GOP Leaders Criticize Henry's Proposed Budget

By The Oklahoman's Michael McNutt At www.newsok.com ~ Republican legislative leaders criticized the Democratic governor’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year, saying it does not show how the state would pay for the proposal's stated goals.

Sen. Mike Johnson, co-chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, called Gov. Brad Henry’s budget “a political document full of lofty proposals.”

“We just want to make sure everybody understands there’s a lot of promises in here (but) there’s not the revenues to deliver them,” he said today.

Johnson and Rep. Ken Miller, newly named chairman of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee, said Henry’s $7.3 billion proposal is too vague about paying for certain proposals, such as extending the school year by five days and funding endowed chairs in higher education.
Miller called the budget “typical Brad Henry – he is for everything.”

“Gov. Henry’s budget is big on expensive programs but light on financial details,” he said.
Johnson, R-Kingfisher, said Republicans want to work with Henry to “develop a bipartisan budget agreement” and that both parties work together.
However, Johnson and Miller said they had not talked with the governor’s staff about their concerns.
“There certainly will be time for that,” said Miller, R-Edmond. “This is a normal process that the governor proposes and we answer and then we roll up our sleeves and work together to get it done.”

Paul Sund, a Henry spokesman, said the governor is hoping legislative leaders will give his proposals “a full and fair hearing before passing judgment.”

“If legislative leaders had sincere questions about the budget, we trust they would have contacted us directly instead of staging a publicity stunt for the news media,” Sund said.

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