'In the end the economy had that downturn and it did cause some problems, but it all worked out in the end'

Hide Transcript Show Transcript

WEBVTT BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND HER ADVICE FOR GOVERNOR ELECT KEVIN STITT. >> HOW DO YOU WANT OKLAHOMANS TO REMEMBER YOU AS GOVERNOR? >> I TACKLED TOUGH PROBLEMS, I TOOK A LOT OF HEAT FOR GETTING THINGS DONE. I WAS PRETTY TOUGH AT TIMES. >> GOVERNOR MARY FALLIN SAID SHE MADE CHOICES THAT WEREN’T ALWAYS POPULAR. IN THE END, THE ECONOMY HAD A DOWNTURN AND IT CAUSE PROBLEMS BUT IT WORKED OUT. >> DID THAT PLAY A ROLE IN SOME OF THE BUDGET DEFICITS? BY CUTTING TAXES? >> THE INCOME TAX CUT, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WENT BACK WAS 120 MILLION, WE HAD A $1.2 BILLION SHORTFALL SO IT WAS A VERY MINOR ROLE IN THAT. >> BIGGEST COMPLIMENT? -- ACCOMPLISHMENT? RAISING THE TEACHER SALARY, FIXING BRIDGES. MY BIGGEST REGRET WOULD BE THAT WE CANNOT GET OURSELVES OUT OF THE BUDGET DOWNTURNS WE WENT THROUGH FOR SEVERAL YEARS. NOT BEING ABLE TO GET A TEACHER PAY RAISE SOONER. >> AFTER EIGHT YEARS IN OFFICE SHE WILL SOON HAND OVER THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION TO GOVERNOR. KEVIN STITT. -- GOVERNOR-ELECT >> WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR HIM? >> DO NOT SPEND ALL THE RAINY DAY MONEY. IT IS NICE TO HAVE A HEALTHY BANK ACCOUNT. HE WANTS TO RUN GOVERNMENT MIGHT POSSESS, IS THAT REALISTIC? I WAS SIMILAR TO THAT. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GOVERNOR -- GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS IS A BUSINESS IS FOR PROFIT AS GOVERNMENT, YOU ARE NOT AN INTENDED PROFIT, YOU ARE IN IT TO PROVIDE SERVICES THAT ARE ESSENTIAL. >> IS OKLAHOMA BETTER OFF NOW? >> ABSOLUTELY. >> GOVERNOR FALLIN SAID SHE HAS NO PLANS TO RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE AGAIN. SHE SAID AFTER 28 YEARS IN VARIOUS POSITIONS, SHE SAID SHE’S LOOKING FORWARD TO TAKING A VACATION AND SPENDING MORE TIME WIT

Advertisement Gov. Fallin: Oklahoma absolutely better now after 8 years in office 'In the end the economy had that downturn and it did cause some problems, but it all worked out in the end' Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Her days are numbered as Oklahoma governor, but Gov. Mary Fallin said there's plenty of work to do.KOCO 5’s Bret Buganski sat down with the governor and during the interview, she talked about her biggest accomplishments and her advice for Gov.-elect Kevin Stitt.We asked Fallin how she want Oklahomans to remember her as governor.“As a fixer, one that tackled some tough problems, I took a lot of heat for getting things done. I was pretty tough at times,” Fallin said.Fallin said she made choices that weren't always popular.“But in the end the economy had that downturn and it did cause some problems, but it all worked out in the end,” Fallin said.KOCO 5 asked Fallin what her biggest accomplishments as governor were.“Getting the largest teacher pay raise in the state's history, being able to fix 85 percent of the bad bridges in our state,” Fallin said.We also asked what her biggest regrets or misses were as governor.“My biggest regret would be we couldn't get ourselves out of the budget downturns that we went through for several years and not being able to get a teacher pay raise sooner,” Fallin said.After eight years in office, she will soon hand over the governor's mansion to Stitt.“I would advise him not to spend all the rainy-day money. It's nice to have a healthy bank account,” Fallin said. “Listen to the people, the people have a lot of wisdom, listen to your own heart.”“The difference between running government and running a business is you're running a business to make a profit, as government you're not in it to make a profit, you're in it to provide services that are essential,” Fallin said.We asked Fallin if Oklahoma is better off now than when she first took office, and she said, “absolutely.”“You always wish you could do more but the time comes and it's time for a new governor to start,” Fallin said.Fallin said she has no plans to run for public office again. She said after 28 years in various positions, she’s looking forward to taking a vacation and spending more time with her family.