WHAT OTHERS SAY

Highlights of what Governing Magazine’s Performance Project says about Oklahoma Fiscal Management in the Grading the States Survey:

• “Oklahoma is a disciplined financial manager. The state’s budget transparency is good – Oklahoma passes its budget on time and does not have a closed process for engaging citizens in budget processes…. Oklahoma’s restriction to spending 95 percent of projected revenue is helpful. And, the state is to be commended on its protection of reserve funds.
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• Oklahoma … has a finely-honed forecasting process that emphasizes gubernatorial responsibility for setting the revenue forecast. State law requires each agency to prepare a strategic plan that covers a five year time period, yet a two to three year outlook is more typically used. The state supports minimal debt compared to other states. The state has low debt compared to most states….
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• The budget generally passes on time, before the start of the fiscal year….
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• Public input into the budget is standard in Oklahoma. Meetings are open and the public is encouraged to attend and participate. State agency engagement of citizens in the budget process varies. Some use open forums, public hearings, citizen advisory boards or commissions, telephone surveys and/or hotlines or mailed surveys to share information, engage in budget discussions and to consider program assessment.
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• Oklahoma is a conservative financial manager…. Oklahoma does not seem to be overly reliant on one-time fixes to its budget problems. It has further restricted the use of its budget reserve fund and has, in fact, replenished this fund…. “