Sen. Brogdon Asks Governor and State Leaders to be Fiscally Responsible

State Sen. Randy Brogdon (R-Owasso) called today for the governor and state leaders to exercise fiscal responsibility and common sense when dealing with the state’s budget woes.

Brogdon also cautioned using stimulus funds and raiding the Rainy Day Fund to fill the budget holes.

“There’s no such thing as free money,” Brogdon said. “These stimulus dollars have strings attached and the noose is tightening around the future generations – our children and grandchildren.”

Brogdon cited recent actions by Sen. Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) in the United States Senate pointing out waste in stimulus projects.

“We’re giving hard-earned tax dollars to universities to study the hierarchy of ants in a colony. Also tax dollars are given to beauty colleges, dry cleaners, liquor stores, coffee shops, welding schools and horse riding academies.” said Brogdon. “That sort of reckless spending is what got our country into the position we are currently in.”

Brogdon said he was “glad to be fighting government waste” along with Coburn.

Brogdon reminded legislators they are spending money that really belongs in the pocketbooks of taxpayers, including the economically disadvantaged.

“The government tells us they are looking out for the little guy when, in fact, it is the little guy from whom they are stealing,” said Brogdon. “They’re spending the money seniors could be using for medicine and money that families should be using to buy food and school supplies.

“This is money Oklahomans should be using to pay their heating bills this winter,” he added.

Addressing the impending special session, Brogdon is calling on the governor to avoid political expediency and, instead, address the real issue facing the legislature, budget cuts.

“Our state leaders are looking to dip into the state’s savings account in order to offset budget cuts they know are coming anyways,” he said. “During my service in the State Senate, I have consistently fought for fiscal responsibility and this is not fiscally responsible.”

Brogdon said spending the state’s Rainy Day Fund, and piling on more stimulus credit rather than facing the reality of budget cuts, would further impair the state.

“We’re looking at a billion dollar budget hole,” he said. “No amount of wishful thinking should keep us from making hard decisions to cut the budget”