Scholar Spotlight: David Blatt
This week's Scholar Spotlight highlights David Blatt, who analyzed the recent primary elections in Oklahoma, where dozens of teachers won after staging walkouts to protest funding cuts earlier this year. Read his recent comments in The New Yorker and the Oklahoma station News on 6.
David Blatt
Director, Oklahoma Policy Institute
SSN Key Findings: Repairing Oklahoma's Broken Democracy
Blatt has served as a fiscal analyst for the Oklahoma State Senate, public policy director of a non-profit anti-poverty agency, and Director of a policy think-tank (Oklahoma Policy Institute, focused on state fiscal, social and economic policy issues). Blatt earned his PhD from Cornell University and his research has spanned topics ranging from state budget and tax policy, health care issues, social welfare, immigration, poverty and asset building, emphasizing the need for fair and adequate funding of public services and expanded economic opportunity, and financial security for low- and moderate-income residents. In addition to conducting and publishing research for a broad public audience, his work has included providing testimony to legislative committees, direct advocacy with legislators, extensive public presentations to community organizations, and organizing public policy forums and events.