Budget negotiators may need to abandon hopes of having a clear idea on
the use of Oklahoma’s share of federal stimulus funds and start
crafting a budget without taking the money into consideration, House Speaker Chris Benge said Thursday.
Legislative steps required to formulate a budget take several weeks,
and with eight weeks left in the legislative session, state lawmakers
don’t want to risk not getting that done and having to meet in a costly
special session, said Benge, R-Tulsa.
"We’re monitoring the federal situation, and I can’t say at this point
that it’s any clearer as to what the federal stimulus money looks
like,” Benge said.
"We’re about to the point that we’re going to have to start just
writing the budget like there’s not going to be stimulus dollars
available so that we can move on ... and get the budget set for next
year.”
More than $2.6 billion in federal stimulus money is available to Oklahoma the next two fiscal years, but state officials are waiting for regulations and guidelines on how the money can be spent.
Some of the stimulus money can be used to make up shortfalls in the
2010 fiscal year budget caused by declining federal money coming into
the state, mostly for Oklahoma’s Medicaid program.
The state has a $900 million budget hole, although it’s expected the
federal stimulus money and some available state money could reduce the
actual shortfall to about $400 million for the 2010 fiscal year, which
begins July 1.
What’s ahead for state?
Rep. Ken Miller,
chairman of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee, said he’s
optimistic the state, which has a $7.1 billion budget this fiscal year,
will finish in the black.
However, he and others working on the budget would like to see revenue figures for March. The figures are due out by mid-April.
As a result, lawmakers will miss the April 1 deadline to present a
common education funding budget to the governor. The deadline has
rarely been met since it was enacted several years ago.
"It’s a good goal,” said Miller, R-Edmond. "It does have meaning because we strive for that goal.”
At least $400 million in federal stimulus funds are earmarked for education the next two years.