Budget & Tax

Oklahoma state agencies go big with Christmas wish list

December 15, 2025

Curtis Shelton

It’s Christmas time, which means Oklahoma’s state agencies are once again sliding their wish lists under the state Capitol Christmas tree. 

Last year, they asked lawmakers for an extra $854 million; they got $582 million. This year, they’re dreaming much bigger—requesting a whopping $1.74 billion in new spending, according to the Oklahoma House of Representatives budget portal. 

This extra funding request sits on top of a huge surge in state spending since 2020. Since Governor Kevin Stitt took office, appropriations have climbed $4.7 billion. Even after adjusting for inflation, that’s $2.6 billion in real growth, including a $1.2 billion jump for K-12 schools.

Some familiar names are back at the front of the line: the State Regents for Higher Education are requesting the single largest increase at $426 million. (This despite higher ed’s continued hostility toward the Oklahomans paying the freight.) And the Oklahoma Space Port Authority again wins the prize for most ambitious percentage bump—seeking a 2,067% funding boost.