State Senator Wants Governor To Get Rid of Cabinet

By Dave Jordan, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A state senator is calling for Governor Brad Henry to get rid of his cabinet so the state can save millions of dollars a year.

Cabinet positions were first set in place by Governor Henry Bellman back in the 1980s as a means of keeping track of state agencies. But State Senator Kenneth Corn believes it's now an antiquated system that serves no real purpose.

"They provide advice to the governor and it's just something that we just don't need," said Sen. Corn. "It's something that can be removed from statute and save us some money."

So, Corn drafted legislation to essentially get rid of all 14 members of the Governor Henry's cabinet, who oversees everything from agriculture to energy. It's a move Corn believes could save an estimated $2 million a year.

"We can better use this money in some other areas of state government that can really meet the needs of Oklahoma," Sen. Corn said.

Previous efforts by Corn stalled in the legislature. But in a tough budget year, this one appears to have some support.

"We've got to start tightening our belt in different areas and this seems like a prudent way of doing it on the executive branch side," Rep. Joe Dorman (D) said.

But the Governor's office says efforts to abolish the cabinet will never come to fruition.

"The cabinet system has served the state well and I think it's here to stay," Paul Sund, Gov. Henry's spokesman, said.

Sund also claims that even if Gov. Henry's cabinet went away, we would not see the huge savings Corn is predicting.

"Every one of the cabinet heads also serves as an agency head so even if you got rid of the cabinet they would still be on the state payroll," Sund said.

But Corn maintains there will be savings because agency heads would not be paid extra money for serving in the cabinet.

"It's just another layer of bureaucracy of people getting paid that we just don't need no the state payroll," Sen. Corn said.

A spokesman for House Speaker Chris Benge was contacted for a comment on the amendment. An aide says the speaker had no comment because they haven't seen the language in the measure.