OPEA

(What follows is a response from Sterling Zearley, OPEA executive director, after “The Sunday Oklahoman” published a rant from one Russell Jones, an employee of the Oklahoma Higher Education system who appears to be a serial antagonist of state employees)

This week’s “Sunday Oklahoman” ran a letter by Russell Jones of Guthrie citing that Oklahoma had too many state employees.  This is not Mr. Jones’ first diatribe against state employees – he seems to have serious issues with those who serve Oklahoma.  It might also be noted that Mr. Jones’ paycheck also is signed by the Oklahoma Treasurer – you see, he is an employee in Oklahoma’s higher educational system. 

In his tirade, Mr. Jones indicates that Oklahoma had too many state employees at 67,424.  He failed to mention that some 30,629 are his brethren in higher education.  Check these numbers - Oklahoma has 2,327 fewer state workers today than in 1991 while, during that same time, the number of higher education employees has increased by 7,056 or 30 percent.

While we are functioning with fewer state employees, Oklahoma has increased its services to the taxpayer.  For instance:

The Department of Human Services has 500 fewer employees than ten years ago and yet caseloads have continued to climb.

ü      Advantage Waiver recipients increased by 40 percent from 11,333 to 18,856, between FY 2000 and 2006.  This important program helps elderly and disabled Oklahomans remain at home and not in institutionalized care.

ü      The monthly average of food stamp recipients increased by 45 percent, from 298,204 to 433,472 between 2002 and 2006.  Most food stamp recipients are families of the working poor, who have low-paid jobs or are between jobs.

ü      Medicaid recipients have increased by 31 percent since 2001, from 431,650 to 566,809.  Medicaid participation is limited to children, pregnant women, disabled and elderly.

ü      Adult Protective Services referrals per year have increased by 18 percent or 2,627 since 2002.

ü      Child Welfare referrals per year have increased by 15 percent or 7,851 since 2001.

Since 1990, workers in the Department of Transportation and the Turnpike Authority, have decreased by 342 worker, or 10 percent, while the state continued to add lane miles to the system.

Compared to 1992, the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services has 21 percent fewer employees, while adding services.  Most notably, the agency opened a state operated facility within weeks of a vendor abandoning the Eastern State Hospital clients.

The statistics, however, don’t tell the story of the personal sacrifice of these workers, whose salaries are an average of 12 percent below market.  Child welfare workers often leave their families in the middle of the night to rescue an abused child.  Correctional officers work double shifts to keep our prisons safe.  The list is endless.

Mr. Jones needs to get his facts straight though – the average state employee salary is $34,890, according to the Oklahoma Office of Personnel Management.    

In his letter, Mr. Jones contends that with the money saved by reducing state employees, many roads and bridges could be repaired.  We must respectfully ask that, without these state employees, who is going to do the work?  Sounds to us that our friend in higher education is eager to grab a shovel and get started. By the way, we already have our shovel, in order to dig through the claptrap that spews forth from Russell Jones.