Oklahoman: State Budget Far Larger Than What’s Appropriated
Oklahoma state budget far larger than what’s appropriated
by The Oklahoman Editorial Board
THE state-appropriated budget approved by lawmakers this year totaled $7.1 billion. That’s quite a sum, and interest groups often loudly insist they should get a larger slice of that particular pie. Here’s the problem: That figure represents only a fraction of total state government spending in Oklahoma. The real total is at least $24 billion after accounting for funds reaped outside the legislative budget process.
Critics believe the gap between those two figures, and the disproportionate attention given to the smaller figure directly set by lawmakers, has distorted budget discussions at the Oklahoma Capitol for years. But a new transparency effort could shift that dynamic.
House Bill 2242, the most recent general appropriations bill approved by the Legislature, not only included line-item appropriations that combine to represent the $7.1 billion in appropriated funds, but also included a listing of all state government funds. That information runs for roughly 30 pages. Those figures were provided for informational purposes, but they shed light on state spending practices that have previously been obscured when only $7.1 billion out of $24 billion is scrutinized.