Articles
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Budget & Tax, Energy
Myths and facts: Are Oklahoma energy producers paying their ‘fair share’ in state taxes? They’re paying an awful lot
Myth: Oklahoma businesses, both large and small, that drill wells for oil and natural gas within the state are not currently paying their “fair share” of state taxes to benefit Oklahoma citizens.Jonathan Small & Dave Bond | May 20, 2014
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Budget & Tax, Energy
Myths and facts: Is Oklahoma’s one-percent tax on horizontal drilling a subsidy that created a state government budget shortfall? The answer is no
Myth: Oklahoma’s current gross production tax rate of 1 percent on horizontal and deep oil and natural gas wells is a “subsidy” for the energy industry that has caused a budget shortfall for state government.Jonathan Small & Dave Bond | May 19, 2014
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Budget & Tax, Energy
Myths and facts: Do poll results show that Oklahomans want to raise taxes on energy drilling? Far from it
Myth: Oklahomans “overwhelmingly” wish to raise taxes on oil and natural gas drilling within the state.Jonathan Small & Dave Bond | May 14, 2014
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Budget & Tax, Education
Myths and facts: Will raising Oklahoma’s gross production tax by 600 percent provide $250 million more for schools? Not likely
Myth: If Oklahoma’s gross production tax rate on horizontal and deep-well drilling for oil and natural gas is increased from 1 percent to 7 percent, Oklahoma schoolchildren will benefit from more than $250 million in additional public education spending.Jonathan Small & Dave Bond | May 13, 2014
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Budget & Tax
Myths and facts: Is Oklahoma state government experiencing a budget shortfall? The answer is no
Myth: Oklahoma is “unable to fund state services” like schools, roads, and prisons because state tax collections, appropriations, and total spending are below prior years, creating a budget shortfall.Jonathan Small & Dave Bond | May 12, 2014
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Budget & Tax
Making the best of a bad situation
Policymakers face an important decision in the last few weeks of the legislative session.Jonathan Small | May 12, 2014
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Budget & Tax
Considering both income and property taxes in ‘Oklahoma vs. Texas’ comparisons
In discussions about whether to reduce and eventually eliminate Oklahoma’s penalty on work — our state’s personal income tax — it’s often mentioned that Texas, our neighbor to the south, is an income-tax-free state.Jonathan Small | May 7, 2014
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Budget & Tax
YOU GUEST IT: Lt. Gov. Lamb: Conservative policies work, tax hikes unwise
Over the past four years I’ve focused on Oklahoma’s economy by traveling each year to all 77 counties to visit with small businesses. I routinely ask business owners, “What are our greatest impediments to growth?” We’ve made significant strides, including but not limited to reform of our workers’ compensation system.Todd Lamb | April 22, 2014
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Budget & Tax
Are Tax Hikes and Spending Increases Inevitable?
A great historian with whom I was privileged to study uttered, during an evening class in my years at Oklahoma State University, words that stuck with me through the last four decades: “Nothing is inevitable. Nothing—not the rise and fall of great nations; not the dawning of another day.”Patrick B. McGuigan | March 12, 2014
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Budget & Tax
Let’s Reduce Oklahoma’s Penalty on Work
Other states noticed Oklahoma’s positive growth as we steadily reduced our penalty on work over the past decade. They’re doing everything they can to be more competitive with us. Now, Oklahoma is in danger of taking our foot off the gas and shifting into the slow lane. Instead, we should seize an opportunity to provide additional tax relief to Oklahoma families and job creators.Leslie Osborn | March 12, 2014