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LOCAL

MARCH 16, 2014

Miller says government becoming more efficient

BY STEPHEN ROBERTSON
STAFF WRITER SROBERTSON@LAWTON-CONSTITUTION.COM

State Treasurer Ken Miller said Oklahoma government has made strides to become more efficient over the past several years, but theres plenty of work left to be done and further progress has become politically more difficult. Miller, in a meeting with The Lawton Constitutions editorial board last week, said hes pleased with changes made in his office the past three years. The office has continued to reduce staff, concentrating on core functions and outsourcing other work, he said. The staff numbers 46, down from its height of 72, he said, and hes voluntarily cut 5 percent from his budget the last two years. Its the first time I got everything I wanted from the Legislature, said Miller, who took office in 2011. Miller, a Republican, said he benefited from continuity in the office. As House Appropriations and Budget Committee chairman he worked closely with the previous state treasurer, Scott Meacham, and Meacham a Democrat urged Miller to run for treasurer and even endorsed him in the general election.

which is responsible for assets such as bank accounts whose owners cant be located. The treasurer said the division had already set records for disbursing the unclaimed funds two years in a row, and the incentives appear to be helping increase payments even more. The fiscal year began in July, and the division has already topped last years record of $16.1 million in payments; its on track to reach $25 million or more by the end of the fiscal year. It just goes to show you that people do respond to incentives, he said.

everybody loved their attorneys and couldnt do without them, Miller said. Miller said his office doesnt have an attorney but contracts with the Attorney Generals Office for legal services.

fined contribution plan, one that allows them to take their investments with them when they move on to another job and allows the state to raise their pay now.

Consolidation of retirement agencies

Miller also would like to see consolidation of the states seven retirement agencies, which he said would reduce administration costs and lower the cost of investing while keeping the funds separate. He is sympathetic to state employees desire for better pay; some of the savings in his office have been used to raise salaries. State troopers and correctional employees in particular are way underpaid, he said, and raises should be targeted to employees who are the furthest behind. Miller has supported proposals to move new state employees to something more like a 401(k) plan. He said a defined benefit plan traditional pensions that guarantee a particular benefit can work, but history shows our state is not willing to fund it. He believes most state employees would be better off financially with a de-

Has plan to fund museum

Miller supports a plan to use $40 million from the unclaimed property fund to complete construction of the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum in Oklahoma City. The money would be matched by private donations to provide $80 million for the project. He said the fund should not be used to meet recurring expenses although it was tapped for that purpose to balance the state budget when revenues plummeted but a one-time expenditure for the museum should not hamper the ability to pay claims. Miller, who still teaches economics at Oklahoma Christian University, said part of his job is to use the bully pulpit of his office to to help shape responsible public policy, and it appears that some officials are more concerned about keeping their jobs than doing their jobs. The phrase its an election year is extremely frustrating to me, he said.

Work politically difficult

While state government has become more efficient, theres still work to do, Miller said, and that work is more politically difficult. An example, he said, is an effort to bring agency attorneys back under the direction of the attorney generals office and the offices pay scale. That was recommended by former Attorney General Drew Edmondson, and Miller sponsored unsuccessfully legislation to implement the change, expected to save $10 million to $15 million a year. You wouldve thought the world was coming to an end, because all of a sudden

MICHAEL D. POPE/STAFF

State Treasurer Ken Miller said that state government has become more efficient, but there is still more work to be done. Miller made the comments last week during a meeting with The Lawton Constitution editorial board. Miller said three offices have been consolidated into one location, inside the Capitol, and he instituted an incentive pay system for employees in the unclaimed property division,

part of the money over the years to install new computer software, and Miller was able to complete the upCut his staff grade with no additional Miller said Meacham had funding from the Legislabegun to cut staff and saved ture.

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