Articles
-
Budget & Tax
New Tax Foundation property tax map
Many tax consumers claim Oklahoma is a low-tax state, but state taxes are near the national average. It is local taxes that are low, as shown by the Tax Foundation's latest map of per capita property tax collections.Curtis Shelton | April 2, 2019
-
Budget & Tax
Coastal fairy tales on education
Beware the coastal fairy tales on education.Jonathan Small | March 29, 2019
-
Budget & Tax
Report: State economy grows even as oil prices remain low
The latest monthly report from the Oklahoma State Treasurer’s office indicates that the state economy continues to grow even as oil prices remain low.Curtis Shelton | March 12, 2019
-
Budget & Tax, Good Government
Limited government should also be effective
A limited government shouldn’t mean an ineffective one. Oklahoma’s current government structure pits its executive branch against itself and makes any real reform difficult.Curtis Shelton | March 11, 2019
-
Budget & Tax
Coastal fairy tales
Oklahoma’s revenue shortfalls were not the result of coastal fairy tales about tax cuts. They were the result of the Great Recession – and then a recession from a protracted energy price war waged by OPEC – that caused thousands of our fellow Oklahomans to lose their jobs.Jonathan Small | March 8, 2019
-
Budget & Tax, Good Government
The opportunity cost of Oklahoma’s corporate welfare
Oklahoma lost $152 million in 2017 from corporate incentives and could reduce its total overall tax burden by 2.7 percent if it ended all corporate welfare programs.Curtis Shelton | March 4, 2019
-
Budget & Tax
Energy price declines yet to impact state collections
The decline in oil and gas prices have yet to impact state collections, but gross production numbers will most likely decline in the next few months.Curtis Shelton | February 26, 2019
-
Budget & Tax
Lower oil prices hit January 2019 economic growth
While still growing, state revenues are feeling the effects of lower oil prices.Curtis Shelton | February 15, 2019
-
Budget & Tax
State budget primer: Agencies and their appropriations
According to the latest available data, apportions accounted for 39 percent of total state spending in fiscal year 2018 at $7.5 billion. It is not the whole picture, however. Oklahoma’s total state budget is in fact nearly $18 billion.Curtis Shelton | February 14, 2019
-
Budget & Tax
State budget primer: Context for the budget debate
When examining the state budget, we must look at past budget numbers to provide context for the debate.Curtis Shelton | February 13, 2019