The Oklahoma State House went back to work Monday after a weekend session where little if any progress was reported on a budget fix.
The “fix” includes a possible hike in the gross production tax on oil and gas, raising it to 4 percent on new wells. But the House Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget failed to advance House Bill 1054x.
“I was hopeful that the Senate’s resolution would have provided a path for success,” stated Gov. Mary Fallin, showing her support for raising the gross production tax. “It met the elements of most of my special session call: providing a teacher and state employee pay raise; putting Oklahoma on a path to long-term stability by making more recurring revenue available; and reducing the use of one-time funds to balance our budget.”
The governor issued a state noting her disappointment.
“I’m extremely disheartened by the inability of the House Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget to advance House Bill 1054x. I believe Oklahomans lost today by the House committee’s inability to move this budget solution forward.”
It prompted the governor to warn that state leaders will have to prepare across-the-board budget cuts to deal with the loss of revenue.
‘It means our state will not have enough funds for agencies to deliver essential core services that work for our people. As a result, worst-case scenarios will become reality,” she declared.