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TOP HEADLINES
City of Choctaw considers passing resolution against State Question 777:
Tom Buchanan, president of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau sent us the following statement: “State Question 777 has nothing to do with water. In keeping with the language of the question, any law, statute or ordinance in effect Dec. 31, 2014 will still be in effect after passage. Any concerns about water quality or the inability of communities to pass future regulations are only fear mongering and half-truths [KOCO].
State auditor says fair property taxing would help education:
There’s a major debate on whether to give the state’s extra $140 million in budget cuts to teachers. But State Auditor Gary Jones says there would already be more money for education if more counties were taxing property owners fairly [News9].
STATE
Local assessment failures fuel Oklahoma school’s financial problems (editorial):
It’s long been noted that excessive spending in Oklahoma schools, particularly administrative spending, is one reason teacher pay lags. But another reason is that some Oklahoma counties have failed to assess properties at market value and collect the associated property taxes [The Oklahoman].
Is it possible to find middle ground in immigration debate? (editorial):
Oklahoma’s agricultural exports have grown as the number of agricultural workers has shrunk. That’s a problem, one that could be aided through an overhaul of the United States’ guest worker program [The Oklahoman].
States’ efforts to curb fracking-related earthquakes appear to be paying off:
Using a growing body of research, along with trial and error, scientists and state regulators are getting closer to pinpointing the cause of the startling increase in earthquakes in the central and eastern parts of the country, and preventing them [Washington Post].
Oklahoma education sales tax debate heats up ahead of election:
As Oklahoma educators seek the largest injection of public school funding in a generation through the form of a penny sales tax increase, opposition to the effort is stepping up with the statewide election 85 days away [The Oklahoman].
MISCELLANEOUS
Land values, rental rates have to come down, report says:
More affordable cropland isn’t just something that could improve producer margins; it’s something that is an absolute necessity, according to a new report [Agri-Pulse].
Florida locals bugged by proposed release of genetically modified mosquitos:
Locals in the Florida Keys are concerned about the prospect of their community becoming a testing ground for the release of thousands of genetically modified mosquitoes marketed as a solution to the Zika virus, and plan to protest the potential experiment Tuesday [U.S. News & World Report].
Drought costs California farms $600 million, but impact eases:
California’s drought is costing farmers an estimated $603 million this year, although the impact is far less than a year ago, according to a study released Monday by UC Davis [Sacramento Bee].
