Alva Review-Courier -

After numerous attempts to raise revenue over the past eight weeks of special session, the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Senate passed a budget bill last week and sent it to the governor’s desk. The bill keeps 12 agencies flat and enacts cuts of less than 3 percent to the remaining agencies.

The bill is not one I’m proud of. Frankly, I don’t think there are many that are proud of it. But House Bill 1019X was the best we could do with what we had. House members voted multiple times on revenue bills, but we couldn’t garner 76 votes to bring one over the finish line. Faced with agency...