A personal archive of the published articles sent from Oklahoma's Premier Conservative Think Tank.
In 2004, Oklahoma had 1,168 structurally deficient bridges and ranked 49th in a federal report on bridge upkeep. Fifteen years later, the state has made a monumental jump to 9th with only 86 bridges now reported structurally deficient.
Every pension plan should have a goal of becoming fully funded, with assets equal to 100 percent of pension obligations.
June 30, 2020, marked the end of fiscal year 2020. Data from the Office of the State Treasurer show that the last few tumultuous months severely impacted revenue collections for the state.
Even as Oklahoma was struggling with the economic impact of the COVID-19 shutdown and the decline in the oil and gas industry, the legislature this year sought to give more handouts to the film industry.
Medicaid expansion proponents use this 90 percent match as justification for the attempt to grab “free” federal money by expanding Medicaid. That logic is flawed.
Few cases show the need for union reform more than Laquan McDonald’s death.
During the state’s last recession, income tax cuts were repeatedly cited as the reason for the state’s shortfalls.
After a decade of replenishing the state’s retirement system, a new law is estimated to add nearly $1 billion in unfunded liability to the retirement system and does so at the worst possible time.
As Oklahoma begins the slow process of reopening, policy solutions for consumers and businesses will be needed to jumpstart the economy. With Oklahoma unemployment reaching record numbers, lawmakers must focus on making hiring easier for businesses. One way would be to suspend any increases to experience rating for businesses paying unemployment insurance (UI) taxes.
A new analysis from Pew Charitable Trusts provides numbers to show just how severe the impact of COVID-19 on public pensions in Oklahoma could be.
Some of the media, and some politicians, are lying to us with data that are true.
On March 25 the Oklahoma State Board of Education voted to close all public schools, and students and teachers began preparing for online learning. These closures provide an opportunity for cost savings while the lights are off.
OCPA president Jonathan Small, along with the leaders of several other think tanks from around the country, has signed a letter to federal legislative leaders calling for flexibility in the use of the CARES Act relief dollars.
Increased retirement costs from a COLA increase, coupled with the sharp decline in the stock market, may put Oklahoma state pensions at risk.
Recent problems with Oklahoma’s engineering tax credit highlight the problems with tax incentives generally. Policymakers should reduce taxes for all Oklahomans, not just a few.
So far, Oklahoma state agencies have requested $454 in additional funding for the next fiscal year—and the wish list keeps getting longer.
During 2018, many Oklahoma school districts shut down for up to two weeks as part of a union-led walkout campaign targeting the state legislature. Just days before the shutdown, the legislature had passed a package of tax increases in order to raise teacher pay by an average of $6,100. One of the most salient arguments leading up to the pay raise and walkout was that Oklahoma was losing teachers to Texas due to higher pay south of the Red River.
One fact stands out above all others: Oklahoma has more slot machines than all but a handful of states—yet collects less revenue than most.
Expanding Medicaid would greatly increase the federal government’s control over Oklahoma’s state budget. If Oklahoma chose to expand Medicaid it could increase the federal government’s share of the state budget to over 50 percent.
Oklahoma has made progress toward a healthier pension system, but events in Chicago show the dangers of being complacent. Oklahoma can further establish a stable retirement system by adopting reforms to TRS similar to those adopted for OPERS.