Articles
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Budget & Tax
State officials lose track of money
State government’s reputation for oversight of finances took a hit at a recent Senate study when officials discussed longstanding confusion over how much money has been placed in a fund in existence for more than six decades, and conceded they are not certain how that money has been spent.Ray Carter | October 23, 2019
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Budget & Tax
Oklahoma’s gaming activity, by the numbers
Oklahoma’s gaming activity has grown at one of the fastest paces in the country since voters first approved the State-Tribal Compacts in 2004. Since then Oklahoma’s gaming revenue has grown by nearly 200 percent and has doubled its share of Oklahoma’s economy.Curtis Shelton | October 23, 2019
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Budget & Tax, Criminal Justice
Lawmakers told criminal justice reform requires increased spending
While many criminal justice reforms have been sold as a way to lower crime rates and taxpayer costs, lawmakers were told the reform process currently requires additional spending on treatment programs even as its unintended consequences are reducing the incentive for offenders to seek drug treatment and fueling a rise in homelessness.Ray Carter | October 14, 2019
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Budget & Tax
Oklahoma rig count highlights wisdom of fiscal prudence
Oklahoma’s rig count reached a three-year low, pointing to a dampened confidence in the energy industry. This lack of confidence could impact Oklahoma’s economic outlook as the global economy continues to slow.Curtis Shelton | October 8, 2019
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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