Legislature was complicit in expanding Guv's Power!

Weekly Opinion Editorial

QUIT PLAYING POLITICS

by Steve Fair

     In the midst of the COVID-19 virus outbreak, politics continues.  The Oklahoma legislature and Governor Stitt are fighting over the 2020 state budget.  Last week, the legislature sent three budget bills to the governor’s desk.  Stitt refused to sign one of the bills because it did not include funding for the Digital Transformation Revolving Fund(DTRF), one of his priorities.  The governor said the funding is $930,000, legislators, $250,000.  Stitt accused legislative leadership of playing ‘political games.’  On Wednesday, that legislative leadership sued the governor and the Board of Equalization after the governor canceled a meeting of the board.  The petition asks the state Supreme Court to rule on Stitt’s authority to unilaterally cancel a Board of Equalization meeting.  Until the board votes to declare a ‘revenue shortfall,’ the legislature cannot legally tap the state’s rainy day fund, whose funding is sorely needed to plug budget holes.  Three thoughts:

     First, what is the actual funding for the DTRF?  Is it 250k or 930k or another number?  Who is telling the truth?  Either number is small in the grand scheme of the total 8 billion dollar budget, but it would be nice to know the correct number.  The DTRF was created by the legislature in 2019  to implement digital transformation initiatives.  Thus far they have implemented Oklahoma Mobile ID and Driver’s License, which allows citizens to apply for a digital ID or license.  The fund is overseen by the governor’s cabinet appointees. 

     Second, both parties are playing politics, not just the legislature.  When the governor made the decision to cancel the Board of Equalization meeting, he was ‘playing politics.’  The Board of Equalization is a seven member board chaired by the governor.  It is composed of six Oklahoma state elected officials: the governor, lieutenant governor, state auditor, state treasurer, attorney general, state school superintendent, and the appointed by the governor, the secretary of agriculture.  The board is responsible for providing an estimate of all revenue available to the state legislature for appropriation.  They certify that number before the legislature convenes in February.  When revenue shortfalls occur, they normally meet and  declare a revenue shortfall, which allows the legislature to tap the Rainy Day fund.  There is no doubt that eventually will happen, but Stitt is ‘playing politics’ when he doesn’t call the meeting in a timely way.

     Third, the power of the office of governor since Stitt was elected has expanded.  That did not happen in a vacuum.  It occurred with the cooperation of the legislature.  They passed legislation allowing the governor to hire/fire state agency heads.  Legislative leadership proclaimed how important it was to give the governor more power. Constitutionally, Oklahoma’s governorship is one of the weakest in the U.S, but with the legislature’s help that has changed.  The legislature’s contention Stitt is pulling a power grab is ironic since they were complicit in the grab. 

     The governor should call the BOE meeting, so a vote can be taken regarding a revenue shortfall.  The legislature should restore reasonable funding for the governor’s pet project.  Both parties should get on with the people’s business and quit wasting time and tax dollars playing politics.