As Washington, D.C. undergoes the Trump administration’s federal government downsizing effort, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt seems to be following suit, as he recently accused certain state departments of being wasteful and unnecessary.
Earlier this week, Gov. Stitt stirred news cycles with his opposition to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS).
The department came under fire after its financial situation was reported to be in egregious debt, with unknown and possibly imprudent spending habits.
“The department in charge of the state’s mental health resources is tens of millions of dollars in the hole.”
KOCO 5 looked into the shortfall that has caused plenty of controversy.
‘Are those dollars being focused on helping folks, or are they being spent on the top level of the bureaucracy, so to speak?’ Gov. Kevin Stitt asked earlier this week.
This week, Stitt talked about solutions to a budget shortfall of millions of dollars for the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, including dipping into the state’s savings,” according to KOCO 5 News.
However, some in the Legislature are pointing the finger at the executive branch, who directly corresponds with ODMHSAS leadership, while the governor deflects blame to the private sector.
“‘We’ve been trying to figure out what in the world is going on at the Department of Mental Health,’ said state Rep. Kyle Hilbert.
Lawmakers argue the shortfall was caused by mismanagement in the department, whose commissioner answers directly to Stitt.
‘Not only is that bad business for the state of Oklahoma, but it’s not good for the people of Oklahoma particularly the people that these providers serve. It sets us up in a terrible position in any potential lawsuits,’ Hilbert said.
Stitt blames private vendors, who he said upcharge the department,” according to News 5.
If the governor oversees a department, then one would think the executive would be held accountable for lackluster output, or at the very least, wasteful spending and inefficiency.
The ODMHSAS is not the only state department being subject to performance and financial review, though.
On Wednesday, April 2, Gov. Stitt announced in a press conference that he wished to dissolve the Division of Forestry Services, under the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
The service falls under the executive branch, and after responses to wildfires in March, Stitt expressed his dissatisfaction with outcomes and the handling of financial assets, similar to the Department of Mental Health.
“‘The fact that we can’t get answers about where their assets were around the state, is further proof that this is a deep-seated bureaucracy that is trying to protect their actions,’ Stitt said. ‘If all the resources are spent, we get it. There were just a lot of fires going on, but that wasn’t the case,’” according to News 9.
To ease concerns among firefighters and other civilian first responders across the state, who voiced opposition to disbanding the Forest Service, Stitt floated the idea of donating the funds from the disbanded service to local fire departments.
For both the ODMHSAS and Forest Service, Stitt and the Oklahoma Capitol see dissolution as a possible swift end to mishandled messes.
Whether or not the outgoing governor makes good on his promises for a more functional and financially stable state government, the people will be faced with new leadership soon, which might be a welcome change.
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