02.25.2017
Contact: State Rep. Jason Murphey
Phone: (405) 557-7350
State Rep. Tom Gann
Office: (405) 557-7364
Phone: (405) 557-7350
State Rep. Tom Gann
Office: (405) 557-7364
OKLAHOMA CITY – According to testimony provided to the Government Modernization Committee today, more than 3.1 million dollars has now been generated through a program of inventorying and selling underutilized state government properties.
Oklahoma's Capital Assets Administrator Dan Ross told committee members that much of the proceeds from the sales have been used to repair and maintain the roofs of three Department of Corrections facilities including the Oklahoma State Penitentiary at McAlester.
The program is part of state government's ongoing government modernization effort to identify and return the underutilized properties to the private sector.
Ross told committee members that taxpayers are experiencing added savings from not having to maintain the underutilized properties.
In all, as part of the state asset reduction program, more than 362,000 square feet of owned and leased space have been removed from state custody.
Additional benefit occurs as upon transfer to the private sector the liquidated properties become tax producers and benefit local school districts whereas prior to transfer they were tax exempt.
"In a time of budget shortfall, today's testimony serves as reminder that there is still plenty of good news as the legislative and executive branches of government continue to work together to implement common sense policies to right-size and lower the cost of state government to the taxpayer," said committee Vice Chair Tom Gann, R-Inola.
The real property hearing is one of a series by the House Government Modernization Committee as they seek to provide oversight to the various ongoing state government modernization and efficiency initiatives.
