Oklahoma! Following statistics
for OK after Gov. Stitt’s State of the State.
The numbers are stunning of how well OK has done this year at least
compared to others. OK numbers are from Stitt; I will add stats that compare.
!0% of the state has been vaccinated just as happened nationally, but COVID19
new infections requiring hospitalization is down 45% from the December
high. 10% of our students are virtually
learning compared with 38% nationwide.
OK had 5 weeks of shutdown. Half
of states nationwide were shut down 8 of the last 10 months of 2020. The
unemployment in OK is 4.9% compared with 6.7% nationally. OK has 5th lowest unemployment in
USA, underemployment (U6) is 40-% lower than USA. Stitt
says OK Business Relief Program has distributed $143M helping 8661 small
biz guys.
Biden’s
attempt to ban leasing fed lands for oil and gas leaves OK somewhat immune with
only 2 % of our land being federal compared to NM with 75% federally owned (you
can see why NM is mad as a hornet at him.) 67% of US natural gas and 51% is
produced by fracking in 2017—shows how US production doubled and vaulted to
energy independence. Oklahoma invented
hydraulic fracturing in 1949 and had a large part to play in its development in
the 1990s. Since 2007 when it became
common, OK has gone from 1% of US oil reserves and 6% of gas to 5% and 12%
respectively in 2019. Crude production
has doubled in that tie and natural gass has increased 40%.
Stitt
had 3 thrusts for his SOTS. First to
make OK among the top ten for business, deliver more service for each taxpayer dollar and spur
investment in OK. So GDP growth
increased 2.1% in OK in 2020 while it declined -3.7% for USA. OK saw low growth but no recession. OKC ranks #3 in metros in USA to do
business. OK ranked #5 place to start a
new business, so we have somewhat of a start on this. The Gov wants more money for the Quick Action
Closing Fund which Fallin started. That
would be $20M out of the $32M proposed Commerce
Dept. budget. Last year, the state tried
hard to land Tesla or at least their truck plant in Tulsa, but they chose
Texas. However, OKC managed to land the
Cattleman’s Congress which would be responsible for $50M economic impact. They were formerly in locked-down CO. Much recruiting effort in CA. He would also like to see school funding be
revamped. Due to the way the state
allows districts to choose a former “good” year to get funding, there are
55,000 ‘ghost’ students—who are no longer in the district but still count. (This out of 700,000+ students) Stitt wants
to allocate money for real student populations only. (plan is controversial.
Dept of Ed. Disagrees) ODOT reports a
national study that shows OK in the top 10 in bridge conditions. We’ve come a long way from #50 in 2004.
COVID19 hit the Rainy Day fund which still has $58M but needs to be
rebuilt. Last year’s spending was held
to 78% of budget which really positioned the state well to not have a massive
budget cut. Stitt wants changes in rules for DHS employees to allow more merit
promotions and ability to hire better workers.
Re-do Medicaid healthcare deliver by making it managed care (privatization)
which 40 other states do. Finally McGirt SCOTUS decision leaves our state with
a lot of unknowns. The 5 tribes established compacts with OK in the early days
that determine who gets what responsiblitiy.
Now we have to iron out questions: Who gets to tax, how are agriculture,
water, energy and business regulated?
And if there is criminal activity (probably white collar crime) does the
tribe and federal gov’t try this or does the state. ( Tribes and federals don’t
have legal system that can handle some of these issues. Will there need to be massive additions to
federal laws to halp OK continue state functions?)
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