Oklahoma officials expect to have less to spend on next budget

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Legislature will have less to spend in fiscal year 2026, a state panel was told Friday.

The Board of Equalization met Friday, Dec. 20, to certify spending figures.

Gov. Kevin Stitt will use the figures to build his budget, which serves as a starting point for lawmakers, who return to the Capitol in February.

The panel will meet again in February to take a look at the numbers. The figures will be used by lawmakers to craft a fiscal year 2026 budget.

The state will have nearly $12.3 billion to allocate, about $191 million less than the current budget year, according...