Here’s an inaugural article from Oklahomans for Responsible Government’s new newsletter called The Rotunda:

“In a year when Oklahoma dealt with a $900-million shortfall in the state budget, why is the state spending nearly seven-million dollars to help balance the budgets of other states?

Oklahomans for Responsible Government recently searched through the vendors listed on the state’s Open Books database and found 140 payments by various departments of Oklahoma government to agencies or universities in 34 other states. These payments total $6,742,125!

Texas is the biggest recipient of Oklahoma money, getting $1,059,000 while Pennsylvania ($925,025), Kansas ($716,537) and Arkansas ($706,275) also get a big chunk. The largest single remittance is $715,000 that the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center pays to the University of Pittsburgh.

This shows a significant problem in the way the state handles its budget. A few elected officials get in a room and come up with a plan, an announcement is made to the masses and lawmakers are then asked to approve the spending. There is nothing written about how it will be spent or whether the money will stay in state or be sent across the Red River.”