(The Center Square) – Oklahoma continues to remain one of the states with the lowest tax burdens in the country, a recent report concludes.

Still, historical trends indicate The Sooner State's national ranking has dipped over the last two years even though there has been a slight reduction to the overall tax burdens imposed on Oklahomans.

Personal finance website WalletHub recently released its "2023 Tax Burden's By State" report and deemed Oklahoma as the 10th state with the lowest tax burden in America.

Historical analysis indicates that while Oklahoma held this designation last year, the state was ranked 7th in the nation in 2021.

Each year, Wallethub assesses the property taxes, individual income taxes and sales/excise taxes in each of the 50 states and then analyzes the impact these taxes have on residents' pocketbooks as a percentage based on the state's total personal income. Each state is then ranked based on this tax burden impact.

Overall, Oklahoma's 2023 tax burden only takes up about 7.12% of personal income, according to Wallethub Analyst Jill Gonzalez. "This is mostly because it has one of the lowest property tax burdens nationwide, at just 1.76%. Plus, the income tax burden is among the bottom 15, at 1.69%."

Oklahoma's tax burden is only about 2.06% more than the state with the lowest tax burden, Alaska, according to the study. The state with the worst burden in 2023 is Hawaii. Hawaii's burden is roughly 57% higher than Oklahoma's, 12.31% this year.

Historical data from the last two years indicates that the impact taxes on personal income on Oklahomans was slightly lower in 2023, even though the state was higher ranked in 2021. Two years ago, the burden impacts of income and sales taxes combined rested at roughly 5.48% of personal income. This year the burden of these was about 2.2% less than in 2021, or 5.36%.

The burden of Property tax, on the other hand, has risen slightly during this lookback period. In 2021, the burden impact for property taxes was 1.67%, indicating that property tax burdens have increased 5.1% in the last two years.

Oklahoma's low tax trends could help to boost the state's economy, according to Gonzalez, as it allows more money to stay in the wallets of state residents, giving them more spending power.

"A lower tax burden can drive economic growth in a state," Gonzalez said. "For example, reduced property taxes and low income taxes in Oklahoma can be an incentive for corporations to open new facilities and this can only benefit the state's economy."

Still, national inflation seen around the country and in states like Oklahoma could negatively impact tax revenue in the future affecting tax burdens, Gonzalez projected.

"Inflation could have a negative impact on the state's tax revenues," Gonzalez added. "This is because Oklahoma's highest tax burden is represented by the sales and excise taxes. While these taxes do increase with inflation, price hikes cause people to reduce their spending and purchase only necessities. In turn, this can end up reducing overall sales tax revenues in the state."

(The Center Square) – The Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes aren't affecting the tight labor market in the services sector and aren't lowering the associated inflation, according to an economic bulletin from the Kansas City Federal Reserve.

An article by economists Karlye Dilts Stedman and Emily Pollard reviewed how interest rates were raised by the Federal Reserve to mitigate inflation. They concluded the continued rising of interest rates might not cool the service industry’s influence on inflation.

“Because labor tightness in these industries has contributed substantially to elevated inflation, this pattern suggests a potential roadblock for monetary policy in effectively bringing down core services inflation and provides a potential reason why monetary policy has yet to cool the labor market enough to bring inflation back to target,” the article stated.

After an interest rate of almost zero last year, the Fed raised the interest rate 25 basis points in March to a range of 4.75% to 5%, the ninth straight increase. There was speculation the Fed wouldn't increase rates due to recent bank failures. The Fed's twofold focus is to get inflation at 2% and achieve maximum employment.

The unadjusted 12-month inflation rate for services was 7.3% in February compared to the previous year, according to consumer price index information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The seasonally adjusted inflation rate for services in February was 0.6% higher than January.

The tightening of monetary policy hasn’t affected the job market, which often continues to have multiple openings for every unemployed person. The economists conclude the Fed’s monetary policy might take longer to influence the services labor market.

“The services sector, in particular, has contributed substantially to recent inflation, reflecting ongoing imbalances in labor markets where supply remains impaired and demand remains robust,” the article stated. “Because labor represents a substantial input cost in service industries, services inflation is more responsive to labor market tightness compared with goods inflation. Moreover, because service production tends to be less capital intensive and services consumption is less likely to be financed, it also tends to respond less quickly to rising interest rates. Thus, monetary policy may take longer to influence a key source of current inflation – the tight labor market in services.”

They also noted a previous bulletin by associates at the Kansas City Fed found an increase in the tight labor market passes through to inflation in core services at more than three times the rate it affects inflation in the cost of goods.

(The Center Square) - The Oklahoma Senate passed a bill that would give parents with an income of $250,000 a $7,500 private school tax credit.

HB 1935 would give a $1,000 tax credit to parents that homeschool their children.

Gov. Kevin Stitt joined lawmakers and the American Federation for Children-Oklahoma on Thursday for a rally supporting the bill.

“In the strongest terms possible, American Federation for Children—Oklahoma urges lawmakers in both the House and the Senate to work together to pass some version of this legislation and send it to Governor Stitt for his signature," the organization said in a statement. "Oklahoma’s students cannot afford to wait any longer. Lawmakers must put students first and craft a policy that will ensure that every child in the state of Oklahoma has access to the school of their choice regardless of income or geography."

"Parents in Oklahoma want to fund students, not systems," Stitt said.

Rep Melissa Provenzano D-Tulsa, said in a statement that she opposes the tax credits.

"The proposed vouchers, claiming to promote school choice, don't provide funding for new students but merely cover current private school attendees,' Provenzano said. "It’s a flawed approach that neglects the educational improvement of 700,000 Oklahoma public school students.:

The bill passed by a vote of 40-7 and is headed back to the House for approval.

The House also passed a separate bill creating a $500 million allocation to the Oklahoma State Board of Education for teacher pay raises. An additional $30 million was allocated in House Bill 2775 for a grant program that awards bonus pay to teachers and support employees.

The bill passed 46-2.

“My Senate colleagues and I passed measures that, when signed into law will make drastic improvements to public education, reward our teachers, empower parents to make the best choice for their kids and fund students, not systems," said Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat in a statement.

The bill goes back to the House.

House Democrats said they want to separate the discussion on teacher pay raises and private school tax credits.

Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, and Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, introduced a bill increasing pay for first through fourth-year teachers by $6,000. The bill would increase teacher pay in increments of $2,000 up to a $12,000 annual pay raise for teachers with more than 15 years of experience.

“Teacher pay raises have consistently received bipartisan support,” said Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater. “Let's capitalize on this backing and make Oklahoma attractive to top-tier teachers within our state and beyond.”

Senate Bill 482 is assigned to the Appropriations and Budget Education Subcommittee.

The United States has been battling a doctor shortage for a few years. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed just how big the problem is. Medical institutions have been warning that there could be a shortage of up to 124,000 primary care physicians and specialty care doctors nationwide within a decade, according to research by the Association of American Medical Colleges.

There is already a shortage in some places in the U.S., with rural areas disproportionately affected. If people living in rural communities, minorities, and those with no health insurance, had the same access to medical care as others have, the country would need an additional 180,400 doctors to meet demand. (These are the states where the most people don't have health insurance.)

According to the 2021 State Physician Workforce Data Report from the Association of American Medical Colleges, there are 940,254 physicians actively practicing in the United States. Adjusting for population using data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2021 American Community Survey, this comes out to 283.3 for every 100,000 people. And this number varies considerably by state.

In Oklahoma, there are 8,293 active physicians, or 208.0 for every 100,000 people, the third fewest among states.

Other than a low supply of doctors, lack of health insurance can be another barrier to accessing care. An estimated 13.8% of Oklahoma residents are uninsured, the second most among states. Meanwhile, 21.3% of adults across the state report being in less than optimal health, compared to 17.1% of adults nationwide.

Data on the percentage of adults reporting fair or poor health is from the 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Data on the share of the population without health insurance came from the 2021 ACS and are one-year estimates.

RankStateDoctors per 100,000 peopleTotal mumber of active physiciansAdults in fair or poor health (%)Uninsured rate (%)1Idaho184.33,50415.18.82Mississippi198.55,85722.011.93Oklahoma208.08,29321.313.84Wyoming211.61,22515.712.25Nevada214.16,73120.111.66Arkansas214.86,50024.19.27Utah215.67,19814.89.08Alabama217.910,98321.49.99Iowa221.07,05613.64.810Texas227.567,18220.918.011Georgia232.225,07219.312.612Kentucky233.510,52822.05.713Indiana233.915,91818.97.514Kansas234.26,87417.19.215South Carolina235.012,19717.810.016North Dakota235.61,82613.37.917Nebraska245.54,82013.97.118South Dakota247.32,21415.19.519New Mexico249.05,26920.010.020Montana249.02,75014.48.221Arizona252.118,34318.310.722Tennessee253.617,68720.310.023North Carolina262.127,65018.510.424Virginia264.722,87416.16.825Florida270.158,82217.812.126Wisconsin271.015,97515.05.427Louisiana271.612,55721.77.628West Virginia275.64,91424.36.129Washington280.821,73115.76.430Delaware284.02,85018.05.731Alaska286.82,10115.711.432California289.8113,71817.87.033Colorado291.716,95613.78.034Illinois293.037,12217.17.035Missouri296.618,29717.69.436Michigan298.930,04018.25.037Ohio299.935,33318.16.538New Jersey300.327,83215.57.239Minnesota308.717,61713.34.540Oregon309.213,12717.46.141Hawaii316.14,55715.33.942New Hampshire316.14,39114.35.143Pennsylvania324.442,05117.65.544Maine324.94,45917.25.745Connecticut359.912,97714.35.246Rhode Island370.84,06316.34.347Vermont373.32,41012.63.748New York381.975,74916.45.249Maryland385.923,79114.06.150Massachusetts459.832,11613.42.5

(The Center Square) – Republican attorneys general from around the country want the Biden administration to continue to protect college students’ First Amendment and student religious rights.

Twenty attorneys general signed on to a letter written by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost spurred by what he called the Biden administration’s threat to end an existing rule that requires public universities to comply with the First Amendment or lose grant funding.

“Day after day, we see school administrators across the country targeting student religious groups as unworthy of existence,” Yost said. “Our county was founded on an entirely different principle – that Americans can practice their religion without fear of government reprisal.”

The rule, established in 2020 to implement a Supreme Court precedent, prohibits public universities from denying religious student groups “any right, benefit or privilege that is otherwise afforded to other student organizations at the public institution” because of a group’s “beliefs, practices, policies, speech, membership standards or leadership standards, which are informed by sincerely held religious beliefs.”

The Biden administration has said it thinks the existing policy is too confusing and burdensome.

The coalition believes student religious organizations are being singled out.

“The religious practice of student groups and individuals is under immense fire at universities,” the letter reads. “Religious students have greatly enriched campus communities, through charity, service, temperance, and commitment to learning. They are owed the right to freely exercise their religion, however out of fashion with an increasingly anti-religious bureaucratic regime that might be.”

The letter also says removing the rule would conflict with Supreme Court rulings and allows the government to attack religious groups.

“The department is blessing the targeting of religious groups. That is wrong,” the letter reads.

The coalition includes the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.

(The Center Square) - The Oklahoma Senate will consider a bill that would modify who has the authority to appoint members to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) and would prohibit members from voting on any issues in which they have a direct financial interest.

"House Bill 2263 would evenly divide the appointment power between the House Speaker, Senate President Pro Tempore and the Governor to bring more transparency to the board," said Rep. Danny Sterling, R-Tecumseh, who authored the bill.

The governor is the only one with authority to appoint members to the OTA.

HB 2263 passed the House of Representatives this week by an 89-3 vote. It would allow the House Speaker, Senate President Pro Tempore and the governor to each appoint two members to serve on the six-member board.

The bill would also reduce the term length for board members from eight to six years and specifies that appointed members can be removed at any time with cause by the appointing authority.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond called for an investigative audit of the OTA earlier this month for what he called "improper contracting and purchasing practices; and inadequate internal financial controls."

Drummond said the District Court found that the OTA willfully violated the Open Meeting Act and was accused of publishing vague agendas where the agency took action on a $15 billion turnpike expansion.

"I have had many conversations over the past few months with legislators, community leaders, private citizens and state employees who have expressed a wide array of concerns with the financial conduct of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority," Drummond said in a letter to State Auditor Cindy Byrd. "Additionally, I am aware of a District Court's finding that the OTA 'willfully' violated the Open Meeting Act. Such a blatant disregard for openness and transparency suggests to me a willingness to engage in any manner of unlawful conduct."

Motor vehicle theft is a growing problem in the United States. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, or NICB, an anti-crime and insurance fraud nonprofit organization, 932,329 vehicles were reported stolen to law enforcement in 2021 - up 6% from the previous year and up 17% from 2019.

The trend is likely due to several factors. First, during the COVID-19 pandemic, vehicles were more likely to be left sitting unattended and unused for longer than usual. Additionally, newer vehicles that use keyless entry and push-button ignitions can be more susceptible to theft, as criminals can use a tool to amplify a key fob's signal. This can allow thieves to unlock and start a vehicle without having the key fob on their person. (Here is a look at the least reliable cars in America.)

While motorists nationwide now face a greater risk of vehicle theft than they have in many years, in some parts of the country, car owners are far more likely to be victims of car theft than in others.

Of the four metropolitan areas in Oklahoma with available data, Tulsa ranks as having the highest motor vehicle theft rate. A total of 5,351 cars, trucks, and SUVs were reported stolen in the metro area in 2021, or about 522.6 for every 100,000 people.

For comparison, the statewide vehicle theft rate was 359.3 per 100,000 people the same year, the eighth highest rate among states.

All data in this story is from National Insurance Crime Bureau's 2021 Hot Spots Vehicle Theft Report.

StateMetro area with the most vehicle theftsMetro area vehicle theft rate, 2021Total metro area vehicle thefts, 2021State vehicle theft rate, 2021Total vehicle thefts in state, 2021Metro areas in stateAlabamaBirmingham-Hoover292.23,256225.911,38412AlaskaAnchorage330.71,319239.71,7562ArizonaTucson313.73,300283.620,6377ArkansasPine Bluff444.4384301.09,1086CaliforniaBakersfield1023.79,394511.1200,52426ColoradoDenver-Aurora-Lakewood964.928,683661.238,4307ConnecticutNew Haven-Milford311.82,693215.57,7714DelawareDover141.7261186.61,8721FloridaMiami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach278.816,984196.542,80822GeorgiaColumbus400.01,310240.926,01714HawaiiHonolulu330.83,311229.83,3132IdahoPocatello229.722196.71,8396IllinoisSpringfield282.3584225.428,55910IndianaIndianapolis-Carmel-Anderson360.27,660236.316,08112IowaDavenport-Moline-Rock Island319.21,218185.25,9138KansasWichita479.13,104311.89,1514KentuckyLouisville/Jefferson County456.95,869237.410,7075LouisianaNew Orleans-Metairie404.75,106281.413,0109MaineBangor95.614660.78333MarylandBaltimore-Columbia-Towson238.26,760223.113,7565MassachusettsSpringfield145.11,009100.16,9895MichiganKalamazoo-Portage485.21,267211.821,28314MinnesotaMinneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington380.414,039297.316,9685MississippiJackson295.11,733216.86,3963MissouriKansas City529.811,653428.126,4088MontanaBillings611.11,143264.32,9193NebraskaOmaha-Council Bluffs393.63,824237.24,6573NevadaLas Vegas-Henderson-Paradise475.710,906426.813,4173New HampshireManchester-Nashua82.334961.88581New JerseyTrenton-Princeton178.5689159.914,8184New MexicoAlbuquerque710.66,525475.510,0614New YorkBuffalo-Cheektowaga220.12,558115.522,91313North CarolinaGreensboro-High Point268.62,092213.122,48715North DakotaFargo315.7796223.91,7353OhioColumbus368.37,922236.227,82411OklahomaTulsa522.65,351359.314,3254OregonPortland-Vancouver-Hillsboro680.217,084471.220,0068PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington247.515,414139.218,04418Rhode IslandProvidence-Warwick135.12,264156.31,7121South CarolinaFlorence398.0793312.316,2098South DakotaSioux Falls428.11,207263.92,3632TennesseeMemphis512.36,845297.120,72210TexasOdessa483.0778320.094,50025UtahSalt Lake City468.95,922255.88,5385VermontBurlington-South Burlington131.129796.26211VirginiaVirginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News217.93,930142.612,3209WashingtonSeattle-Tacoma-Bellevue582.523,366461.935,74611West VirginiaCharleston234.1597128.82,2977WisconsinMilwaukee-Waukesha597.89,365236.713,95712WyomingCheyenne407.5411161.99372

Since the murder of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer in May 2020, police departments across the country have come under intense scrutiny for excessive use of force, particularly for incidents involving Black suspects. George Floyd's murder is one of many in recent years that highlight the abuses of power that have been present in American law enforcement for centuries.

Police officers are often called to respond to dangerous and violent situations, and are issued service weapons to defend themselves and the public. More than 1,000 suspects are killed by law enforcement in the U.S. each year, and the majority of those killings are deemed to be justified by oversight officials.

Over the 10 years from 2013 to 2022, a reported 11,160 people were killed by police officers in the United States, according to Mapping Police Violence, a research collaborative that collects data on police killings across the nation. Adjusting for population, this comes out to around 3.4 police killings for every 100,000 people. However, the number of police killings in the last 10 years varies considerably from state to state.

In Oklahoma, 296 police killings were reported from 2013 to 2022, or about 7.5 for every 100,000 residents, the third most among states. While there are a multitude of relevant factors to consider when deadly force is used, 50% of those killed by police (with available data) did not have a gun, and 35% were fleeing.

Among cases involving deadly use of force that are no longer pending further review, 96% of officers involved were not disciplined or charged with a crime.

All data related to police killings is from Mapping Police Violence, a research collaborative that collects data on police killings across the nation from the country's three largest comprehensive and impartial crowdsourced databases. Population- adjusted figures were calculated using five-year 2021 population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

StatePolice killings per 100,000 residents, 2013-2022Total police killings, 2013-2022Officers involved with a killing, not disciplined or charged with a crime (%)Suspects killed who did not have a gun (%)Suspects killed who were fleeing (%)New Mexico10.6223983840Alaska8.8651004437Oklahoma7.5296965035Arizona6.9492994730Wyoming6.2361004935Colorado6.2352983942Montana6.0651003841Nevada5.9179984335West Virginia5.4981004138Mississippi5.3158934542Arkansas4.9147984527Missouri4.8295973738Louisiana4.7219934431Idaho4.479983332South Dakota4.3381004624Alabama4.2211954434California4.21,656986032Kentucky4.1183974033Washington4.1310995334Tennessee4.1279974834Georgia4.0430954735Oregon4.01681004431Utah3.9126994936Kansas3.6107994138Florida3.6769984828Texas3.61,038944533South Carolina3.6181904233Maine3.5471004321Hawaii3.348976925North Carolina3.0312964126Maryland2.9178945625Nebraska2.956974718Indiana2.8190983730North Dakota2.7211004736Wisconsin2.7156985029Vermont2.6171007138Delaware2.6261004238Ohio2.6310954928Virginia2.2191895026Iowa2.1661004540Minnesota2.1117924727Illinois2.0257944344New Hampshire2.0271004612Pennsylvania1.9245944826Michigan1.9189974222New Jersey1.5139916423Connecticut1.346976133New York1.2235955929Massachusetts1.178965731Rhode Island0.891004467

(The Center Square) - Gov. Kevin Stitt and other lawmakers said Tuesday they disagree with a 5-4 ruling by the Oklahoma State Supreme Court that protects abortion if the mother's life is endangered.

The Oklahoma Call for Reproductive Justice sued the state over its law that makes it a felony to perform an abortion.

Justices Yvonne Kauger, James Winchester, James Edmondson, Douglas Combs and Noma Gurich said in the ruling a law that would ban abortion to protect the life of the mother is "void and unenforceable."

Justice Kauger criticized the law in her written opinion.

'For some women, the draconian law which allows no exception, in the absence of a medical emergency to preserve the life of the mother, may be a death sentence," Kauger wrote. "In some instances, women may have fewer rights than a convicted murderer on death row. These women may be subject to a death sentence without being afforded due process or any provision for clemency or pardon. Imagine that."

Stitt said he disagreed with the court's opinion.

"Alarmingly, this activist majority acted out of hand by making a policy decision that belongs to the people,' Stitt said in a statement. "Chief Justice Kane said it best in his well-written dissent: 'This Court should adhere to the Constitution given to us, not craft what we believe to be a "better" Constitution. The power lies with the people. Furthermore, in their 20-page opinion, not once was there any mention of the unborn."

House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, said the protection already exists in the statute.

"Functionally, this Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling merely repeals vague language in previously passed legislation," McCall said. 'Current statute already accounts for cases where the life of the mother is at risk, so the right to life remains protected."

Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, called the ruling "judicial overreach."

"To accomplish this language change, they created a new 'right' to an abortion," Dahm said. "Regardless of the political preferences of the justices, determining the semantics of any exception is a policy decision that lies with the Legislature, not the courts."

The Oklahoma State Medical Association praised the decision.

"Oklahoma's patchwork abortion laws have created uncertainty for physicians and their patients regarding procedures to protect the life of a mother," the organization said in a statement posted on Twitter. "We are grateful to the Oklahoma Supreme Court for helping clarify this issue through their ruling today."

(The Center Square) - Democrats said an income tax reduction bill passed by the House of Representatives could put the state in future financial jeopardy.

House Bill 2285 would require Oklahomans to pay a flat income tax rate of 4.5%. The bill would gradually decrease the rate by .25% every year the state reaches certain income goals, according to the bill's summary.

The bill also increases the standard deduction for taxpayers. The change is not a flat tax, as flat taxes do not allow for exemptions and deductions, according to Rep. Mark Lepak, R-Claremore.

More than $56 million would be returned to taxpayers in fiscal year 2024 if the bill passes. That amount increases to more than $142 million in fiscal year 2025, according to the bill's fiscal note. Those numbers could change as the bill is amended in the Senate, Lepak said.

Democrats challenged the bill, saying it could lead to deficits in state revenue.

"You cannot expect to pass bills costing over a billion dollars and cut taxes at the same time," said House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City. "It’s simple math. If you increase your expenses and decrease your income, you will have a revenue failure."

Democrat Whip Rep. Mickey Dollens, D-Oklahoma City, questioned the fairness of the tax on the House floor.

"By eliminating our graduated income tax structure, the legislature would be conferring a tax advantage to the wealthy and setting the state up for another revenue failure," Dollens said. "We need to invest in Oklahomans, not take away state resources. We should redirect our focus to proven ways that help people reach their full potential: ensuring quality health care, a strong public school system, and improved economic diversification."

House Bill 2285 is one of several tax relief measures under consideration by the Oklahoma Legislature but is the first to make it out of the House.

A bill that would decrease the personal income tax rates for all tax brackets by .25% beginning next year was given a do pass recommendation by the Appropriations and Budget Committee but has not made it to the full House. Under House Bill 1953, an estimated $92.2 million would remain in taxpayers' hands in 2024.

House Bill 1954 would reduce the personal income tax rate by one-half of a percentage point for all tax brackets beginning in 2024. If the bill passes, taxpayers would see more than $182 million in relief in 2024. House Bill 1954 was also given a do pass recommendation from the Appropriations and Budget Committee.

Lawmakers are also considering eliminating the state's grocery tax.