Attorney Files Lawsuit Over Simulus Spending

An Oklahoma Supreme court lawsuit alleges the state is spending federal stimulus money improperty.

The suit was filed by Jerry Fent, an Oklahoma City attorney, who said the state has failed to have the money certified through the Equalization Board.

Fent said he's not seeking return of the money to the federal government, but wants the state forced to follow what he says is the proper procedure.

"The state received a copy of the lawsuit earlier today," said Charlie Price, a spokesman for Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson. "Our attorneys will be reviewing the suit over the coming days and we will respond appropriately to the claims."

State officials spent more than $600 million in stimulus dollars to balance the fiscal year 2010 budget, which began July 1.

Named as defendants in Fent's lawsuit are Governor Henry, the state's American Recovery Reinvestment Act Coordinating Council, the State Equalization Board and the Department of Transportation.

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Stimulus Dollars Watch Resolution Advances

A resolution that would ensure federal stimulus dollars are spent in an accountable and transparent way passed the Senate today and will soon be considered by the House.

House Speaker Chris Benge and Senate Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee said Senate Concurrent Resolution 13 requires every state agency that receives federal stimulus funds to submit a plan for the expenditure of such funds to the chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and the governor.

Further, the resolution states that an agency cannot spend the federal funds without the additional dollars being accounted for in the state agency’s budget limits put into law every legislative session.

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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.

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Benge Promises Stimulus Funds Oversight

Federal stimulus dollars coming to Oklahoma will be treated in the same fiscally prudent manner state tax dollars have been spent in recent years, House Speaker Chris Benge said today.

Benge announced that he is tasking the House Appropriations and Budget Committee to include in its legislative responsibilities conducting oversight of agency spending and transparency in use of federal stimulus dollars coming to Oklahoma.

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