Oklahoma House Staffers Fired

News9.com

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A media spokesperson for the Oklahoma House of Representatives has confirmed several staffers have been fired.

Ray Carter said the House hasn't increased the budget since 2006, and has been forced to cut the budget for the last two years. He said, unfortunately, cutting jobs was the next step.

"We cannot ask other agencies to deal with budget cuts if we are not willing to do the same, and the staff changes now underway are a result of that budget reality. When it comes to streamlining government and fiscal conservatism, we believe it is important to practice what we preach," Carter said.

State Representative Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs, blasted the firings. He said the sudden and unexpected job losses just before Christmas should have been avoided.

"Here we are weeks before Christmas and employees are being cut right and left to shore up our budget shortfall in the House according to Republican leadership," said Rep. Dorman. "My question is: what happened to the more than $6 million surplus the House of Representatives had only two years ago?"

Dorman said the legislature needs to be held accountable for its spending.