Small: Government Spending Continues to Climb in Oklahoma
Policy analyst: Government spending continues to climb in Oklahoma
BY JONATHAN SMALL | Published: February 17, 2013
The state’s Office of Management and Enterprise Services recently released the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for Oklahoma. According to the agency, where I previously worked as a budget analyst, the report is the primary means of detailing state government’s financial activities.
The numbers in the report reveal that government spending is at an all-time high. In fiscal year 2001, total state expenditures were $9.65 billion and have grown to $16.70 billion for fical 2012 — an increase of more than 73 percent in just 11 years! Spending has grown every year since 2001 in spite of two recessions. Despite a net decrease of $564 million in federal grants, total state spending increased.
As agency and legislative records indicate, using total state expenditures is important because appropriations account for only 39 percent of state spending. Billions of dollars in nonappropriated taxes, fees, licenses, permits, state-matched federal funds and other nonappropriated revenues fund retirement systems, higher education scholarships, road and bridge repairs, Medicaid, health insurance premium assistance and many other programs.