State government is far from gutted
AFTER the past few years of budget cuts, some activists contend Oklahoma government is now cut “to the bone.” Government employment figures highlighted by Governing magazine undermine that claim.
Based on U.S. Census Bureau 2014 Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll data, Governing magazine estimates Oklahoma has 231 state and local government employees for every 10,000 people in the state (excluding education).
That’s nowhere near the highest ratio in the country. But it’s also nowhere near the bottom. Twenty-four states had higher ratios of government employment, while 25 had lower.
Somehow, numerous states are getting by with lower effective levels of government employment than Oklahoma. To cite just one notable example, in Texas there are 209 state-local government employees for every 10,000 people.
Even if government employment numbers have declined in the two years since the census data was collected, it’s still unlikely Oklahoma is among the states with the lowest levels of government employment.
As noted, the above employment figures exclude education jobs. Governing magazine accounted for those figures separately.
Oklahoma is often criticized for having more than 500 school districts, far more than most states of comparable geographic size and similar population. In fact, Oklahoma has more districts than states that are much larger in geography and population. Critics argue the high number of Oklahoma districts fuels administrative bloat and waste. The data collected by Governing magazine bolsters those claims.
Oklahoma has 245 elementary-secondary school employees for every 10,000 residents, a rate that’s higher than all but 11 states. However, Oklahomans pay $160 in monthly payroll for those school employees for every $100,000 in personal income in the state. That ranks lower than all but nine states.
This suggests Oklahoma’s system prioritizes quantity of school employees (including administrators) over higher wages for school employees. Inefficiency plays a significant role in lower teacher pay in Oklahoma.
The number of people employed in Oklahoma colleges and universities ranks in the middle of the pack, with 24 states having higher ratios per 10,000 population than Oklahoma. This is surprising, given that Oklahoma has also been criticized for having an excessive number of colleges, including several so small that few people are aware they even exist.
Payroll at Oklahoma colleges is also in the middle tier of the national pack, with 26 states paying more per $100,000 in personal income.
In Oklahoma, government jobs have often been treated as a form of welfare spending. Too many positions were either created, or have since been preserved, simply to provide someone assistance. Less emphasis has been placed on ensuring that the public is being well-served as a result of the increased government payroll.
That’s a failed model for economic development, and it actually detracts from growth. Oklahoma lawmakers should consider how government is structured in other states that employ fewer people per capita.
“Ghost employee” scandals in the past have highlighted the worst abuses in Oklahoma, but the more damaging practice may be the preservation of government positions simply because “we’ve always done it that way.”
Apathy and inertia have fueled government waste in Oklahoma. No doubt the suddenness of budget cuts in recent years has negatively impacted some agencies. But the data highlighted by Governing magazine suggests Oklahoma government could still operate more efficiently without harming service quality.