A few stats on the estate tax
Oklahoma’s estate tax ends today, and the federal version will disappear in 2010, only to reappear in 2011 by the strange quirk of a 2001 law that Congress has not fixed.
I’m not going to get into the merits or drawbacks of the estate tax, which is called the “death tax” by its critics. But according …
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Governor to go bowling
Gov. Brad Henry says he is going to the Cotton Bowl to watch Oklahoma State University but is undecided about going to see his alma mater play next week in the Sun Bowl.
“We’re definitely going to the Cotton Bowl, but because of the holidays and family (being) home we don’t know if we’re going to be able to make it to both bowls,” said the state’s First Fan. “The Cotton Bowl is easier because it’s a three-hour drive; the …
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A footnote on state budget rankings
The numbers released by State Treasurer Scott Meacham this morning aren’t pretty. But it’s not the worst in the country, he says.
With budget cuts in place and transfers, state leaders still have to find an additional $450 million to balance the budget by June 30, when the fiscal year ends. Those numbers still need to be approved by the Board of Equalization, which meets tomorrow.
State leaders have committed to restoring funds to an account that pays for education …
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Board of Equalization meeting rescheduled
State Treasurer Scott Meacham’s press briefing this afternoon has been rescheduled.
Meacham is expected to meet with media at 10:30 a.m. Monday. The Board of Equalization’s meeting has also been rescheduled.
The meeting will now be Tuesday afternoon, instead of Monday. The board will approve estimates for revenue collections that the state’s budget will be based on. Actual collections were 25 percent lower than estimates for November. State agencies are now seeing a 10 percent cut to their montly allocations …
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A blue flame of optimism?
Cold winters might not be a lot of fun to endure, but wintry mix could mean more cash for Oklahoma.
Natural gas prices jumped Thursday due to short supply. For folks in Oklahoma, that’s music to our windswept ears. The Energy Information Administration said the country’s supply dropped by 207 billion cubic feet last week.
Maybe that little glimmer of good news will temper the bad news state agencies received earlier this week that their monthly allocation will be cut …
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Stimulus “naughty” list released
In keeping with the holiday season, here’s some information on who among stimulus recipients have been put on the “naughty” list.
The federal Recovery Accountability Transparency Board has released its list of stimulus recipients who either filed late or failed to file for the first reporting period. Unfortunately, it’s a clunky 238-page PDF here. And it’s …
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It's official…we're the worst
So far, 20 states have gaps in excess of 5 percent of their general fund budgets, and five of these states have gaps greater than 10 percent. The largest shortfalls are in Oklahoma (18.5 percent) and Arizona (18 percent).
I took a look at the budget report from the National Conference of State Legislatures. It’s official. Oklahoma has the largest budget gap. The group surveyed state officials from across the country. Some states are already seeing a rebound from …
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It could be worse…maybe it is?
Last year, state leaders used to compare Oklahoma’s budget problems to other states and say things like, “It could be worse,” or “We’re fairing better than a lot of other states.”
But it seems that bubble may have burst. An analysis by the National Conference of State Legislatures, Oklahoma and Arizona have the nation’s largest gaps this fiscal year.
Check out the report: http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=443036…
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State employee benefits could change
Health insurance for one of the state’s largest employers could change under proposed legislation that will likely be considered when the Legislature convenes next year.
An independent firm evaluating the state’s system of providing health insurance said the state doesn’t take advantage of cost savings that could come from a more competitive system. The report, adopted by the State Employee Health Insurance Review Working Group on Tuesday, also recommends combining the Employees Benefit Council and the Oklahoma State Education and …
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State credit card purchases now online
The state’s Open Books site today added another feature: a searchable tab for agency credit card transactions, called “p-cards” by the state. The addition is part of House Bill 1032, which required posting of the transactions.
SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section …
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