup survival, and a sharp drop in labor-force participation among young workers. Oklahoma risks repeating that pattern if voters approve SQ 832.Curtis Shelton | January 7, 2026
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Economy
Minimum-wage hikes don’t magically cut evictions—they shift who gets hurt
Some people claim that minimum-wage increases reduce evictions, but the evidence behind that claim is thin and ignores basic supply-and-demand realities.Byron Schlomach, Ph.D. | December 8, 2025