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83% of Oklahoma Parents Reject Public Schools

Results from a new public opinion survey taken in Oklahoma in late April indicate that more than 4 of 5 voters - 83 percent - believe an Oklahoma public school is not the place to obtain the best education for their children. The survey was this week by OCPA and the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, along with eight other co-sponsors.

The survey touched on such issues as tax-credit scholarships, public school funding, and school choice. The results of the poll - the first of its kind conducted in the state - indicate divided public opinion on the quality of Oklahoma's public school system.

The scientifically representative poll of 1,200 likely Oklahoma voters was conducted April 25-27 by Strategic Vision, an Atlanta-based public affairs agency whose polls have been used by Newsweek, Time Magazine, BBC, ABC News, and USA Today among others. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Click HERE to read the results of the poll.

Oklahoma Income Tax Revenues Continue to ~~Fall~~ Rise

The conventional wisdom says that, because of income-tax cuts signed into law in 2004, 2005, and 2006, Oklahoma's individual income tax revenues are declining.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Individual income tax revenues are not falling. They are rising. It only appears otherwise because those with an interest in bigger government are not telling the full story about tax collections.
Let's take a look at what's really happening with income tax revenues.

Let's start with individual income tax revenues for the last year that actual data are available (FY-2007). We're looking here at actual collections, not estimates by the governor, the treasurer, or others whose recent estimates have not exactly been renowned for their reliability.

The state Board of Equalization would have you believe the number for total individual income tax collections for FY-2007 is $2,337,689,693.1 But in fact, the real number is $3,413,564,946.2

This reflects a 23.87 percent increase in total collections3 from FY-2006 to FY-2007, despite (or because of) the fact that FY-2007 saw what was at that time the biggest tax cut in Oklahoma history take effect.

Why isn't the truth being told?

Read the entire memo HERE.

OCPA FaxLine Report

Conservation vs. Environmentalism

Years ago, as a Boy Scout, I learned the important principle of conservation. In fact, I can still remember the day that principle really stuck. As a young Tenderfoot, a First Class Scout caught me carving my initials with my trusty pocketknife in the bark of a live tree during a campout. As he spun me around I'll never forget the look of absolute dismay when he proclaimed, "what do you think you're doing?" He very solemnly restated for me the BSA position against marring the trees in such a fashion. Needless to say, while a little disheartened by the whole experience, it permanently removed the cavalier attitude I had about nature. The experience taught me to consider the proper uses of our natural resources.