November 10, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Randy Swanson
405.521.5605
swanson@oksenate.gov

SENATORS COFFEE, JOHNSON RESPOND
TO LATEST STATE REVENUE REPORT
Time for Tough Decisions to be Made

OKLAHOMA CITY – “The State revenue report is significantly below projections. There is no
rational basis to see things changing in the foreseeable future. I remain committed to staying at the table
with the Governor and working with him to see us through this crisis, but we are running out of options,”
said Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee. “Clearly, hard decisions will be made, and serious steps
will have to be taken in order to see this state and our people through this challenge.

“At this point, it is fantasy to think we can proceed forward without a serious look at each agency, and
making real cuts in spending,” he continued. “It would be irresponsible not to look at making additional
reductions in expenditures at this point.”

Coffee had previously asked Senator Mike Johnson, Senate Appropriations Committee Chair, to have his subcommittee chairs call in their respective agency heads and identify areas that can be reduced. Coffee reiterated that call today.

“I’m an optimist by nature, but I am afraid the Governor is hoping for more than the data suggests,”
Coffee added.

“We’re still looking at an estimated general revenue fund shortfall that may approach a $1 billion for the
year, so we’re kidding ourselves, and doing a disservice to the next governor and legislature as the
state's current and future representatives -– not to mention the taxpayers of Oklahoma -– if we just drop a
fiscal bomb on them,” Coffee said. “The Governor, the Speaker, Senator Johnson and I won’t be here in
2011, but the legacy we leave the state will certainly follow us, and I refuse to leave a totally depleted
state budget by avoiding the difficult decisions today.”

“I’m afraid the Governor is still trying to paint a rosy picture and hope things will get better,” said Senator
Johnson. “It appears to me the Governor doesn’t care about future budgets following his two terms in
office,” Johnson continued. “Relying on Rainy Day and stimulus funds would be the easy way out. But
we can’t and we won’t avoid making the tough decisions now, or we’ll dig an even deeper hole in the
budget for our successors.

“Blowing through $600 million in Rainy Day Funds would solve today’s problem, but would leave the next
governor that much deeper in the hole from the start,” he added.

“We’re ready to sit down and work with him to make those tough calls,” Johnson concluded.