CNBC Judges Oklahoma 43rd Best State For Business

[StillwaterTownie]

Gov. Stitt has a lot of catching up to do in his quest to make Oklahoma a top ten state. Once again, it's about lacking in education and quality of life. Being in the Top Ten for low cost of living isn't enough. Cheap is cheap. But then conservatives may say it's all relative. If Fox Business News did such a list, Oklahoma would be ranked as a top ten state for doing business.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/10/these-are-americas-worst-states-for-business-in-2019.html
From kindergarten through college, Oklahoma badly underfunds its schools relative to other states. That leaves the state at the bottom of the rankings for education. That is not just based on the money. It is based on the results, with school test scores in the bottom tier. Education goes hand in hand with the workforce. State worker training programs are not getting results. More than one-third of participants do not get jobs when they are done.
Worst categories: Education (No. 50), Workforce (No. 49), Quality of Life (No. 46)
Best categories: Cost of Living (No. 2), Cost of Doing Business (No. 13), Business Friendliness (No. 15)

 

[NotOnTV]

We're not Mississippi! We're not Mississippi! We're not Mississippi! We're not Mississippi!

 

[CaliforniaCowboy]

. If Fox Business News did such a list, Oklahoma would be ranked as a top ten state for doing business.

)

I'm going to have to agree with you, in fact, if practically anybody but CNBC did the poll OK would probably be ranked much higher.

How biased and ignorant can one poll be, where they misjudge "education" based on how much is spent rather than how much is learned.

 

[Rack]

I'm going to have to agree with you, in fact, if practically anybody but CNBC did the poll OK would probably be ranked much higher.

How biased and ignorant can one poll be, where they misjudge "education" based on how much is spent rather than how much is learned.

yep we learn em up good! ;-)

I don't disagree just could not resist.

 

[NotOnTV]

yep we learn em up good! ;-)

I don't disagree just could not resist.

I can cipher.

 

[steross]

We're not Mississippi! We're not Mississippi! We're not Mississippi! We're not Mississippi!

Not only are we not Mississippi, at 50th in education, we can't even spell it.

 

[SierraPoke]

I'm going to have to agree with you, in fact, if practically anybody but CNBC did the poll OK would probably be ranked much higher.

How biased and ignorant can one poll be, where they misjudge "education" based on how much is spent rather than how much is learned.

It appears that the report is data-driven and again confirms what has been known fact for decades: Oklahoma is a poor, back-asswards southern state that some happen to love and where our beloved Cowboys reside. And it is in the rear view mirror for most who manage to graduate from college and seek a way out. I haven't seen a study on the topic, but I would bet that income disparity in our state is at or near the top for all states in the US. One is either at the top of the O&G bidnez or struggling to make their house payment.

 

[bleedinorange]

It appears that the report is data-driven and again confirms what has been known fact for decades: Oklahoma is a poor, back-asswards southern state that some happen to love and where our beloved Cowboys reside. And it is in the rear view mirror for most who manage to graduate from college and seek a way out. I haven't seen a study on the topic, but I would bet that income disparity in our state is at or near the top for all states in the US. One is either at the top of the O&G bidnez or struggling to make their house payment.

I can see where an obtuse zealot like you might fail here. But speaking for myself and several others I'm aware of on this board, OK has been very good for me and all three of my sons.

Sorry you weren't able to participate and are struggling.

(not really)

 

[kaboy42]

I can see where an obtuse zealot like you might fail here. But speaking for myself and several others I'm aware of on this board, OK has been very good for me and all three of my sons.

Sorry you weren't able to participate and are struggling.

(not really)

Oklahoma has been damned good to me! I’ve kept a 20+ yr career in biotech within the Oklahoma borders. Making pretty much the same salary and climbing the mgmt ladder much as I would have in Boston or San Fran or Raleigh/Durham. And my finances are WAAAAAYYYY better off because of the lower cost of living.

It cracks me up when these reports come out. True Okies know better. And it keeps the riff-raff out.

 

[pokes16]

Ahhhh CNBC. Where the pikers go to get stock tips. Now they are judging states. Good news is they are 1/10th of a step above MSNBC.

 

[SierraPoke]

Oklahoma has been damned good to me! I’ve kept a 20+ yr career in biotech within the Oklahoma borders. Making pretty much the same salary and climbing the mgmt ladder much as I would have in Boston or San Fran or Raleigh/Durham. And my finances are WAAAAAYYYY better off because of the lower cost of living.

It cracks me up when these reports come out. True Okies know better. And it keeps the riff-raff out.

And, as you and others on this board and throughout the state know...you are in the minority. Congrats to you for making Oklahoma work for you but as an educated, successful professional, you know that facts are facts.

 

[bleedinorange]

And, as you and others on this board and throughout the state know...you are in the minority. Congrats to you for making Oklahoma work for you but as an educated, successful professional, you know that facts are facts.

Spoken like a true loser. I'd be willing to bet I can name 10 posters on OP who pay more taxes than you make in a year. You're a typical envious underachiever. Those who can do, those who can't complain about those who can.

Lol! Keep up the good fight Quixote, you'll slay those windmills yet.

 

[kaboy42]

And, as you and others on this board and throughout the state know...you are in the minority. Congrats to you for making Oklahoma work for you but as an educated, successful professional, you know that facts are facts.

Born and raised in this state. 47 years now. I’ve lived pretty much all over this state... and NO, I’m not in any kind of minority and those “facts” are trash.

Tulsa and OKC are still doing just fine. Growth continues and real estate is moving quite easily, still in demand, and builders still can’t build fast enough.

Sure, remote rural Okla might be hurting. But so is remote rural everywhere.

As for education... I am damned happy with what Edmond Public Schools and the Career Tech systems are providing my children. My 16 yr old son just took the ACT last school year, first attempt, zero prep, and scored a 26... as a first semester sophomore.

 

[StillwaterTownie]

Thank goodness Oklahoma is a lot better state than it was 20 years ago when Tulsa was trying to ban Penthouse magazine and Oklahoma City was trying to ban The Tin Drum movie. This is largely due from Oklahomans being smart enough to reject most of the demands of the Christian Right since then. If the rejections didn't happen, Oklahoma would still be stuck in the 1900s.

It's a lot to ask for from much of it being in a long state of decline and steadily backward attitudes, but if rural Oklahoma would advance along with the rest of the state, it would help.

 

[Donnyboy]

Cost of Living -2
Cost of Doing Business - 13
Business Friendliness - 15
Growth - 2%
Unemployment - 3.2

If those are the numbers of the 43rd best state for business than America is in for historic prosperity. All these rankings are bullshit. It's like when they deem cities healthy for access to organic food.....

 

[StillwaterTownie]

It appears that the report is data-driven and again confirms what has been known fact for decades: Oklahoma is a poor, back-asswards southern state that some happen to love and where our beloved Cowboys reside. And it is in the rear view mirror for most who manage to graduate from college and seek a way out. I haven't seen a study on the topic, but I would bet that income disparity in our state is at or near the top for all states in the US. One is either at the top of the O&G bidnez or struggling to make their house payment.

Oklahoma Republicans need to do a better job of overcoming what Democrats did and didn't do when they ruled. At least Republicans letting the people vote to modernize alcohol laws and legislators significantly raising teacher pay were big steps in the right direction. But under Republican rule, Oklahoma fell from 39 to 43 for best state for business.

If the income disparity is so huge in Oklahoma, why are rich people electing to stay in the state, if the state is so undesirable to live in? Oklahoma is a bad state for poor or low income people, so why should they stay here, rather than move to a state where they are treated better. Why wait around to see if the state will accept more Medicaid?

 

[kaboy42]

Thank goodness Oklahoma is a lot better state than it was 20 years ago when Tulsa was trying to ban Penthouse magazine and Oklahoma City was trying to ban The Tin Drum movie. This is largely due from Oklahomans being smart enough to reject most of the demands of the Christian Right since then. If the rejections didn't happen, Oklahoma would still be stuck in the 1900s.

It's a lot to ask for from much of it being in a long state of decline and steadily backward attitudes, but if rural Oklahoma would advance along with the rest of the state, it would help.

And I could argue that the “Oklahoma Standard” that gets displayed over and over again whenever tragedy occurs can be attributed to our Christian morals and rural neighborly upbringings.

 

[StillwaterTownie]

Cost of Living -2
Cost of Doing Business - 13
Business Friendliness - 15
Growth - 2%
Unemployment - 3.2

If those are the numbers of the 43rd best state for business than America is in for historic prosperity. All these rankings are bullshit. It's like when they deem cities healthy for access to organic food.....

Once again, cheap is cheap and has limited appeal. For instance, Austin has been growing and prospering a great deal. Consequently, its cost of living is a whopping 130. For Tulsa, it's 89.6. Texas is #2 for business. Conservatives will tell you Texas having no state income tax helps a lot.

 

[CTeamPoke]

I'd be curious to see the numbers on the percentages of recent college grads that leave the state.

Big part of the problem is talent retention. The top grads at OU, OSU, and TU that don't get jobs at Conoco Phillips, Devon, Willams or one of the other energy companies is likely going to Texas, Arkansas, or KC. Wal Mart, Exxon, Cerner, and several others have been heavily recruiting top OU and OSU talent for years now.

Plus with the current tech sales boom in Dallas a lot of business graduates are getting great entry level sales gigs that pay over $80k per year right out of school... so it's kind of a no brainer to do that.

 

[Wayne C]

I have worked in Oklahoma (OKC) and Texas (Dallas) about equally for all of my career. My property tax here in TX was always about equal or a little more than my OK state taxes. Tax is tax, whether state or property.