Articles
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Budget & Tax
Boom and bust: Oil and gas prices push and pull state tax collections
Oil and natural gas prices have a significant impact on state tax collections. Oklahoma would benefit from a more diverse economy and from tax reforms that reduce volatility in state revenue collections.Curtis Shelton | December 5, 2018
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Budget & Tax
How money walks: Florida
Due in part to Florida’s much friendlier tax climate, the state has gained $156 billion from wealth migration since 1992. Meanwhile, Oklahoma has lost $1.22 billion since 1992.Curtis Shelton | November 20, 2018
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Budget & Tax
October 2018 gross receipts set a record high
October 2018 gross receipts set an October record high of $1.14 billion. Record highs have been set for all four months of this fiscal year.Curtis Shelton | November 15, 2018
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Budget & Tax
Volatile revenue sources make budgeting difficult
Relying on volatile tax sources makes it difficult to predict how much revenue state government will receive. This makes the budgeting process more difficult than it already is. Oklahoma should be wary of increasing its reliance on volatile taxes like the corporate income tax and the gross production tax.Curtis Shelton | November 9, 2018
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Budget & Tax, Health Care
As TSET endowment grows, so do questions about spending
The Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) preliminarily certified $64.8 million for fiscal year 2018. These earnings come from the $1.2 billion endowment for TSET. As the endowment has grown, the scope of the trust has expanded from tobacco-related programs to some questionable areas.Curtis Shelton | November 7, 2018
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Budget & Tax
A look at the October 2018 economic report
The Oklahoma State Treasurer released the monthly report for October revenue collections. Total Gross Receipts collected in October were $1,138.5 million—up 16.1 percent, or $158.3 million, from the same month last year.Curtis Shelton | November 7, 2018
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Budget & Tax, Health Care
Who’s like whom?
There’s been a lot of talk lately about which of the gubernatorial candidates is most like the current governor. Let’s look at it.Jonathan Small | October 26, 2018
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Budget & Tax, Good Government
Paying career politicians
Democracy doesn’t work when we let politicians spend future generations’ money. It’s taxation without representation. It’s also something we do every day in the United States and in Oklahoma.Jonathan Small | October 19, 2018
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Budget & Tax
September 2018 sets record revenue collections
Total Gross Receipts collected in September 2018 set a record high of $1.15 billion—an increase of 14.1%, or $141.4 million, from the same month in the prior year. Record highs have now been set during the first three months of this fiscal year.Curtis Shelton | October 17, 2018
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Budget & Tax
Some politicians, public employees get pension perks
“Double dipping” refers to a scenario wherein a retired government worker returns to work in a job covered by the same pension system and receives a salary—while also receiving or accruing pension benefits from their prior position.Jonathan Small & Mike Brake | October 9, 2018