Articles
-
Budget & Tax, Health Care
Tobacco funds eyed to cover surging Medicaid costs
Grappling with the surging expense of Oklahoma’s Medicaid program and the potential for even greater costs if a ballot measure expanding the program passes later this year, members of a Senate committee have voted to redirect state tobacco settlement funds to Medicaid.Ray Carter | February 20, 2020
-
Budget & Tax, Law & Principles
Lawmakers advance funding transparency measure
Attempting to build on reforms enacted last year, members of a Senate committee voted Wednesday to require increased public reporting on the use of federal funds by state and local governments in Oklahoma.Ray Carter | February 12, 2020
-
Budget & Tax, Health Care
Bill would save state money, then give savings to tribal governments
Oklahoma state government could generate millions of dollars in savings by cost-shifting Medicaid costs to the federal government, but half of state government savings would then be given to tribal governments under legislation approved by a Senate committee on Monday.Ray Carter | February 11, 2020
-
Budget & Tax
Stitt emphasizes government restraint—with one big exception
In his second State of the State address, Gov. Kevin Stitt mostly urged fiscal restraint, calling for increased state savings and agency consolidation, but he also promoted a tax/fee increase to fund a major expansion of welfare through Medicaid.Ray Carter | February 4, 2020
-
Budget & Tax
OMES savings partially offset by increased fees
The Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) will request $12.7 million less in state appropriations this year. But those savings will be partly offset by a planned increase in the fees OMES charges other agencies for information technology (IT) services. And those fees, which will cumulatively total more than $3 million, will in many instances be covered by increased appropriations to other agencies, reducing state savings.Ray Carter | January 28, 2020
-
Budget & Tax
Aerospace tax-credit debacle points up need for reform
Recent problems with Oklahoma’s engineering tax credit highlight the problems with tax incentives generally. Policymakers should reduce taxes for all Oklahomans, not just a few.Curtis Shelton | January 28, 2020
-
Budget & Tax
Governor responds to tribes’ casino lawsuit
The state’s filing notes gaming compacts say auto-renewal occurs only if racetracks are allowed to conduct electronic gaming “pursuant to any governmental action of the state or court order following the effective date of this Compact.”Ray Carter | January 24, 2020
-
Budget & Tax
Fallin administration, Legislature may have violated tribal compacts
A recent lawsuit filed by three tribal governments raises a major question: Did a law passed by the Legislature and signed by former Gov. Mary Fallin in 2017 violate state-tribal gaming compacts, opening the door for tribes to now seek damages?Ray Carter | January 20, 2020
-
Budget & Tax
Financial expert says Oklahoma casino fees below market rates
Gov. Kevin Stitt says the debate over the fees casino operators pay Oklahoma government for monopoly rights must focus on market value.Ray Carter | January 13, 2020
-
Budget & Tax
Reports indicate state economic slowdown
Revenue projections certified by the State Board of Equalization in December showed Oklahoma lawmakers will have little additional money to spend in this year’s legislative session—an increase of just one-tenth of 1 percent.Ray Carter | January 7, 2020