Published February 14, 2009 12:06 am - OKLAHOMA CITY -- That rocky state revenue picture you've been hearing about is now causing problems for many cities and towns.
And it's getting worse
While lawmakers address a possible $900 million hole in the state's budget, municipal officials in Norman and Moore continue to wait for the state to pay its share of cleanup costs associated with the 2008 ice storm -- money, officials say, that's been promised, but which, so far, they haven't received.
Rocky state finances causing municipal leaders headaches
Norman, Moore waiting for more than $750,000 in reimbursement funds from state
By M. Scott Carter
OKLAHOMA CITY -- That rocky state revenue picture you've been hearing about is now causing problems for many cities and towns.
And it's getting worse
While lawmakers address a possible $900 million hole in the state's budget, municipal officials in Norman and Moore continue to wait for the state to pay its share of cleanup costs associated with the 2008 ice storm -- money, officials say, that's been promised, but which, so far, they haven't received.
Currently both communities are owed a total of "several hundred thousand dollars" in reimbursement -- the state's 12.5 percent share of the 2008 ice storm cleanup costs.
"It is a big amount, but we have paid some," said state Emergency Management Director Albert Ashwood. "But right now we have 162 separate projects in the debris cleanup category that we're paying."
Ashwood said when a disaster is declared, the federal government pays 75 percent of the associated cleanup cost, the state covers another 12.5 percent, and the local entity pays the remaining 12.5 percent. The federal government has paid its share of the 2008 ice storm costs, and Oklahoma cities and towns have absorbed their 12.5 percent.
But the remaining 12.5 percent due from the state has yet to be paid.
"We only have 'x'-number of dollars," Ashwood said, "We're trying to pay off everyone who had debris cleanup from last year's storm, but right now we have to wait for the Legislature to appropriate the funds."
In Moore, City Manager Steve Eddy said the city was still waiting for the state's portion of the debris cleanup bill, which totals "about $50,000."
He said state emergency management officials have reviewed the city's records, but said "it would be 30 days or more," until Moore received its share of the funds -- more than 14 months after the storm ended.
"They are always slow," Eddy said, "pending appropriations from the Legislature."
In Norman the state's bill is much bigger.
Anthony Francisco, finance director for the City of Norman, said the state owes Norman $715,446 for debris cleanup from last year's storm.
Francisco said the year-long wait is part of the "ordinary process" cities go through to be reimbursed. "They have to go through a full FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Authority) process," he said. "They have to make sure all the T's are crossed and the I's dotted. So we don't expect the state to pay very quickly."
But federal oversight isn't the only thing causing delays.