(Washington, D.C.) – Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) and the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) today released the 2006 Oklahoma Piglet Book, the definitive guide for reducing waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in the state government, at a press conference featuring Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.). 

A public opinion poll taken in August found that 64 percent of Oklahoma voters said they believe the state government wastes between 10 cents and 59 cents of every dollar it collects.[1]  The Oklahoma Piglet Book confirms Oklahomans’ perceptions of the rampant loss of tax dollars to fraud and waste.  From improper use of state agency credit cards to beefing up special education numbers, the report gives enough examples to make any taxpayer cringe, including:

• $27 million from the state’s motor fuels tax revenue to cover losses stemming from tax credits awarded to Great Plains Airlines;
• $21 million in potential savings related to the motor vehicle fleet identified by the state auditor, although he cannot determine how many vehicles the state owns;
• More than $1.2 million in “special project” money earmarked for a southeastern Oklahoma foundation that is now under investigation by the FBI; state legislators specified at least $824,474 of that money for a for-profit dog food plant in McAlester; 
• $44,000 for a trip to Southeast Asia where state officials entertained Vietnamese executives and Communist Party leaders with meals and wine; and
• Taxpayer-funded “higher education” courses such as Spelling and Phonics, Pre-College English, Beginning Bowling, Principles of Floral Arranging, Billiards, and Puppetry I. 

The Oklahoma Piglet Book combines elements of two perennial CAGW publications, the Congressional Pig Book and Prime Cuts, with OCPA’s knowledge of the Oklahoma state budget.  The groups also propose solutions to budget problems, such as a public spending database similar to the one recently established at the federal level by legislation co-sponsored by Dr. Coburn.

The report is available online at www.cagw.org and www.ocpathink.org.  For answers to further questions, to schedule an interview, or to order a hard copy, please contact Alexa Moutevelis (202-467-5318, amoutevelis@cagw.org) or Brian Hobbs (465-602-1667, Brian@OCPAThink.org). 

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.  OCPA is a public policy research organization whose mission is to formulate and promote public policies consistent with the principles of free enterprise and limited government.