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PRESTON L. DOERFLINGER
Secretary
Finance, Administration
and Information Technology
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MARY FALLIN
Governor
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Aug.24, 2017
Attempts
to Reach Budget Agreement for Possible Special Session Continues
OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin’s chief budget
negotiator, Secretary of Finance, Administration and Information Technology Preston Doerflinger, today
issued the following statement concerning attempts to reach a budget agreement
for lawmakers to consider in a possible special session:
“Budget discussions are continuing. The governor’s
office is doing due diligence in preparing for a special session as Oklahomans
expect by meeting with Republican and Democratic legislative leaders in
attempting to reach an agreement on how to adjust the current fiscal year
budget as a result of the recent state Supreme Court ruling. As part of that
discussion, the fiscal staffs of both legislative chambers and the governor’s
office are looking at a variety of revenue sources to make up the budget
shortfall and to provide for teacher pay increases. Possible efficiency options
to streamline state government operations are also being reviewed. No agreement
has been reached between the governor and any legislative party. To suggest we
are even close to a deal is incredibly premature and irresponsible.
“It’s important to keep in mind that not only do we
have the immediate problem of the loss of $215 million from the court’s ruling,
but we should also be working towards filling the anticipated fiscal year 2019 budget
hole.”
EDITOR’S
NOTE: The Oklahoma Supreme Court
earlier this month struck down a smoking cessation fee
approved this past legislative session. This results in a $215 million
shortfall for the Department of Human Services, the Department of Mental Health
and Substance Abuse Services and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the three
agencies that received the bulk of the money that was to be generated by the
cessation fee.
Media Contact
Shelley Zumwalt
Director of Public Affairs
(405) 535-5198 | shelley.zumwalt@omes.ok.gov
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 About the Office of Management and Enterprise Services
The Office of Management and Enterprise Services
provides financial, property, purchasing, human resources and
information technology services to all state agencies, and assists the
Governor’s Office on budgetary policy matters. Our mission: Supporting our partners through unified business services. For more information, visit OMES.OK.gov.
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