For Immediate Release: August
25, 2003
Senator Mike Morgan
Agencies
Selected for First Round of Zero-Based Budgeting
State
Senator Mike
Morgan, chairman of the Legislative Oversight Committee on
State Budget Performance, said he was pleased with the initial
meeting of the group charged with implementing zero-based budgeting
in Oklahoma.
“I would say for a first meeting, this went very, very well.
I think the overriding thing that became clear today was that
we have a very large task in front of us. There’s going
to be a lot of information for the members to work with, and this
is going to be a big job,” said Morgan, D-Stillwater.
A four-year process was outlined for reviewing all 80 agencies
receiving state funding, meaning the committee will scrutinize
approximately 20 entities each year. During Monday’s meeting,
members decided on the first round of agencies to be reviewed,
including the Department
of Education, which is the largest state agency in Oklahoma.
The committee will also review the budgets of two of the fastest
growing agencies in terms of appropriations – the Department
of Corrections and the Oklahoma
Health Care Authority. According to Morgan, who is also chairman
of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Education will likely
be the first of the three larger agencies to be reviewed.
While Education, Corrections and the Health Care Authority will
be reviewed by the joint committee during the first year, Senator
Morgan urged members to begin with two smaller agencies to be
recommended by fiscal staff. He explained that such a move would
enable everyone involved to get a clearer idea of how the process
will work. Morgan also noted that even though the legislation
only required a minimum of four meetings a year, it would take
much more than that to get the job done. The committee agreed
with his recommendation to meet weekly beginning on September
8.
“For
us to have meaningful input into the budget process for this coming
year, we need to complete a great deal of our work during the
interim. I realize this will require enormous additional work
on the behalf of our members and staff alike. But we are serious
about this process and dedicated to making it work on behalf of
the people of this state,” said Senator Morgan.
In addition to Senator Morgan, other members of the bipartisan
committee include House Appropriations and Budget Committee Chairman
Billy Mitchell, D-Lindsay, who will serve as vice chairman of
the Legislative Oversight Committee; Senator Johnnie Crutchfield,
D-Ardmore; Senator Ben Robinson; D-Muskogee; Senator Randy Brogdon;
R-Owasso; Senator Mike Johnson, R-Kingfisher; Representative Jari
Askins, D-Duncan; Representative Jack Bonny, D-Burns Flat; Representative
Chris Benge, R-Tulsa; and Representative Kevin Calvey, R-Del City.
For more information, contact:
Senate
Communications Division - (405)
521-5774
