The Okie

Editor’s Note: Last week, much was made of new polling which seemed to show an appetite in the Sooner State to raise the gross production tax to fund the state budget. Despite the hype and several public misconceptions from those opposed to further Oklahoma oil/gas production and drilling we decided to ask Pat McFerron, one […]...

Keith Beall Joins Oklahomans for Lamb OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, June 19, 2017 – Lieutenant Governor Todd Lamb announced today that Keith Beall has joined Oklahomans for Lamb as campaign manager. Beall, 48, has served as the Lieutenant Governor’s office chief-of-staff since 2011. “Keith Beall has been a consummate professional as my chief-of-staff at the state […]...

UPDATED STATEMENT FROM DR. TOM COBURN, FORMER U.S. SENATOR, ON EFFORTS TO INCREASE PERSONAL INCOME TAXES IN OKLAHOMA May 12, 2017 This week, House and Senate committees at the Oklahoma Legislature have passed multiple bills, including House Bill 2347 and House Bill 2403, which cap personal itemized deductions effective January 1, 2017. Dr. Tom Coburn […]...

Tribal Gaming Expansion Plan Stalls Oklahoma Budget Talks By SEAN MURPHY, Associated Press OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A major expansion of tribal gambling in Oklahoma — to include roulette and dice games — that House Democrats wanted in exchange for votes on a cigarette tax apparently derailed budget negotiations on Monday in the Legislature. House […]...

Statement from Former U.S. Senator Dr. Tom Coburn on Efforts to Increase Personal Income Taxes Yesterday, the House and Senate Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget passed House Bill 2347, which caps personal itemized deductions effective January 1, 2017. Dr. Tom Coburn has issued the following statement regarding efforts to have the bill approved by […]...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 20, 2017 PINNELL ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN FOR LT. GOVERNOR Tulsa, OK – Former Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman and small business owner Matt Pinnell today formally began his campaign for Lt. Governor of Oklahoma by filing a statement of organization with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission. “Following months of encouragement from my family, friends, […]...

...

Pinnell Eyes Lt. Governor’s Race from McCarville Report 2018 is heating up. Former OKGOP Chairman and RNC State Party Director, Matt Pinnell, has confirmed to The McCarville Report that he’s begun to make phone calls to county party leaders about the possibility of running for Lt. Governor in 2018. With his national contacts and grassroots network […]...

Keating: I signed wind industry tax breaks, and I was wrong By Frank Keating In 2001, when I served as governor of Oklahoma, I signed legislation creating the Zero Emissions Tax Credit for industrial wind energy. The tax credit was designed to give a jump-start to a wind industry in its infancy in Oklahoma at […]...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 16, 2017  Lamb Breaks with Fallin on Tax Policy Says “proposal will adversely harm Oklahoma’s small businesses and families” Oklahoma City- Lt. Governor Todd Lamb today announced his resignation from Governor Fallin’s cabinet, where Lamb has served as the state’s Small Business Advocate, one of many roles the Lt. Governor fills. […]...

Oklahomans favor reducing or eliminating wind tax credits in order to fund teacher pay raises By Bill Shapard, SoonerPoll.com According to the most recent Quarterly Poll from SoonerPoll, a plurality of Oklahoma likely voters believe reducing or eliminating corporate tax credits and subsidies for wind energy companies is the best place to start in funding […]...

RNC taps ex-Oklahoma GOP chair for transition team By ALEX ISENSTADT, Politico.com Newly-minted Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel has tapped Matt Pinnell to oversee her transition team at the committee. Pinnell, a former Oklahoma GOP chair, served as the RNC’s state parties director during the 2016 campaign. He had initially been seen as […]...

1/19/2017 House Speaker McCall Announces Committee Assignments House Speaker Charles A. McCall today announced committee assignments for standing House committees and appropriation subcommittees of the 56th Oklahoma Legislature. “I am very thankful that each of these members is willing to serve where they are most needed,” said McCall, R-Atoka. “There is a lot of work […]...

Huge budget requests called ‘unrealistic’ by Rick Green, The Oklahoman State agencies frequently ask the Legislature for more money than they end up receiving, but this year is a doozy. Despite a huge budget hole, the wish list for appropriations is something to behold. Corrections wants a billion dollars more than it is currently receiving. […]...

Rep. Rogers Files Teacher Pay Raise Plan Plan would boost Oklahoma teacher pay to first in the region FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 10, 2017 OKLAHOMA CITY – State Rep. Michael Rogers today filed legislation that would phase in a $6,000 teacher pay raise over three years and boost Oklahoma teachers to the highest paid in the […]...