By Associated Press
Oklahoma City, OK – Some Okla. lawmakers fear poor oversight on budget
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Legislators kept in the dark while their leaders develop Oklahoma's 2010-11 state budget fear they won't be able to give the document a meaningful review before leaving the Capitol at the end of the month.
Only two weeks remain in Oklahoma's legislative session and scant details have emerged on the financial blueprint state agencies will follow in the upcoming fiscal year.
The budget will arrive amid an expected $1.2 billion drop in state revenue and is being negotiated in secret by three leaders who won't be in office next year. Those three are Democratic Gov. Brad Henry and the Republican leaders of the Senate and House, Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee and House Speaker Chris Benge.
All three have declined to talk about their negotiations beyond saying the budget won't be ready until the waning days of the session.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.