Lawton, OK – Oklahoma Youth for Change (OKYFC) will host a public discussion on the Oklahoma state budget and taxes with a special focus on young people at OK State Budget Talks: Gen Z Edit’N, taking place January 9, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the Patterson Center in Lawton.
The event will feature Aanahita Irani Ervin, Fiscal Policy Analyst at the Oklahoma Policy Institute, who will break down how Oklahoma collects and spends tax dollars, what’s included in the FY 2026 state budget, and what potential policy changes could mean for everyday Oklahomans.
Many residents pay taxes without ever seeing how those dollars move through the state budget. This session is designed to make fiscal policy approachable and relevant, especially for Gen Z and young adults navigating their first jobs, paychecks, and civic responsibilities.
Aanahita Irani Ervin joined the Oklahoma Policy Institute in May 2024. Raised between Oklahoma City and Mumbai, India, she brings a unique interdisciplinary background to fiscal policy analysis. She earned her undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 2022 and completed her Master of Public Policy at Duke University’s Sanford School in 2024. Her work explores how tax and budget decisions affect issues ranging from climate policy and criminal justice reform to food insecurity and poverty.
Fiscal policy, Ervin emphasizes, underpins all public policy because without sustainable funding, programs and reforms cannot succeed. Her presentation draws on Oklahoma budget data, tax structures, and current policy debates to help audiences understand the real-world impact of state fiscal decisions
The event is free and open to the public. A Q&A and open discussion will follow the presentation.
Event Details:
What: OK State Budget Talks: Gen Z Edit’N
When: January 9, 2026 | 6:00 p.m.
Where: Patterson Center, Lawton, OK
Who: Oklahoma Youth for Change, featuring Oklahoma Policy Institute
Cost: Free
For more information or to register, visit the Event Page
Media Contact: Oklahoma Youth for Change
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