Contenders face off during a forum Wednesday night at Oklahoma City University. Ideas ranged from urging legislators to make the state budget the first order of business next session, to cutting salaries and combining agencies.
NewsOK
BY MICHAEL MCNUTT
Published: June 17, 2010
Saying the state still will be facing "extremely tough” financial conditions next year, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jari Askins said Wednesday night she would encourage legislators to focus first on the budget when they begin their new session in February.
"Things are going to be tight and you're going to have a lot of new legislators,” Askins said during a gubernatorial forum at Oklahoma City University. "It's an opportunity for educating them about where our money goes.”
It also would be an opportunity for returning legislators who haven't been involved in crafting the 2011 fiscal year $6.7 billion state budget, which has about $1 billion in one-time funds, to have more active roles, said Askins, a former legislator and judge who is not seeking a second term as lieutenant governor.
Askins also reiterated her idea of lawmakers considering only budget issues every other year... FULL ARTICLE
Posted on
Thu, June 17, 2010
by Crystal Drwenski