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Oklahoma
State Senate
Communications Division
State Capitol
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105
For Immediate Release: January 19, 2012
Sen. Greg Treat
Treat proposes fiscally responsible approach to future of American
Indian Cultural Center and Museum
Sen. Greg
Treat, R-Oklahoma City, today filed legislation that would allow
Oklahoma voters to decide whether the state should take on an additional
$40 million in debt to fund the completion of the American Indian
Cultural Center and Museum (AICCM) in Oklahoma City.
AICCM, a state agency, last year requested a $40 million bond to
complete construction of the facility. If approved, the bond would
have brought the state’s total investment in the project to
$107 million, all of which has been funded through bond issues.
“If the Legislature is going to consider obligating Oklahomans
to another $40 million in debt on a non-essential function of state
government, the taxpayers of this state should at the very least
be given an opportunity to have their voices heard,” said
Treat. “While I’m personally opposed to the state going
further into debt, I think it would be wise for state leaders to
make a decision on this issue as early as possible in the upcoming
legislative session. The Legislature should be focused on more serious
concerns, like eliminating waste and finding ways to make government
more efficient, lowering the tax burden for Oklahomans and pursuing
reform in the Department of Human Services.”
Treat noted a 2008 press release from AICCM indicated no more state
money would be required for completion of the facility. The release
was issued a day after the Legislature approved a $25 million bond
for the project. However, the executive director of AICCM was recently
quoted as saying the agency needed an additional $80 million to
complete the cultural center, with the hope that the state would
provide $40 million of the total amount required.
Oklahoma’s fiscal year 2012 bond debt payment on the project
is $5,459,118. Treat said that if approved by the Legislature, an
additional $40 million bond issue would increase debt payments on
the project by approximately $3.5 million, pushing annual obligations
as high as $9 million.
“I applaud recent comments by AICCM’s new executive
director indicating a renewed interest in private fundraising by
the agency,” Treat said. “Given that they are now making
a concerted effort in that regard, I’m confident they’ll
have continued success raising money. I’m simply proposing
an alternative to the Legislature arbitrarily burdening Oklahomans
with an additional $40 million in debt on this project.”
For more information contact:
Sen. Treat: (405) 521-5632
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