Oklahoma is a low-tax state, study shows | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-is-a-low-tax-state-study-shows/article/4234443)

Maybe it's more of a matter as to which state spends it tax money smarter or makes proper priorities. Don't most drivers find the highways suddenly improve when they cross from Texas to Oklahoma?

Maybe it's more of a matter as to which state spends it tax money smarter or makes proper priorities. Don't most drivers find the highways suddenly improve when they cross from Texas to Oklahoma?

At one point Texas spent far more on roads tit for tat than Oklahoma, but now TxDOT is just as broke as their OK counterpart. Something like $4 billion in the hole. Hence the dramatic increase in toll roads/managed lanes.

It could just be the rough winter this part of the country has had but I'm frankly shocked at some of the poor condition of some of the roads around the DFW area, especially those on the periphery of metro area.

Maybe it's more of a matter as to which state spends it tax money smarter or makes proper priorities. Don't most drivers find the highways suddenly improve when they cross from Texas to Oklahoma?

Not anymore. And adaniel is right. Even in the Houston area some of main thoroughfares are deplorable or very uneven. Even The Woodlands has a lot of uneven surfaces.

If you don't want to pay for education, roads and bridges, or culture, you shouldn't have to collect much taxes. Ignorance is cheap in the short term.

We don't pay much and we don't get much.

At one point Texas spent far more on roads tit for tat than Oklahoma, but now TxDOT is just as broke as their OK counterpart. Something like $4 billion in the hole. Hence the dramatic increase in toll roads/managed lanes.

It could just be the rough winter this part of the country has had but I'm frankly shocked at some of the poor condition of some of the roads around the DFW area, especially those on the periphery of metro area.I never really noticed bad roads in DFW... every city I've been to has it's share of bad roads.

I never really noticed bad roads in DFW... every city I've been to has it's share of bad roads.
The only place I have ever noticed really bad roads in the DFW area are in the really old areas not to far from downtown Dallas.

The problem Texas is having is largely associated with very high growth rates.
When things slow down they should be able to shift more funding to maintenance.

The only place I have ever noticed really bad roads in the DFW area are in the really old areas not to far from downtown Dallas.


You are not looking hard enough. I recently drove back to Dallas from the OU Spring game and by far the roughest strech of 35 was between Denton and Lewisville. Definitely did not used to be like that. You are right though, most roads leading out of Downtown Dallas with the exception of 75 are in pretty poor shape.

I also misquoted in my last post. TxDOT is $14 billion in the hole, not $4 billion. And while I applaud leaders down here for looking for ways to fund roads with tolls (compared to the Oklahoma solution of doing nothing), I am not sure how long this can keep up with NTTA alone about $10 billion in debt. NTTA itself is a defacto income tax on some people here. A few of my coworkers have household toll bills that top $2K annually.

If the state of Oklahoma was smart they would do a 30 year $3 billion bond issue for roads. $1 billion for OKC, $1 billion for Tulsa, and $1 billion for rural. It would go a long way towards getting OK some of the momentum that Texas has.

I am not sure how long this can keep up with NTTA alone about $10 billion in debt. NTTA itself is a defacto income tax on some people here. A few of my coworkers have household toll bills that top $2K annually.

I heard somewhere that you can now use your Pike Pass in Texas and soon in Kansas. I hope that's not a way of minimizing NTTA debt on the backs of OK drivers.

You are not looking hard enough.That tells you all you need to know than. If you have look hard to find roads that are in bad shape, than that is find. Here in OKC, you sure don't have to look very far. I can't think of one city I've ever seen that has 100% perfect roads. Dallas would be my list of cities that have the best roads overall. They are finding ways to pay the debt back and I'm sure they will seeing as Texas has one of the best credit ratings you can have.

I heard somewhere that you can now use your Pike Pass in Texas and soon in Kansas. I hope that's not a way of minimizing NTTA debt on the backs of OK drivers.How would that be? You have to pay tolls regardless. Also, if it costs more to mail you the bill than the toll(s) you racked up, Texas won't send you the bill. Pretty smart forward thinking if you ask me. Texas isn't the only state going the toll route to cover the costs. Cement costs are rising and eventually new technology will emerge that will improve life and possibly lower the cost of road pavement. Years from now, we might be using some sort of composite material instead of cement or asphalt.

If the state of Oklahoma was smart they would do a 30 year $3 billion bond issue for roads. $1 billion for OKC, $1 billion for Tulsa, and $1 billion for rural. It would go a long way towards getting OK some of the momentum that Texas has.I'd make it 2 billion for OKC, .5 billion for Tulsa, .5 billion for rural. If it were me, I'd also raise the bond issue to 10 billion over 30 years backed by an small increase in property tax, large increase in gasoline tax, and if we had any sense, a mileage tax.

If you don't want to pay for education, roads and bridges, or culture, you shouldn't have to collect much taxes. Ignorance is cheap in the short term.

We don't pay much and we don't get much.

This is especially true for Oklahoma. Oklahoma's state budget is smaller in size, than budgets in most states smaller in population. As a reflection of how this goes, around 75% of the funding for OSU's budget comes from private sources. I wonder if most of the other states fund their universities like that. With that in mind, public schools might as well give up on the state and turn to private sources to provide more funding.

This is especially true for Oklahoma. Oklahoma's state budget is smaller in size, than budgets in most states smaller in population. As a reflection of how this goes, around 75% of the funding for OSU's budget comes from private sources. I wonder if most of the other states fund their universities like that. With that in mind, public schools might as well give up on the state and turn to private sources to provide more funding.

On a related note, didn't David Boren talk about this not long ago? I seem to remember him giving a talk/interview/something spoken and saying that it might actually be better for OU to become free of state control and just become a private institution that can set its own tuition and bring in the money it needs to run without having to deal with the uncertainty of and declining contributions from state lawmakers. Intriguing. I wonder how OU would do as a private university?

On a related note, didn't David Boren talk about this not long ago? I seem to remember him giving a talk/interview/something spoken and saying that it might actually be better for OU to become free of state control and just become a private institution that can set its own tuition and bring in the money it needs to run without having to deal with the uncertainty of and declining contributions from state lawmakers. Intriguing. I wonder how OU would do as a private university?

Cant imagine this is what is desired. That would make what was an relatively affordable college education become very expensive and enrollment would drop drastically.

Cant imagine this is what is desired. That would make what was an relatively affordable college education become very expensive and enrollment would drop drastically.

From what I recall of his speech, it wasn't desire, but more so exasperation with the state funding situation and how it *could* become an inevitability if trends continue. Anyway, it was interesting to listen to.

If the state of Oklahoma was smart they would do a 30 year $3 billion bond issue for roads. $1 billion for OKC, $1 billion for Tulsa, and $1 billion for rural. It would go a long way towards getting OK some of the momentum that Texas has.

It should be done while financial rates are still very low. I sure don't want to hear talk of lawmakers wanting to borrow money when financial rates have soared into the double digits.

This is how we divided the pie in 2011. I assume 2014 figures are somewhat similar. What areas do we cut/transfer to satisfy everyone?

State Spending and Services » Oklahoma Policy Institute (http://okpolicy.org/resources/online-budget-guide/expenditures/state-government-expenditures/state-spending-and-services)