Stitt issues warning amid flat Oklahoma budget projections

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Gov. Kevin Stitt is urging the Legislature to use caution while drafting a state spending plan after a panel projected a relatively flat budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

The State Board of Equalization on Tuesday certified the Legislature will have about $8.2 billion to spend on the upcoming budget, about 1% less than current spending levels. But the governor also cautioned that included in that spending level is about $310 million in one-time cash that won’t be available next year.

Stitt urged lawmakers to spend that money on one-time projects and not build it into the appropriations base.