Articles
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Economy
Survey: Vast majority of economists reject SQ 832-style wage hikes
A new nationwide survey of economists shows that 74 percent oppose a $15 an hour minimum wage, while 96 percent oppose a minimum wage of more than $20 an hour.Ray Carter | May 11, 2026
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Economy
Unions and billionaires pour cash into SQ 832—and call it ‘compassion’
Labor unions and prominent left-wing donors are advancing SQ 832, a policy aligned with their own interests and ideological agendas.Tyler Williamson | May 5, 2026
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Budget & Tax, Economy
Current and former city officials warn SQ 832 could mean higher taxes
Current and former local officials warn that State Question 832 would force cities and towns to raise taxes, hike utility rates, or slash services to keep up with spiraling payroll costs and the inevitable revenue hits from business closures and job losses.Ray Carter | May 5, 2026
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Economy, Culture & the Family
SQ 832 makes work scarce—and can pressure vulnerable women toward choices they don’t want
SQ 832 would shrink access to work, reduce hours, and inject instability into the very lives already stretched thin—conditions that research shows make many pregnant women feel abortion is their only viable option.Jonathan Small, Dave Bond & Matt Oberdick | May 4, 2026
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Economy
SQ 832 risks killing the very jobs that keep people out of poverty
Most minimum-wage workers are young and quickly move into higher-paying jobs, and that early work experience is often the first step toward long-term economic stability.Curtis Shelton | April 29, 2026
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Economy
Report finds Oklahoma poverty fell far more without wage hike
A report released by supporters of State Question 832 estimates only a one-point reduction in poverty under a $15 wage, far below the decline Oklahoma achieved from 2010 to 2019.Ray Carter | April 29, 2026
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Economy
The social and economic downsides of SQ 832
The minimum wage has historically produced unintended economic and social consequences, particularly for low-skilled teenagers.Byron Schlomach, Ph.D. | April 22, 2026
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Economy
California’s wage experiment offers warning as Oklahoma weighs SQ 832
A recent study from the University of California, Santa Cruz, finds that California’s $20 minimum wage for fast-food workers has led to reduced hours, slower hiring, and higher menu prices.Curtis Shelton | April 21, 2026
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Economy
IRS data: Oklahoma emerges as magnet for young workers
New IRS-based data show that Oklahoma is gaining ground as a destination for domestic migrants—particularly younger workers—ranking among the top states for net population growth.Ray Carter | April 20, 2026
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Economy
Cherokee Nation Businesses push effort to hike Oklahoma minimum wage
A campaign finance report shows that Cherokee Nation Businesses contributed $25,000 to support State Question 832, a proposed ballot measure that would raise Oklahoma’s minimum wage and index future increases to a cost-of-living measure tied to urban wage earners.Ray Carter | April 16, 2026