Republican leaders in the Legislature and Gov. Kevin Stitt are at odds over how to adjust the state’s budget for the current year because of sharp revenue hits from the COVID-19 shutdown and the collapse of petroleum prices.

After initially saying he was ready to use state savings and federal emergency funding to prevent cuts to state agencies, Stitt is now talking about a 2% cut to state agencies.

A 2% cut at the end of the fiscal year is multiplied. It would effectively be closer to a 6% hit to the allocations to public schools, state colleges and other agencies in the final months of a year when they are trying to deal with unprecedented challenges.

Legislative leaders are determined to sustain the state budget with emergency funding.

Speaker Charles McCall said lawmakers have a veto-proof majority behind a spending plan passed Monday that ensures no cuts to core services.

“The state’s reserves, which exist for emergencies just like this, are sufficient for services to continue uninterrupted,” McCall said Tuesday. “The legislative branch controls the power of the purse, and we have made our position clear on behalf of our constituents across the state.”

The state House and Senate, Republicans and Democrats, seem to be in agreement on the issue, which puts the governor somewhat against the wall.

Amazingly, this all could be over a reduction of less than $250,000 to the governor’s digital transformation plan, a low-priority reason for a political war inside the Capitol amid a far more urgent crisis in the state.

Oklahoma has a “Rainy Day” fund for a reason, and this is a rainy day. It’s time to solve this dispute, keep state government running and concentrate on the far more pressing issues presenting themselves to the state.

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