Dear Friend, Change is happening in Oklahoma. After years of setbacks, Oklahomans made real progress at the state Capitol this year. Lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to approve an 18 percent pay raise for teachers, along with smaller raises for school support staff and state employees. The raises were paid for by the first tax increase approved by the Legislature in over a quarter-century. Lawmakers were even willing to buck the state’s most powerful industry by curbing tax breaks for oil and gas production. Thanks to your help, OK Policy has built the case that reckless tax cuts and unchecked tax breaks have undermined Oklahoma’s schools and other public goods that are critical to our prosperity. Over time, our work has changed the debate by showing how the facts don't match up with ideological claims. But we still have more work to do. And we need your help to make sure that the progress of the past year continues. So, please support OK Policy with a year-end donation of $1,000, $500, $250, $100, $50, or whatever amount you can afford. Click here to make a secure online donation. The success of the campaign to boost teacher salaries and restore the gross production tax was due to the activism and energy of tens of thousands of teachers, parents, and supporters. And when these advocates rallied at the Capitol and lobbied their legislators, they were armed with data and analysis from Oklahoma Policy Institute. We’ve turned a corner, but after a decade of cuts, there’s still a long way to travel on the road to recovery. With your help, and alongside a strong network of partner organizations, OK Policy will be fighting hard in the year ahead to promote an agenda that expands opportunity and gives all Oklahomans a chance to thrive. We will urge lawmakers to restore a refundable Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income working families, prevent attacks on the safety net that impose added hardships on struggling families, and expand Medicaid to strengthen our health care system and allow those working in low-wage jobs to access the health care they need. And we will work to make sure that as the state's finances improves, we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past by giving away the store in tax cuts that do nothing for broad-based prosperity. Your gift will support an ever-growing network of Oklahomans, young and old, that is moving our state in a new direction — one that offers greater security and prosperity for all. Our Summer Policy Institute, held for the 6th time this year and now with a network of over 300 alumni, continues to bring together the state’s most promising college students for an intensive four-day policy immersion with our staff and many of the state’s top policymakers. As of this year, three SPI alumni have been elected to the Legislature and many others are taking leadership roles all over Oklahoma. We have built new chapters of Together Oklahoma across the state; this grassroots network empowers Oklahomans to create relationships with their legislators and others in their district and to do effective research-based advocacy. Timely information and effective advocacy on behalf of all Oklahomans — that’s what supporters like you have come to expect from OK Policy, and that's we will continue to provice with your help. So please make your tax-deductible contribution today. You can donate online through our secure website or send a check to: Oklahoma Policy Institute, 907 S. Detroit Ave. #1005, Tulsa, OK 74120. A recurring monthly or quarterly contribution is especially helpful in supporting our work year-round. We look forward to working with you again in the year to come to make Oklahoma the state we want it to be. In the meantime, best wishes to you and your family for a healthy, happy, peaceful holiday season. Sincerely, 
David Blatt, Executive Director, Oklahoma Policy Institute | Oklahoma Policy Institute
907 S Detroit Ave, Suite 1005
Tulsa, OK 74120
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