State Budget Analysis Available Online

Washington, D.C. – Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), in conjunction with Oklahoma’s premier conservative think tank, the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), today released the Oklahoma Piglet Book, a compilation of state budget waste.  The report was unveiled at a press conference at the State Capitol and was attended by State Sen. Jim Maddox, D-Lawton and Reps. Todd Hiett, R-Kellyville and Kevin Calvey, R-Del City.

“As the Oklahoma Legislature prepares for the upcoming budget, it is the perfect time for CAGW and OCPA to publish a Piglet Book,” CAGW Vice President of Policy David Williams said.  “Having to balance the budget, legislators often choose one of the two easiest solutions: raise taxes or cut services.  However, there is another answer: eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse.  The Piglet Book touches on some of the many areas in the state budget where wasteful spending can be eliminated, providing a valuable resource to legislators and concerned taxpayers.”

With OCPA’s inside knowledge of the Oklahoma state budget, the Oklahoma Piglet Book combines elements of two perennial CAGW publications, the Congressional Pig Book and Prime Cuts, both published annually and dealing with federal government pork and waste.  As part of its on-going examination of waste at every level of government, CAGW has chosen Oklahoma as the latest state in its Piglet Book series.

Whether it’s taxpayer-funded golf courses, Career Tech profligacy, funding a local Lions Club or rooster show, using tax dollars to reward favored labor unions, or simply maintaining too much bureaucratic overhead, there are enough examples in the Oklahoma Piglet Book to make a hardworking taxpayer weep.  The report concludes that Oklahoma must take immediate action to ensure a strong fiscal future. 

“Oklahoma should establish a state government waste commission to analyze every nook and cranny of the Oklahoma budget to cut waste,” said OCPA President Mark Nichols.  “With private sector expertise and the help of nonprofit organizations like OCPA, the commission could scrutinize expenditures to ensure that every tax dollar is accounted for and make sure any waste is eliminated.”

The Oklahoma report is now available to the public at CAGW and OCPA’s websites:

http://www.cagw.org  and http://www.ocpathink.org

For a copy, call CAGW at 202-467-5300 or write to OCPA, 100 W.Wilshire, Ste.C-3, Okla. City, OK 73116.

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.  OCPA is a nonprofit think tank that provides solutions to the citizens and leaders of Oklahoma which improve the state’s economy, schools and quality of life.