Oklahoma

St. Louis-based Ascension Health Alliance is advancing plans to acquire Oklahoma-based Marian Health System, the parent of three regional not-for-profit healthcare organizations in the mid and central states.

The third drop in Oklahoma energy production taxes in the last six months pushed August state revenues below those of August 2011. State brought in $819.6 million, down from $842.9 million last year.

An Oklahoma lawmaker asked the state attorney general to determine if Tulsa County's $750 million Vision2 proposal violates the state constitution.

Oklahoma voters on Aug. 28 rejected more new school debt than they approved, with passage of16 public school bond proposals totaling $34 million.

Tulsa County Republican Party Committee last week censured two Tulsa County commissioners who set an election in November on extending an existing county-wide sales tax.

Reconciliation of state agency budgets at the end of fiscal 2012 put an additional $21.4 million into Oklahoma’s Constitutional Reserve Fund last week.

A federal bankruptcy court judge signed an order authorizing American Airline's assumption of its Tulsa maintenance base sublease, paving the way for the bond trustee on $237 million of debt to soon resume payments.

American Airlines and the trustee on $237 million of revenue bonds issued for the airline's Tulsa maintenance base will ask the bankruptcy court to approve a settlement.

A sales tax extension going to voters in Tulsa County, Okla., Nov. 6 would generate $748.8 million over 13 years for economic development and capital improvement projects. The 0.6% sales tax would be extended through 2029.

Revenues from a 1.5% sales tax in Del City, Okla., that is up for renewal on Aug. 28 would fund the demolition of an old police station in order to build a replacement fire station.

An Oklahoma school district will ask voters on Aug. 28 to authorize $12.7 million of general obligation bonds after a $49.5 million bond referendum failed.

Oklahoma City collected $12 million from its 5.5% hotel tax in fiscal 2012, up almost 10% from fiscal 2011 and $668,000 more than expected when the budget was developed.

Healthy gains in income tax and sales tax collections pushed Oklahoma's state tax collection in July above July 2011 revenues despite a 42% plummet in natural gas and crude oil production taxes. It was the eighth straight month of declining energy severance tax revenues, but the state's overall economic indicators are positive, said State Treasurer Ken Miller on Thursday. Revenues totaled $854.9 million in the first month of fiscal 2013.

Oklahoma House Speaker Kris Steele, R-Shawnee, last week formed the House Tax Credit and Economic Incentive Oversight Committee to investigate the effectiveness of the state's economic tax credits and incentives.

Oklahoma's bond rating would be better if the state issued more bonds for vital infrastructure projects, the Daily Oklahoman said Friday in a lead editorial.

Oklahoma put $306.8 million into its budget stabilization fund last week, bringing the total rainy day reserve to $556 million.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin last week reiterated her support for a state bond issue to repair the deteriorating Capitol building in Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma General Fund revenues in June were below June 2011 totals due to a 42% drop in energy severance tax collections, State Treasurer Ken Miller said.

Construction of the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum in Oklahoma City was halted July 1 when money for the project ran out.

DALLAS — The Oklahoma Legislature’s failure to pass proposed income tax cuts in the recently completed session will give lawmakers an additional $16 million to appropriate when they convene in 2013.