Budget Battle Brews Between Oklahoma House and Senate
A fight over Oklahoma’s budget at the state capitol continues with a $1 billion gap between lawmakers in the House and Senate.
The House’s budget plan accounts for a quarter-percent income tax cut, which the Senate made sure to leave out of its budget proposal last month.
House Speaker Charles McCall says an income tax cut is a must-have for House Republicans.
"We're not going to give up on tax cuts. I think it's a priority for the House. And so that's going to be something that we're going to be very serious about in our discussions with the Senate," McCall said.
Senate Republicans have consistently objected to more tax cuts, after slashing the state’s portion of sales tax on groceries.
Still, the House and Senate should have what they need to begin negotiations with the governor on a final state budget in the neighborhood of $12 or $13 billion.
Murder Suspects Arrested as Two Bodies Found in Oklahoma Panhandle
Four people, including Cimarron County GOP Chair Tifany Adams, are behind bars under suspicion of murder.
Authorities found two bodies in rural Texas County in the Oklahoma panhandle, which have now been positively identified as Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley.
Adams was apparently involved in a custody battle over Butler’s children. The situation is still not fully clear. But Oklahoma GOP Party Chairman and state Sen. Nathan Dahm released a statement Tuesday saying the Oklahoma Republican Party has no personal relationship with or knowledge of the individuals accused in the crime, while also acknowledging Adams’ role as chair in Cimarron County.
Dahm went on to ask for prayers for the family and the children who have been “devastated by this horrible tragedy.”
More Federal Funding Opens for Wildfire-Impacted Farmers and Ranchers
More federal funding is available to help farmers and ranchers who were impacted by recent wildfires.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is opening a special disaster sign-up for $1 million.
Eight northwest and panhandle counties are eligible for the emergency funding.
Producers must submit applications to USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service by May 10.
The assistance can be used for replacing fencing and water resources as well as land recovery.
The conservation agency says loss of vegetation not only affects forages for livestock and wildlife habitat, but it can lead to increased soil loss due to erosion from wind and water.
Oklahoma Human Services Makes Progress in Clearing 13-Year Waitlist
Oklahoma Human Services is getting closer to addressing its 13-year Developmental Disabilities Services waitlist. The department is connecting a fifth group of around nine hundred people to services.
The Legislature appropriated millions of dollars to end the waitlist and increase provider rates two years ago. Now, the Developmental Disabilities Services Division is making headway in reviewing nearly five thousand applicants going back thirteen years. The division separated those applications into cohorts by the years they applied for services.
Over one-third of the applicants from the fifth cohort are either receiving or are approved to receive services. They include things like caregivers, transportation and job coaches for Medicaid-eligible Oklahomans with developmental or intellectual disabilities.
The division’s director Beth Scrutchins says the department is pleased to continue making progress.
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