A new report that ranks states based on economic competitiveness has Oklahoma falling outside the top 10.

“Rich States, Poor States,” authored by economists Arthur Laffer, Stephen Moore, and Jonathan Williams, ranks states in a variety of categories, including tax rates, workers' compensation costs, and the number of public employees, among other policy variables.

This year’s publication has Oklahoma ranked 11th for its economic outlook, down from a ranking of 3rd four years ago. The decline has come primarily from Oklahoma’s stagnation. States across the country have proceeded with tax cuts aimed at adopting a more pro-growth climate, while Oklahoma has largely stood pat. Oklahoma fell four spots since 2021 in both the “Top Marginal Personal Income Tax Rate” and “Personal Income Tax Progressivity” variables as other states cut taxes and moved to flat rates.

Arkansas, after an aggressive series of tax cuts, moved ahead of Oklahoma in the rankings. Arkansas comes in at number 10, which is 13 spots ahead of where it was in 2021. Louisiana has seen a similar climb after extensive tax cuts, moving from 27th to 18th since 2018.

Oklahoma can no longer rely on avoiding poor policy decisions to stay competitive with other states. Too many states have made huge strides in pro-growth policy reforms and are beginning to leave Oklahoma behind.