OFRG Critizes Henry's Stimulus Committee
Oklahomans for Responsible Government today criticized Governor Henry for naming a committee to oversee the spending of federal stimulus dollars and a spokesman said the group believes that more bureaucracy is not the answer to making sure stimulus funds are spent correctly.
“The governor’s original plan was to have the State Auditor oversee the process and now there is a formal council with 15 members,” said OFRG Executive Director Brian Downs. “A more troubling aspect of the council is that it is solely made up of cabinet members and agency heads that will be spending the tax money. Taxpayers and the legislature don’t seem to have a voice.”
Back on March 2nd, the governor issued a press release stating that “State Treasurer Scott Meacham has worked closely with a number of public and private sector leaders, including leading state lawmakers, to determine how the stimulus funds may be applied to the state budget.” But now the legislature is absent from the council.
OFRG’s stance has been and continues to be that the legislature has the ultimate responsibility over spending state tax dollars and should have oversight of the federal stimulus as well; especially since some strings attached to the federal money could mean future use of state tax dollars to fill gaps once the stimulus money is gone. “Any stimulus money accepted should be for one-time expenses only, not for expanding government programs,” said Downs.
“The governor’s original plan was to have the State Auditor oversee the process and now there is a formal council with 15 members,” said OFRG Executive Director Brian Downs. “A more troubling aspect of the council is that it is solely made up of cabinet members and agency heads that will be spending the tax money. Taxpayers and the legislature don’t seem to have a voice.”
Back on March 2nd, the governor issued a press release stating that “State Treasurer Scott Meacham has worked closely with a number of public and private sector leaders, including leading state lawmakers, to determine how the stimulus funds may be applied to the state budget.” But now the legislature is absent from the council.
OFRG’s stance has been and continues to be that the legislature has the ultimate responsibility over spending state tax dollars and should have oversight of the federal stimulus as well; especially since some strings attached to the federal money could mean future use of state tax dollars to fill gaps once the stimulus money is gone. “Any stimulus money accepted should be for one-time expenses only, not for expanding government programs,” said Downs.
Labels: Brad Henry, OFRG, Oklahoma Stimulus Dollars
posted by Mike McCarville @ 2:30 PM
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