Governor Kevin Stitt issued an executive order on Tuesday for state agencies to seek permission before pursuing certain federal funds and grants. Now, state agencies, boards and commissions must submit grant applications for review to the Office of the Governor and gain approval before applying for the grant.
“For the first time in state history, our executive budget this year outlined total dollars spent by state agencies, to include roughly 30% of funding that comes from the federal government,” said Stitt. “In this administration, we are focused on delivering transparency, accountability and oversight of Oklahomans’ tax dollars, whether it’s generated through the feds, fees, or fines. With this executive order, we will work to avoid the pursuit of short-term money that often leaves taxpayers holding the bag when the funding dries up, while also making certain that the grants we do apply for match the vision and values of Oklahoma.”
If a grant is $50,000 or more and originates from state government, private or public foundations, individuals, non-profits or other resources, the agency must receive written approval from the appropriate Cabinet Secretary. If approved, the Secretary will report it to the Secretary of Budget Mike Mazzei.
If the grant is more than $100,000 from the federal government, the Cabinet Secretary and the Secretary of Budget must approve before the grant application is submitted.
State Higher Education Institutions and local school boards are exempted from the executive order. It also does not apply to emergency grant funds from the federal government.
“Federal dollars are a significant part of the State’s total $19 billion budget,” said Mazzei. “We’ve collaborated with the entire cabinet in order to address federal grants in a thoughtful manner that will streamline the approval process and comply with federal requirements to maintain a centralized database.”
Why are we still paying for illegal aliens?