5 Percent Budget Cut Remains as State Revenue Declines

Staff and Wire Reports

OKLAHOMA CITY – State officials have again ordered a 5 percent across the board budget cut after state revenue declined in September.

September marked the ninth consecutive month of revenue declines and triggered the third month of 5 percent budget cuts.

“Monthly collections in September continue to be well below the official tax commission estimates and last year’s actual collections,” State Treasurer Scott Meacham said.

State Finance Director Michael Clingman ordered a continuation of the 5 percent cutback in allocations to each state agency that was instituted in August.

“Unlike our action of the past two months, we were able to make this allocation without transferring cash reserves," Clingman said

The 5 percent reduction in October’s allocation of annual appropriations represents a total cut of $21 million for the month.

All state agencies are hurting, but it's the small ones that are taking the biggest hit.

"There's really no help or end in sight," Pardon and Parole Board Executive Director Terry Jenks said.

Jenks told board members the drastic measures that may take place within the agency.

"We did a furlough schedule and we did a day a month for the rest of the year," Jenks said. "We now put one together that has two days."

The pardon and parole board employs 40 people. Some employees are worried about the future of their jobs.

"About 94 percent of all our budget is all we have, is salaries; there is no place else to cut it from," Pardon and Parole Board employee Juanita Lozier said. "We're to the point we can't even pay rent at the office."

Lozier is nearing retirement but her co-worker just started with the agency and doesn't want to have to look for another job to make ends meet.

"If we have to take two furlough days, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna have to make arrangements with companies to see if there's a way I can hold off on paying those bills," Pardon and Parole Board employee Twanesha Washington said.

Putting off bills and medication is what it means for Pardon and Parole Board employee Susan Adams, as well as preventing her from meeting with inmates that may be released from prison, overcrowding an already cramped system.

"The people of the state are paying for them to be here where they could be out, productive and paying into the system," Adams said.

The state funds the Pardon and Parole Board's entire budget. It does not receive any extra income from fees or fines.

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State Budgets Cut 5 Percent After Revenue Declines in August