Ask A Candidate
Questions for Oklahoma Candidates
This year, Oklahomans will head to the polls to elect a new governor and the next class of state legislators. The people we elect will decide how we address our state’s most pressing problems.
Last session, lawmakers made the first steps in correcting a decades-worth of budget shortfalls. But we have much work left to do. Years of shrinking funding have undermined Oklahoma’s most important public investments in education, public health and safety, and other core
services. We must elect people that are committed to finding solutions.
It is up to us to know where candidates stand on issues affecting our communities and our families, so we can make informed decisions at the ballot. We hope these candidate questions will help you to get past the political rhetoric and find out whether candidates are genuinely committed to sensible public policies. We hope the answers will guide you in making sure your vote is a vote for a prosperous Oklahoma.
BUDGET
Over the past decade, Oklahoma has seen deep cuts to vital public services like education, mental health, and protections for seniors and Oklahomans with disabilities. How do you propose that we undo these cuts and fully fund the core services that Oklahomans depend on going forward?
TAX CUTS
Oklahoma has cut its top income tax rate by nearly 25% since 2004. Do you believe this has contributed to our chronic budget shortfall and do you support restoring the top income tax rate on very high-income earners?
TAX BREAKS
Oklahoma allows residents to pay no income tax on capital gains from the sale of investment property or stock of a company located in Oklahoma. Experts say this tax break is not paying off in economic growth. Do you support repealing the state capital gains tax exemption?
EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT (EITC)
In 2016, Oklahoma slashed the state Earned Income Tax Credit for over 200,000 families by making the credit “nonrefundable”. Do you support fully restoring the EITC?
INEQUALITY
Health, income, housing, and employment disparities exist in Oklahoma. As our state becomes more diverse, it is critical that all people have a fair shot at success. What ideas do you have to address racial and other inequities?
HEALTH
Oklahoma is third highest in the nation for the percentage of people who don’t have health insurance. Do you support accepting federal dollars to help more Oklahomans gain health insurance by expanding Medicaid?
