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Oklahoma Has Biggest Deficit Among States
insurancejournal ^ | December 22, 2009 | insurancejournal.com

Posted on 12/24/2009 8:54:22 AM PST by dragnet2

Oklahoma has the unwanted distinction of having the largest revenue shortfall of any state, according to a new report.

That reality is illustrated by the state's revenue collections, which are down by more than 25 percent from a year ago.

The state last week ordered yet another round of cuts, this time instructing agencies to cut 10 percent from their budgets.

A November state budget report by the National Conference of State Legislatures says Oklahoma's 18.5 percent shortfall for the current fiscal year edges out Arizona's 18 percent, with Illinois in third at 16.5 percent.

State agencies appeared to be taken by surprise by the 10 percent reduction. Departments have been putting workers on furlough and cutting services to cope with the 5 percent reduction.

Lauri Monetti, a Department of Human Services spokeswoman, said the additional cuts threaten programs that have been protected to this point because of the federal matching money they attract.

She said cuts in one-time expenditures will likely be made first. She said the “effect will be more significant” if the negative trend in revenue doesn't reverse soon.

The prison system, which is more reliant on state general fund revenue than most departments, is still analyzing the situation.

Corrections Department spokesman Jerry Massie said the agency has already had a round of early retirements and is running furloughs. The department work force is at three-quarters of its authorized strength.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Oklahoma
KEYWORDS: bhoeconomy; oklahoma; redstates
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To: parsifal

61 posted on 12/24/2009 10:11:17 AM PST by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: dragnet2

amazing huh?

The bottom of the old pork barrel has been rotting for quite some time. It was inevitable that when it drops out, no one is left behind unaffected.. kind of like that ‘ No Chilrun Left Behind’ thingy ,, only bigger and expensiver. whoooosh!

uhh.. WHOOOOSH!!!


62 posted on 12/24/2009 10:16:43 AM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Godspeed .. Monthly Donor Onboard .. May yur bandwidth exceed your girth)
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To: JoeProBono

Thx! Can you believe he thought I didn’t know it was?

parsy, the indignant


63 posted on 12/24/2009 10:19:28 AM PST by parsifal (Abatis: Rubbish in front of a fort, to prevent the rubbish outside from molesting the rubbish inside)
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To: parsifal
LOL! MERRY MERRY


64 posted on 12/24/2009 10:24:17 AM PST by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: NormsRevenge
The bottom of the old pork barrel has been rotting for quite some time.

Rotting brought on by endless government corruption.

65 posted on 12/24/2009 10:26:02 AM PST by dragnet2
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To: MARTIAL MONK

“I think it was a penal colony.”

Whaddya mean, WAS? ;)


66 posted on 12/24/2009 10:27:29 AM PST by Favor Center (Targets Up! Hold hard and favor center!)
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To: parsifal
parsy, is going to miss the raccoons and birds

I'm sure they have 'coons and birds in Louisiana...along with the snakes and spiders and 'gators.

Martial, who says look at it this way: You'll raise the average IQ of both states just by crossing the border.

67 posted on 12/24/2009 10:29:11 AM PST by MARTIAL MONK (I'm waiting for the POP!)
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To: dragnet2

See: contrary to those radical, right wing nutcase charges it’s actually the Red States that are irresponsible fiscally.


68 posted on 12/24/2009 10:32:42 AM PST by Tzimisce (No thanks. We have enough government already. - The Tick)
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To: MARTIAL MONK

Where I live is in the city, but I have nightly raccoons I feed (used to feed them by hand) and a ton of birds. I have friends who are going to feed the birds until spring gets here. Wood peckers, finches, cardinals, all kinds, and doves. I even hand raised a robin this summer. Going to miss them.

parsy, who has been feeding them for three years and worries about them


69 posted on 12/24/2009 10:34:34 AM PST by parsifal (Abatis: Rubbish in front of a fort, to prevent the rubbish outside from molesting the rubbish inside)
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To: parsifal

It’s called the equal protection clause. If you tax one person 40% of their income and another person 30% of their income, the law has not been applied equally.


70 posted on 12/24/2009 10:37:09 AM PST by conservativebuckeye
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To: the long march
California at 40 plus BILLION as a deficit far exceeds every other state. 12% unemployment in this state is record. AND the legislature is comprised of those like Pelosi and Boxer who continue to spend NO MATTER WHAT.

You forgot to mention the obvious!

Both Pelosi and Boxed ARE from California; they ****** up California, then moved on to national government.

What's next? the UN?

Oh yes. Add Feinstein to that list. Consummate politicians who robbed working Americans blind.

71 posted on 12/24/2009 10:51:10 AM PST by Publius6961 (Â…he's not America, he's an employee who hasn't risen to minimal expectations.)
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To: parsifal
My folks had the same problem when they moved. They went to ask the neighbors to keep feeding their little friends. Turns out the neighbors (and everyone on the block) had been feeding them all along. The little two-timing hoochies were hitting every welfare program available.


Martial, who says God didn't give 'em those black masks for nuttin'.

72 posted on 12/24/2009 10:58:56 AM PST by MARTIAL MONK (I'm waiting for the POP!)
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To: Pining_4_TX
Give me the red pen, and I’ll find plenty of spending to cut

Hard-hearted Republican! Think of the women and children, the starving elderly, the damage to the environment, yada, yada, (substitute your own favorite detested Commie talking point here).

73 posted on 12/24/2009 10:59:09 AM PST by Hardastarboard (Maureen Dowd is right. I DON'T like our President's color. He's a Red.)
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To: Tzimisce

Red state, blue state?

LOL!


74 posted on 12/24/2009 11:11:18 AM PST by dragnet2
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To: Tzimisce
it’s actually the Red States that are irresponsible fiscally.

You seem to be suggesting one of these parties in D.C. are legitimate. I could have sworn the other party was in power for 6 plus years....Then left the country holding a bag of s**t.

75 posted on 12/24/2009 11:13:31 AM PST by dragnet2
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To: MARTIAL MONK

I hope so. I used to keep a kiddie pool on my front porch and me and my neighbors would sit there with them while they scrooched around the pool for dog food. They wold eat out of our hands. I started cutting back the grub when I counted 27 coons in the yard one night. Figured i was making them dependent. So, for the last year and more, just one loaf of bread and two cups of dog food. Problem is, my neighbors have their house up for sale, and we are kinda way back off the street away from the other neighbors. But I so hope you are right.

parsy, who can’t help but worry about the little guys


76 posted on 12/24/2009 11:13:49 AM PST by parsifal (Abatis: Rubbish in front of a fort, to prevent the rubbish outside from molesting the rubbish inside)
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To: Hardastarboard
Think of the women and children, the starving elderly, the damage to the environment, yada, yada, (substitute your own favorite detested Commie talking point here).

Politicians health and retirement benefits.

77 posted on 12/24/2009 11:23:02 AM PST by EGPWS (Trust in God, question everyone else)
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To: parsifal
"...the progressive conservative..."

In other words, another lyin' DUmocrat.

78 posted on 12/24/2009 12:37:13 PM PST by RasterMaster (The only way to open a LIEberal mind is with a brick!)
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To: dragnet2

Clearly all the States are in some kind of financial trouble or soon will be. They will have to cut services and benefits and raise taxes. It will not be pretty.


79 posted on 12/24/2009 12:40:07 PM PST by UnRuley1
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To: UnRuley1
Clearly all the States are in some kind of financial trouble or soon will be.

It's just started....We got tens of thousands of government employees retiring...ya got firefighters retiring at 53 years old at $65,000 per year in retirement, fire captains making $95,000 plus, water district personnel, city controllers, city managers, and county supervisors making nearly 6 figures or above, all with those opulent government benefits, and lottery style retirement packages....All on the tax payers backs...lol...

Thousands of these government employees have staffs of more government employees, with job titles that know one can figure out what they actually do....No joke.

80 posted on 12/24/2009 1:10:52 PM PST by dragnet2
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