Oklahoma Growth and Opportunity Summit

If you're perplexed by all the wrangling and bickering at the State Capitol over budgets and taxation, here's an opportunity to hear specific facts and numbers from experts and analysts.

It's tomorrow, starting at 9 a.m., but there's still time to register and attend. Registration is $20.

I'm particularly looking forward to the breakout session on the school funding formula. Much of the public conversation about school funding fixates on state aid while ignoring the other taxes that are earmarked for common schools. This session is a chance to look beyond the oversimplified sketch to study a detailed portrait of school revenue in Oklahoma.

AFP Co-Hosts 2018 Growth and Opportunity Summit in Tulsa Saturday

Dr. Tom Coburn to headline conference

TULSA, Okla.--The 2018 Growth and Opportunity (GO) Summit is coming to Tulsa this Saturday, Feb. 24 at the DoubleTree Hotel in South Tulsa. The event will be headlined by a keynote address from former U.S. Senator Dr. Tom Coburn.

"We are thrilled to have Dr. Coburn address this year's Growth and Opportunity Summit," said. AFP-OK State Director John Tidwell. "Things are moving quickly at the State Capitol and the GO Summit provides an opportunity for citizens and voters to learn more about what the state legislature is up to and how they can impact lawmakers when they engage on issues."

Among other learning opportunities available at the GO Summit, Oklahoma Council on Public Affairs Executive Vice President Trent England will give a lunch presentation on the Oklahoma Constitution, the longest state constitution in the country, and how the state can follow the law and best serve taxpayers. Rounding out the day will be a legislative roundtable with current members of the state legislature on the state budget "crisis" and what comes next for our state budget after the failure of the Step Up plan.

In between speakers will be breakout sessions that will provide a more detailed picture of issues that are being talked about at our State Capitol. These breakout sessions include:

• Hollywood Handouts: Even in Oklahoma Hollywood is gobbling up tax credits. Where is the money going and what to we do about it?


• Fact or Fiction: The Oklahoma Budget


• Occupational Licensing 101: I need a license to do that?


• Impacting your legislator: How to cut through the clutter and best communicate with your legislator.


• Healthcare and Medicaid Reforms: How we can audit and right size our system through common sense reforms.


• Inside the Oklahoma Education Funding Formula: What goes into the formula, what comes out and all the nonsense in-between.

The 2018 Growth and Opportunity Summit is presented by Americans For Prosperity-OK, Oklahoma Council on Public Affairs and Tulsa 912. For more information or to register for the conference please visit okgrowthsummit.com. Registration will also be available the day of the event.