Budget & Tax

The Bogus Budget: Space Cadets Edition

May 1, 2017

Trent England

When is a cut not a cut?

We have all heard the claims: State agencies have been cut to the bone. To some, this tale of cuts and woe has all the truthiness they need to repeat it over and over.

Yes, the appropriated amount of funds going to many state agencies has declined over the last year or two. Yet many of these same agencies are nevertheless spending more money than ever before.

In this first of our Bogus Budget series, we offer the example of one small but illustrative Oklahoma agency, our Space Industry Development Authority. While the legislature has appropriated less money to the agency for each of the last three years, the agency’s total spending has rocketed skyward.

These numbers come from the Oklahoma State Senate, which provides legislators and the public with both the appropriated budget figures and the total spending figures for each state agency.

Over the next few weeks, OCPA will provide charts like this for various state agencies. You may be surprised how many areas of state government are spending more than ever while their leaders and lobbyists plead poverty and demand tax hikes.

Stay tuned: follow us on Facebook for updates.