It’s been a tough year for Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin. And things won’t be getting easier anytime soon. When the Legislature convenes in February, it will face a projected budget shortfall of almost a billion dollars, reports Politico.
Over the past quarter, Oklahoma has posted the worst performance of any state. Yet Fallin still has no plans to raise taxes. These are dark days for a state that was until recently enjoying unprecedented prosperity and growth, largely due to the oil boom. Fallin currently ranks last in favorability among Oklahoma’s statewide elected officials. Last year Fallin drew criticism for a botched execution that led to a prisoner writhing and groaning for 40 minutes before dying. And then there are the earthquakes. Gov. Fallin has drawn heavy criticism for her long-delayed acknowledgement of the oil industry’s complicity in the state’s seismic activity.