Oklahoma budget cuts may damage services
Balancing state’s budget requires finding more revenue, governor says
NewsOK
BY MICHAEL MCNUTT
Published: March 31, 2010
Balancing Oklahoma’s shriveled budget just by making additional cuts to agencies will have "irreparable and damaging” effects on state services, Gov. Brad Henry said Tuesday.
The governor, who earlier this year proposed about $725 million in revenue enhancements, urged legislative leaders to come up with ideas.
He said many of his suggestions — which include refinancing bond issues at today’s lower rate, possibly saving of tens of millions of dollars; eliminating and suspending tax credits; and taxing more Internet sales that are made in Oklahoma — have been met mostly with criticism.
"If we don’t do some things, and we rely totally on cuts to agencies, we will devastate state government,” Henry said. "Virtually every agency to date through the 2010 budget has received close to a 15 percent budget cut.”... FULL ARTICLE
Posted on Wed, March 31, 2010
by Crystal Drwenski