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David Stanley Ford

Rally planned to protest $7.4M senior nutrition cuts in Oklahoma

BY MICHAEL MCNUTT    Comments Comment on this article2
Published: October 28, 2009

Older Oklahomans plan to rally next week at the state Capitol to get money restored to Oklahoma’s senior nutrition programs.

The state Department of Human Services cut $7.4 million that pays for the program because of declining state revenue.

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The funding cuts take effect Sunday. As a result, centers are planning to close facilities, limit services or furlough employees, a legislator said.

A rally is scheduled at 11 a.m. Wednesday on the 2nd-floor rotunda.

"The main thing is to raise awareness that the seniors are not happy and they’re going to go hungry come Sunday,” said Donna Campbell, a part-time state employee who is organizing the rally. "They’re cutting the meals down to four days week, they’re closing several sites. It’s just a disaster.”

Campbell, of Shawnee, said she expects more than 100 to attend.

"They have just got to find the money to feed our seniors,” she said. "They can’t just let these seniors starve to death.”

State revenue has come in 26 percent below estimates for the first quarter of this fiscal year, which began July 1. State agencies have had their funding cut by 5 percent each month. State leaders said Tuesday those 5 percent monthly cuts will continue for the rest of this fiscal year.

Sen. Patrick Anderson, R-Enid, asked Gov. Brad Henry to use some of the discretionary funds from the federal stimulus dollars for the programs. Henry’s spokesman said the governor’s discretionary funds have already been allocated. About $48.4 million of the discretionary funds was part of a deal with legislators for this fiscal year’s budget and the money is to be spent on one-time projects, he said.

The governor’s office released a more detailed accounting Tuesday of how $105.2 million in discretionary funds are to be spent:


• $35.1 million for elementary and secondary education, including $16 million for school textbooks.


• $28.7 million is for higher education including $14 million to resolve Langston University’s civil rights complaint.


• $17.7 million for public infrastructure including $15.5 million for disaster relief to municipalities.

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• $11.3 million to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority.


• $5.2 million for public safety.


• $3.9 million to CareerTech for capital needs.


• $2.8 million for public assistance.


• $500,000 for agency operations.

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David Stanley Ford


Related Topics: U.S. State Government, U.S. Government, Domestic Policy, Political Policy, Politics, Social Issues, Economic Policy, Economic Stimulus


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Campbell is just an alarmist who wants her name in the paper. These seniors can just eat a sandwich. Where are these seniors family? Whatever happened to family taking care of their elderly? Why can't they call Meals On Wheels or their church? Why must it become the responsibility for the state to assume this responsibility?
Phil, Norman - Oct 28, 2009 at 9:02 am
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Ignore Phil
Using the terms State Leaders is an oxymoron. Leadership is NOT just numbers crunching and file clerking.
Leadership would inquire whether "one time projects" included not eating for "old timer rejects." These State Leaders have been waiting a long time to get back at their elders for making them eat their veggies. How do they threaten their children now? "Eat everything on your plate; think of all the starving old people in Oklahoma."
Leadership would inquire whether $16 million textbooks included the history of Oklahoma's starving its senior citizens, under the Chapter heading, "That piece of meat in the street is the grandpa you'll never meet."
State Leaders have led this state into some of the lowest life quality rankings in the nation. And pride themselves on doing it cheaply. Come to think of it, maybe "moron" is not so far off the mark. Even a Judas Goat provides leadership.
Percy F., Ardmore - Oct 28, 2009 at 8:05 am

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