Governor proposes $6.7 billion budget
Hiring more state troopers, funding a backlog of expenses incurred by cities and towns during natural disasters, providing more money to defend a lawsuit filed by two American Indian tribes over water rights and paying teachers’ health benefits are among items included in the governor’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
Gov. Mary Fallin’s budget, released Monday along with her State of the State speech to legislators, calls for using $130 million from various accounts and generating $105 million from a twoyear motor vehicle registration system for noncommercial vehicles — an idea that went nowhere last year — are among ideas to provide additional funds.
Fallin’s budget totals $6.7 billion, about $200 million more than legislators are expected to have on hand using available revenue sources. Lawmakers last year used about $500 million of one-time funds last year, but because revenues are coming in about 10 percent above estimates, that shortfall is down to about $120 million. It could be less than that when a final estimate is determined later this month on how much money lawmakers will have to appropriate for the 2013 fiscal year, which starts July 1.
Starting point
Legislators will use Fallin’s budget as a starting point to develop a spending package for the 2013 fiscal year. The governor is required to come up with a budget proposal on the first day of the legislative session.
Fallin’s budget also includes about $60 million of supplemental, or emergency, money to appropriate this fiscal year. It includes $37.6 million to the state Education Department for teachers’ health benefits.
“The state must keep its commitment to fund teachers’ health care benefits,” Fallin said.
Emergency fund
The governor also is requesting $34.1 million for the State Emergency Fund to reimburse cities, counties and towns for re- sponding to extreme weather events. The state has a backlog of about $28 million to cities, towns and counties, along with electric cooperatives. When a presidential disaster declaration is issued, the federal government pays 75 percent of the reimbursement costs to counties, municipalities, rural electric cooperatives, rural water districts and other entities for infrastructure damage. The local entities pay 12.5 percent, and the state is required to pay the remaining 12.5 percent, with that paid out of the emergency fund.
Trooper academy
Fallin also is asking lawmakers to appropriate $6 million this fiscal year for the state Public Safety Department to hold a trooper academy class that could provide up to 90 new troopers. The patrol has not had a trooper academy the past three years because of revenue slowdowns; the academy trains recruits to become troopers.
“We must increase the number of troopers we have on the road,” Fallin said. “The current numbers are dangerously low due to attrition, retirements and the lack of a patrol school since 2009. That cannot continue.”
Capitol repairs
Her expenditures for the 2013 fiscal year include $500,000 for debt service to on a bond issue to repair the state Capitol.
It’s been estimated it would cost about $140 million to renovate and repair the nearly 100year-old structure.
“It’s embarrassing for our citizens to see barricades roping off portions of the state Capitol,” Fallin said. “It’s bad for the image of this state and our efforts to recruit business.”
Water rights
She also is proposing $5 million for the state attorney general’s office to pay for additional legal costs if a federal lawsuit filed by the Chickasaw and Choctaw nations over water rights is not resolved.
“We continue to hope that this issue can be resolved through mediation without large legal fees and with all parties negotiating in good faith,” Fallin said. “In the event however, the tribes do not share this goal, we intend to defend the water of all Oklahomans against a claim that favors one group over the interests of the entire state and all of its citizens.
“To ensure that we are adequately prepared to do that, the attorney general needs additional funds to retain the very best counsel,” she said.
Chickasaw Nation Gov. Bill Anoatubby and Choctaw Chief Greg Pyle issued a joint statement after Fallin’s speech saying they continue to hope the tribes and the governor can work together to resolve differences.
“We will do our part,” they said. “For decades, we have made it known that we want to work together with the State of Oklahoma to help advance a sustainable water management plan which benefits Oklahomans across the entire state. We only filed legal action to protect water resources in southeastern Oklahoma after our repeated requests to establish government-togovernment negotiations with the State to resolve water resource issues were met with silence.”