Guardian: Oklahoma isn't working.

[BG918]

Another one-sided article about how Oklahoma is a failed state

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...ool-weeks-poor

[dcsooner]

Another one-sided article about how Oklahoma is a failed state

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...ool-weeks-poor

Boggles my mind how so many people are in denial when reality is presented

[Bunty]

Boggles my mind how so many people are in denial when reality is presented

Maybe they're not in denial. Maybe smaller funded government is what the majority of Oklahomans actually want, because they feel there has been too much wasteful spending. Sooner Poll: http://soonerpoll.com/oklahomans-sou...xpayer-monies/

Others would say it's not a spending problem, rather a funding problem from too many tax incentives. Whatever, it's a severe symptom of a poorly governed state. Instead, of making things more easier for oil companies than in any other state, the state should have figured out how to cut or eliminate the sales tax on food. It would help everybody, especially low income people not eligible for food stamps.

[dankrutka]

Another one-sided article about how Oklahoma is a failed state

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...ool-weeks-poor

Also an accurate article. Honest question, which facts or stories do you disagree with from the article? Oklahoma is currently failing in ways that I'm not sure I've seen before. Maybe I'm just more familiar with Oklahoma, but the length of institutional failures is mindnumbing.

[BG918]

Also an accurate article. Honest question, which facts or stories do you disagree with from the article? Oklahoma is currently failing in ways that I'm not sure I've seen before. Maybe I'm just more familiar with Oklahoma, but the length of institutional failures is mindnumbing.

I don't disagree with the facts presented in the article and understand Oklahoma state govt is a mess that will take years to fix. I just think it was overly one sided blaming Republicans. A interesting take would be to compare and contrast the policies of Oklahoma and Kansas with that of Texas, another Republican controlled state that isn't a failure, or compare Oklahoma as a failed red state to Illinois as a failed blue state and why they are different and/or similar.

[Bunty]

Another one-sided article about how Oklahoma is a failed state

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...ool-weeks-poor

Not totally one sided. From article:

"Of course, many would not recognize their state in this description. One of the most respected bloggers in Tulsa, Michael Bates, said the whole idea of Oklahoma as a failing state was “hysterical and overwrought”.

After all, downtown Tulsa and Oklahoma City are thriving. The cities have been rated by Kiplinger among the “best cities in America to start a business”. Tulsa has rolling hills, parks and delicious barbecue: Tulsa People enumerates the city’s private schools. Affordable housing prices are the envy of the nation and suburban school districts boast gleaming new facilities. And yes, some conservatives think the four-day week is good for “traditional” families, allowing for more time with the kids. For affluent families, the extra day can be spent on college prep or sports."

[Pete]

I'm not going to take the time to explain while pulling the median property tax and diving by median home values has absolutely zero bearing on how much *you* and any individual tax payer actually gives the government, which is what we are discussing.

[Bellaboo]

I took a statistics class many years ago. The first statement on the first day from the professors mouth was - 'you can prove or disprove just about anything depending on your slant with statistics'.

[SOONER8693]

I took a statistics class many years ago. The first statement on the first day from the professors mouth was - 'you can prove or disprove just about anything depending on your slant with statistics'.

I think it was Mark Twain that said, "statistics are like a cheap whore, once you throw them down there, you can do about anything you want with them".

[chuck5815]

[Ross MacLochness]

lol I was thinking about posting the same gif! Lots of salt on the forums the past few days!!

[onthestrip]

Fact is our property taxes are relatively low. Also fact is that if you live outside of OKC and Tulsa, you are likely to have an assessor who on average undervalues properties. If properties were properly valued across the state, mostly in rural parts, our school funding would look a lot rosier. But now that there is a 5% cap, it will take eons to get it up. And the fact that is that these counties elect good ol buddy assessors who dont want to raise values.

As for eliminating waste, I cant remember the exact numbers but the state has eliminated state employees by the multi-thousands in the last 15 years or so. Theres always waste but we have eliminated a ton of it. We have also just bowed down to our corporate and chamber rulers when it comes to dropping or eliminating some taxes over last decade. The middle and lower class have essentially seen no tax relief during this time, its all gone to higher earners.

[Pete]

Low property taxes also favor big business because commercial property gets taxed at the same rates as homes.

[Ross MacLochness]

28.4% of all statistics are made up on the spot!

[TheTravellers]

FFS, really?

Oklahoma officials request hypothetical budget cut results

"Oklahoma lawmakers have sent letters to state agencies requesting they give hypothetical results for a more than 3 percent budget cut."

Found that here:

http://okpolicy.org/know-oklahoma-of...t-cut-results/

Other great news in that post includes this:

"Oklahomans with mental health disorders will get fewer hours of case management under a new rule approved Thursday by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. Currently, SoonerCare pays for up to six hours and 15 minutes of case management services per month. The new rule will reduce that to four hours of services per year."

"Oklahoma ranks No. 1 nationally for nonmedical use of painkillers for all age groups 12 and older in the past year"

"“We’re just short of what I and several of us who have been involved in this would classify as a crisis,” said Mark Nelson, vice president of the Oklahoma City Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 123"

[d-usa]

I was surprised at the outcomes of our last batch of state questions, and I have very reserved cautious optimism because of them. But I'm fully prepared to be let down as well.

[Dustin]

I hate that Oklahoma gets this kind of press constantly.

The solutions to the problems in this state are very simple, but the republicans at the capitol can't seem to figure it out. We need a change of leadership.

[jerrywall]

I hate that Oklahoma gets this kind of press constantly.

The solutions to the problems in this state are very simple, but the republicans at the capitol can't seem to figure it out. We need a change of leadership.

Hopefully a third solution and not just back to the folks who ran it into the ground for 70 years.

[Video Expert]

Hopefully a third solution and not just back to the folks who ran it into the ground for 70 years.

No kidding! You beat me to it.

[Bunty]

I hate that Oklahoma gets this kind of press constantly.

The solutions to the problems in this state are very simple, but the republicans at the capitol can't seem to figure it out. We need a change of leadership.

People need to run for legislature to find new leadership. If not, you have incumbents without opposition on election day and that speaks even louder to them that they must be doing a damned good job of running state government. Also silence is consent.

[Rover]

Anybody who compares Oklahoma to third world countries obviously hasn't traveled much or failed to recognize what they saw. Go, and you will see for yourself what I mean. While we have some critical things to correct here, hysteria and hyperbole don't fix the problems. Getting involved in government and working hard does. Internet chatter doesn't, but working change through participating and influencing does.

[bchris02]

Anybody who compares Oklahoma to third world countries obviously hasn't traveled much or failed to recognize what they saw. Go, and you will see for yourself what I mean. While we have some critical things to correct here, hysteria and hyperbole don't fix the problems. Getting involved in government and working hard does. Internet chatter doesn't, but working change through participating and influencing does.

I agree. As many problems as Oklahoma has, calling it "third world" is quite an overstatement. I think a better way to state it is that in terms o the US, Oklahoma used to be consistently ranked middle to lower middle of the pack and lately it's more often ranked at the very bottom with the likes of Mississippi and Arkansas, two states that have chronically been among the worst and most dysfunctional states in the US. Question is, does Oklahoma want to settle for that?

[Pete]

I don't know that the state has ever been ranked in the middle on anything.

We are near the bottom in every possible way and that doesn't seem to change if oil is $100 / barrel or if there is a recession.

And that's because our tax structure and collections are far below what they need to be for any area to even reach the status of average.

[okcpulse]

I don't know that the state has ever been ranked in the middle on anything.

We are near the bottom in every possible way and that doesn't seem to change if oil is $100 / barrel or if there is a recession.

And that's because our tax structure and collections are far below what they need to be for any area to even reach the status of average.

Our per capita personal income is ranked 28th and our gross domestic product is ranked 29th. I've mentioned this before on other threads when someone concludes that Oklahoma ranks at the bottom in everything, and when I bring up these two rankings, I get nothing but crickets.

So if we rank near the middle in per capita income and GDP and our services are not adequately funded, then that's the solid proof that our tax structure and collections are far below what they need to be.

[Swake]

Our per capita personal income is ranked 28th and our gross domestic product is ranked 29th. I've mentioned this before on other threads when someone concludes that Oklahoma ranks at the bottom in everything, and when I bring up these two rankings, I get nothing but crickets.

So if we rank near the middle in per capita income and GDP and our services are not adequately funded, then that's the solid proof that our tax structure and collections are far below what they need to be.

Exactly, Oklahoma politicians use the excuse that we are poor for failing to support schools and infrastructure when that is NOT the case. Oklahoma was dealt a huge advantage with our energy resources and yet never fails to squander that advantage to the benefit of it's citizens. Big energy owns the politicians in this state. Oklahoma politicians pander and use state level pointless wedge issues like abortion and guns and gays to get elected so they can serve their energy industry overlords.