Divided Senate Leads To Funding Hike

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The budget for the state Senate rose by more than $638,000 as a result of a power-sharing agreement in the evenly divided chamber. <br/><br/>The Senate is split with 24 Democrats and

Tuesday, June 12th 2007, 1:46 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The budget for the state Senate rose by more than $638,000 as a result of a power-sharing agreement in the evenly divided chamber.

The Senate is split with 24 Democrats and 24 Republicans after last November's elections.

The money paid for pay raises, additional staff, furniture and other items under the agreement in which leaders of both the Democratic and Republican parties get equal budgets for staff and office space.

Figures from co-Senate Pro Tem Mike Morgan says salaries and benefits alone cost more than $385,000. The biggest amount provided a raise for Morgan aide Vic Thompson whose salary rose from $74,000 to $150,000 a year. And the pay to co-Pro Tem Glenn Coffee's assistant _ Paul Ziriax _ rose from $57,000 to $80,000.