{"id":747866,"date":"2025-06-10T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-10T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/?p=747866"},"modified":"2025-06-10T07:10:09","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T12:10:09","slug":"oklahomas-poverty-crisis-deepens-as-lawmakers-clash-over-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/2025\/06\/10\/oklahomas-poverty-crisis-deepens-as-lawmakers-clash-over-solutions\/","title":{"rendered":"Oklahoma\u2019s Poverty Crisis Deepens as Lawmakers Clash Over Solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-custom-everlit-iframe-embed\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Everlit Audio Player\" src=\"https:\/\/everlit.audio\/embeds\/artl_DKJpZtZOE4P?client=wp&amp;client_version=2.6.0\" width=\"100%\" height=\"80px\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Poverty is deeply woven into the fabric of Oklahoma history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether it is the result of tornadoes and dust bowls, oil industry booms and busts, a never-ending stream of bad guys or a century of ugly political feuds, poverty and its byproducts have shaped the Sooner State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a persistent and worsening cycle of poverty in Oklahoma, set against a backdrop of rising population, stagnant wages, and political disagreement over how to address the problem. Despite some progress, such as increased workforce participation and expanded Medicaid, economic hardship continues to grow, particularly among children and formerly incarcerated individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The state has two competing visions for addressing poverty: one focused on expanding social safety nets, housing, education, and healthcare, and the other emphasizing job creation and education reform to promote self-sufficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ultimately, the conflict is both ideological and systemic: how to break entrenched cycles of poverty in a state historically shaped by economic instability and inequality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Data from the United States Census Bureau lists the state\u2019s poverty rate at 16%, the sixth highest in the country. That number increased from 15.7% in 2022 to 15.9% in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles is-style-borders wpnbha show-image image-alignright ts-4 is-1 is-landscape is-style-borders\" style=\"\">\n\t\t<div data-posts data-current-post-id=\"731737\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"article-section-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>the latest<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"754196\" class=\"tag-attorney-general tag-cdc tag-covid-19 tag-george-monks tag-measles tag-oklahoma-news tag-oklahoma-state-department-of-health tag-oklahoma-state-medical-association tag-whooping-cough category-health category-publichealth type-post post-has-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"post-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/2026\/01\/05\/oklahoma-health-department-refuses-to-share-county-level-measles-data\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Monks_15-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-large size-newspack-article-block-landscape-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"Oklahoma Health Department Refuses to Share County-Level Measles Data\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Monks_15-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Monks_15-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Monks_15-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Monks_15-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Monks_15-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Monks_15-scaled.jpg?zoom=2&amp;resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 2400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Monks_15-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 782px) 600px, (min-width: 600px) 42.5vw, 90vw\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><!-- .featured-image -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/2026\/01\/05\/oklahoma-health-department-refuses-to-share-county-level-measles-data\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Oklahoma Health Department Refuses to Share County-Level Measles Data<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/author\/paulmonies\/\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" alt=\"Avatar photo\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cropped-Paul-Monies.jpg?resize=48%2C48&amp;ssl=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cropped-Paul-Monies-96x96.jpg 2x\" class=\"avatar avatar-48 photo\" height=\"48\" width=\"48\"><\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"byline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"author-prefix\">by<\/span> <span class=\"author vcard\"><a class=\"url fn n\" href=\"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/author\/paulmonies\/\">Paul Monies<\/a><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><!-- .author-name -->\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-01-05T06:01:00-06:00\">January 5, 2026<\/time><time class=\"updated\" datetime=\"2026-01-05T11:05:42-06:00\">January 5, 2026<\/time>\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-meta -->\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n<p>Those numbers are significantly higher than the pre-pandemic rate of 15.2% from 2019, as reported by the Census Bureau\u2019s American Community Survey. A long-stagnant minimum wage, plus a growing population, can put a strain on state services to its low-income residents, the National Institutes of Health said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c(An) increased population growth can put a strain on resources, potentially increasing competition for jobs and affordable housing, and leading to higher poverty rates,\u201d a NIH study said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People are considered impoverished if they earn $13,500 or less per year. For a family of four, the income level is $27,750.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, more than a century after that first Land Run, Oklahoma\u2019s fight against poverty continues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And poverty here is getting worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Growing Population, Growing Problems<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the United States Census Bureau, Oklahoma\u2019s population has grown to a little over four million people. Of those, 262,609 are between the ages of five and nine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The state\u2019s childhood poverty rate, the Oklahoma Policy Institute reported, rose from 19.7% in 2022 to 20.8% in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Oklahoma Department of Human Services reported that 408,350 families received federal supplemental nutrition funds in 2022, translating to 855,165 Oklahomans, nearly a quarter of the state\u2019s population, who needed federal assistance to purchase food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But food insecurity isn\u2019t the only issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another example of the increasing poverty rate is the number of eviction filings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Records from the Legal Aid Service\u2019s Civil Court Data Initiative show Oklahoma and Tulsa County reported more than 100,000 eviction filings between March 2020 and March 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2022 alone, the Eviction Lab reported 96,000 eviction filings statewide. Those numbers were high because rents had increased over the past few years while the minimum wage remained stagnant. A third issue, the 2021 expiration of the federal government\u2019s eviction moratorium, made the problem even worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Limited Progress and the Need for Action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, there has been progress in some areas.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A study released in January by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City reported that Oklahoma has shown increased workforce participation, rising incomes in both the Tulsa and the Oklahoma City metropolitan areas and a decrease in poverty rates in tribal areas, particularly among Native Americans, because more tribal members had entered the workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2004, the state reported that about 64% of its labor force \u2013 anyone aged 15 or older who holds a job \u2013 was working. That number dropped dramatically in 2018 to just above 61%. Over the next six years, the number increased again, reaching 63% by 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, the state has seen some success in reducing the number of uninsured, due to a state question in 2020 that expanded Medicaid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And while state policy changes, such as the cut in the grocery sales tax and the elimination of a handful of correctional fees, have provided small benefits, other efforts, such as updates to the state\u2019s Landlord Tenant Act and the expansion of safety-net services, failed. Additionally, the state\u2019s minimum wage remains low, while housing costs have increased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Data from the U.S. Bureau of Statistics showed that more than 3% of the state\u2019s hourly workforce \u2013 28,000 people \u2013 had jobs that paid the federal minimum wage or below in 2017. By 2024, that number had decreased to about 18,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Democrats said the Republican-controlled legislature and Gov. Kevin Stitt have been inconsistent in efforts to decrease the poverty rate. This year, the legislature passed a $12.6 billion budget but the House\u2019s minority leader said it does little to reduce poverty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>State Rep. Cyndi Munson, the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, said she supported the cut in the grocery sales tax, but said this year\u2019s budget doesn\u2019t do much to help the one million Oklahomans who need assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis year, in particular, because many state agencies are being held flat,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Munson said flat agency budgets and the cut to the personal income tax, both of which were pushed by Stitt, may return a few dollars to taxpayers, but that cut in revenue could become a problem later if the federal government makes good on its threats to make states pay more for services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWith the federal government shifting the cost burden on the states, it\u2019s going to cost the state more,\u201d Munson said. \u201cIf we have to pay for those federal programs, we\u2019re not going to be able to better support or expand services that we provide at a state level.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>\u201cWe punish those who are poor. It\u2019s debtors\u2019 prison and that\u2019s unconstitutional.\u201d<\/p><cite>Kris Steele<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the state\u2019s official website, Oklahoma offers several services to fight poverty including food assistance through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , SoonerCare, child care subsidies, and the Low-income Energy Assistance Program, which helps low-income individuals and families cover utility costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Republicans countered that they have taken several steps over the past several years to improve the lives of all Oklahomans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trey Caldwell, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said the state\u2019s budget addresses several areas related to poverty: stabilizing rural hospitals, increased job development efforts and record funding for Oklahoma\u2019s education systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By creating more jobs that pay more than the federal minimum wage, the employment opportunities can help lower-paid Oklahomans transition to a higher-paid job, Caldwell said. He said a stronger educational system helps residents train and prepare for those jobs. Both policies, he said, help reduce poverty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve increased education for six of the seven years I\u2019ve been here,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ve hit an all-time high in education funding. Take a look at CareerTech, business and industries tell them they need employees trained in particular areas and the system moves to do that. Because those jobs pay much more than the minimum, everyone benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Legislative records underscore this. Over the past seven years, funding for common education has increased by more than 2% and per-pupil funding went from $9,067 in 2007 to $13,736 in 2023, almost exactly matching inflation. Part of that increase includes federal funding, which totals about $1.7 billion each year for Oklahoma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve always been a firm believer that society needs a safety net,\u201d Caldwell, a Republican, said. \u201cBut at the same we should be very cognizant that we should give people opportunities, not handouts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>It Doesn\u2019t Pay to be Poor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Former Republican House Speaker Kris Steele has a deep understanding of state politics. Steele, the executive director of The Education and Employment Ministry, also has a deep understanding of poverty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Steele said his organization is focused on breaking the cycles of incarceration and poverty through education, personal development and work readiness training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At TEEM, he said, they suit up to fight the poverty battle every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On a recent day about a dozen people were in the TEEM waiting room. A few others stood outside the office door. Many have been brought from the Oklahoma County Detention Center to the TEEM headquarters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They will get counseling, treatment and services; the goal is to help them transition back into society with housing and a job. Instead of continually cycling through the courts and the jail, those who are assisted by TEEM can be integrated back into the community where bills are paid, families reunited and the individual becomes productive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGood jobs help people,\u201d Steele said.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Steele, who works with former inmates on a daily basis, said the best way to fight poverty in Oklahoma is to invest in people. That means job training, education and, most importantly, housing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI have yet to meet an Oklahoman who doesn\u2019t want to do the work and doesn\u2019t want to get better,\u201d Steele said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He said there are policies in Oklahoma that harm people who are poor. He pointed to the legal system as an example. Steele said that often, when a poor Oklahoman is charged with a crime, they are unable to afford the cost to post bond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consequently, the poor stay in jail longer than a person who can afford the cost of the bail bond. In addition, he said, many of those who have served their time and been released are so impoverished that they are unable to pay their fines and fees, which can result in that person being returned to jail simply because they cannot pay their fines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Data from the Oklahoma Policy Institute shows that, in 2005, about 200 of every 100,000 state residents were placed in jail. During that same time, about 600 of every 100,000 were placed in prison.\u00a0 By 2022, the number for jails was near 300 for every 100,000, while the number for those placed in prison had risen to about 600 per 100,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe punish those who are poor,\u201d Steele said. \u201cIt\u2019s debtor\u2019s prison and that\u2019s unconstitutional.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Increase in Population<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The book, \u201cPoverty, by America,\u201d supports that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPoverty isn\u2019t a line,\u201d author Matthew Desmond wrote. \u201cIt\u2019s a tight knot of social maladies. It is connected to every social problem we care about \u2013 crime, health, education, housing and security and \u2013 and its persistence in American life means that millions of families are denied safety and security and dignity in one of the richest nations in the history of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Steele remains optimistic. He said he believes the state can eventually lower the poverty rate. He urged the legislature to develop policies that expand housing opportunities for low-income residents and continue the push to improve the state\u2019s educational system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI would recommend that we start with significant investments in affordable housing for our folks,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have to invest in education for all Oklahomans. Access to health care for every Oklahoman. Transportation infrastructure so people can get to work and go where they need to be. It comes down to investments in ourselves and our infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The reality, Steel said, is that far too many Oklahomans are being left behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAt the end of the day, when those core issues can be addressed, I think the sky is the limit,\u201d he said. \u201cThat would allow our state to break those generational cycles of poverty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MSC-square.jpg?resize=960%2C960&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-746842\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:219px;height:219px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MSC-square.jpg?w=960&amp;ssl=1 960w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MSC-square.jpg?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MSC-square.jpg?resize=600%2C600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MSC-square.jpg?resize=140%2C140&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MSC-square.jpg?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MSC-square.jpg?resize=800%2C800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MSC-square.jpg?resize=400%2C400&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MSC-square.jpg?resize=200%2C200&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MSC-square.jpg?resize=780%2C780&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MSC-square.jpg?resize=706%2C706&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MSC-square.jpg?resize=100%2C100&amp;ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MSC-square.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>M. Scott Carter covers housing, homelessness and evictions.  Contact him at <a href=\"mailto:scarter@oklahomawatch.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">scarter@oklahomawatch.org <\/a>or 405-589-1933<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:16px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\t<div class=\"wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles is-style-default wpnbha is-grid columns-3 colgap-1 show-image image-aligntop ts-3 is-3 is-landscape is-style-default\" style=\"\">\n\t\t<div data-posts data-current-post-id=\"747866\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"article-section-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>MORE FROM M. SCOTT CARTER <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"747866\" class=\"tag-housing tag-legislature tag-poverty-2 category-poverty category-vulnerable-populations type-post post-has-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"post-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/2025\/06\/10\/oklahomas-poverty-crisis-deepens-as-lawmakers-clash-over-solutions\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Steele2-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-large size-newspack-article-block-landscape-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"Oklahoma\u2019s Poverty Crisis Deepens as Lawmakers Clash Over Solutions\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Steele2-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Steele2-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Steele2-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Steele2-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Steele2-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Steele2-scaled.jpg?zoom=2&amp;resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 2400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Steele2-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw \/ 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw \/ 12)), 100vw\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><!-- .featured-image -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/2025\/06\/10\/oklahomas-poverty-crisis-deepens-as-lawmakers-clash-over-solutions\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Oklahoma\u2019s Poverty Crisis Deepens as Lawmakers Clash Over Solutions<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>There is a persistent and worsening cycle of poverty in Oklahoma, set against a backdrop of rising population, stagnant wages, and political disagreement over how to address the problem.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2025-06-10T06:00:00-05:00\">June 10, 2025<\/time><time class=\"updated\" datetime=\"2025-06-10T07:10:09-05:00\">June 10, 2025<\/time>\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-meta -->\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"725481\" class=\"category-housing type-post post-has-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"post-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/2022\/11\/22\/forced-out-skyrocketing-rent-evictions-pushing-thousands-out-of-their-homes\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Evicted_477-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-large size-newspack-article-block-landscape-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"Forced Out: Skyrocketing Rent, Evictions Pushing Thousands Out of Their Homes\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Evicted_477-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Evicted_477-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Evicted_477-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Evicted_477-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Evicted_477-scaled.jpg?zoom=2&amp;resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 2400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Evicted_477-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw \/ 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw \/ 12)), 100vw\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><!-- .featured-image -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/2022\/11\/22\/forced-out-skyrocketing-rent-evictions-pushing-thousands-out-of-their-homes\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Forced Out: Skyrocketing Rent, Evictions Pushing Thousands Out of Their Homes<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Amy Forsythe once helped Oklahomans experiencing homelessness. Evicted last week, she\u2019s living in a $300-per-week Tulsa motel with her three youngest children, their dogs and cats. \u201cWe\u2019re all right now in survival mode because we don\u2019t know what else to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2022-11-22T06:00:00-06:00\">November 22, 2022<\/time><time class=\"updated\" datetime=\"2022-11-22T12:15:10-06:00\">November 22, 2022<\/time>\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-meta -->\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"700085\" class=\"tag-department-of-environmental-quality tag-deq tag-el-reno tag-environmental-protection-agency tag-epa tag-heavner tag-moore tag-safe-drinking-water-act tag-u-s-centers-for-disease-control tag-veolia-north-america tag-wastewater category-environment category-news-alert category-oklahoma-watch-news category-publichealth type-post post-has-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"post-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/2022\/07\/20\/troubled-water-public-water-operators-violations-keep-flowing\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/mooretreatmentplant6.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium size-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Troubled Water: Public Water Operator\u2019s Violations Keep Flowing\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/mooretreatmentplant6.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/mooretreatmentplant6.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/mooretreatmentplant6.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/mooretreatmentplant6.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw \/ 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw \/ 12)), 100vw\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><!-- .featured-image -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/2022\/07\/20\/troubled-water-public-water-operators-violations-keep-flowing\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Troubled Water: Public Water Operator\u2019s Violations Keep Flowing<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>A multinational company that manages public water systems in Oklahoma has a pattern of water quality violations. And no one outside the company knows how many of Oklahoma\u2019s 1,600-plus water systems they\u2019re managing.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2022-07-20T06:00:00-05:00\">July 20, 2022<\/time><time class=\"updated\" datetime=\"2022-07-21T15:41:16-05:00\">July 21, 2022<\/time>\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-meta -->\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There is a persistent and worsening cycle of poverty in Oklahoma, set against a backdrop of rising population, stagnant wages, and political disagreement over how to address the problem.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2629306,"featured_media":747868,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"gigafact_has_fact_brief":false,"gigafact_remote_fact_brief_post_id":0,"gigafact_remote_sync_timestamp":"","gigafact_remote_sync_status":"","gigafact_remote_sync_response":"","gigafact_has_been_published":false,"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"everlit_article_id":"artl_DKJpZtZOE4P","everlit_hide_embed":false,"everlit_embed_size":"","everlit_generation_settings":{"primary_voice":"29","guest_voice":"48","default_sonic_optimization":false,"default_conversation_mode":false,"default_read_alt_text":false,"default_read_urls":false,"default_publication":"pblc_lV8RK9ULW4x","intro_mixable":3,"outro_mixable":3,"intro_duration":15,"outro_duration":15,"intro_padding":3,"outro_padding":4,"default_skip_article_image":false,"disclaimer":"","disclaimer_voice":"","is_for_subscriber":false},"_everlit_article_id":"","_everlit_hide_embed":false,"_everlit_embed_size":"","_everlit_generation_settings":[],"_everlit_content_hash":"","_everlit_metadata_hash":"f054bb0f167d000c2dbe1f4542e494f8","_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[33,20082],"tags":[7527,238,60],"series":[],"coauthors":[3991],"class_list":["post-747866","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-poverty","category-vulnerable-populations","tag-housing","tag-legislature","tag-poverty-2","entry"],"fact_brief":null,"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Oklahoma\u2019s Poverty Crisis Deepens as Lawmakers Clash Over Solutions - Oklahoma Watch<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/2025\/06\/10\/oklahomas-poverty-crisis-deepens-as-lawmakers-clash-over-solutions\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Oklahoma\u2019s Poverty Crisis Deepens as Lawmakers Clash Over Solutions - Oklahoma Watch\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"There is a persistent and worsening cycle of poverty in Oklahoma, set against a backdrop of rising population, stagnant wages, and political disagreement over how to address the problem.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/2025\/06\/10\/oklahomas-poverty-crisis-deepens-as-lawmakers-clash-over-solutions\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Oklahoma Watch\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OklahomaWatch\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-06-10T11:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-06-10T12:10:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Steele2-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1758\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"M. 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