Few answers for ratepayers Tuesday when asked why consumers, instead of shareholders, should shoulder the burden for “astronomical” electricity costs

VOICE is raising questions about how power providers planning to pass along an estimated $4.5 billion spent on fuel during Feb.’s severe winter storm.

Community organizers say many of these changes would make it nearly impossible for citizen-led initiatives petitions to be successful

Ahead of the Nov. 3 election, many believe the recent turmoil has helped prompt voters to become more engaged. “We know the city council is important. The school board is important,” said Sundra Flansburg, a [leader with] local civic engagement group VOICE. “But county government has been invisible in most cases.”

The Oklahoma City Council is considering appealing its unconstitutional anti-panhandling ordinance passed in 2015, this time at the U.S. Supreme Court. . . . Appealing it to the Supreme Court would require hiring expensive outside legal counsel to consult in the case.

VOICE clergy urge Gov. Kevin Still to designate local grocery store workers as first responders. "They are literally risking their lives to be with the public every day, ensuring that families across Oklahoma can have access to the food they need in order to survive," the Rev. Diana Davies.

Transparency, community building to be focus of Oklahoma County Sheriff's Community Advisory Board

VOICE leaders pushed for the social components to be included and is backing the MAPS 4 package.

“I think people have seen the impact that MAPS has had downtown,” Craghead said. “But they also see, in their daily lives, so many things that are still lacking.”

Candidates faced an audience at a packed First Unitarian Church on Sunday afternoon.

VOICE has advocated for the formation of a citizens advisory board for more than a year, after hearing stories from people incarcerated at the jail.

VOICE calls for the end of predatory lending in state, opposing lawmakers’ legislation expanding the industry.

A bill that had drawn strong opposition from many church leaders [i.e., VOICE] was vetoed Friday by Gov. Mary Fallin.

VOICE holds a proposed $92.5 million rate hike by OG&E to just $8.9 million, forcing the public utility to refund money to consumers due to an interim hike.

Payday lending reform made big news nationally last week, as press around the country profiled efforts of groups like Arizona PIRG, Center for Responsible Lending, Coalition On Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, ConnPIRG, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Progress Illinois, U.S. PIRG, Voice OKC and other groups.

Leaders from some of Oklahoma's churches, nonprofits and Native American tribes are among those calling for changes to the state's payday loan industry that they say preys on low-income residents and keeps them trapped in a cycle of debt.

VOICE calls for end to overincarceration of mentally ill, low level, nonviolent crimes, and jailing for debt

Our most important accomplishment has been building an organization that has crossed the lines that usually separate people — race, ethnicity, religious, political, economic, educational.