This last item would direct revenue generated by self-supporting state agencies such as the Grand River Dam Authority and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to general operations.

The proposal also annualizes $125 million in revenue raised by agencies through fees, fines and contracts — a move that undermines the independence Doerflinger has found so frustrating in his five years as the state’s chief financial officer.

“People are already telling me, ‘Gee, Preston, this is hard,’” Doerflinger said. “It is hard, and it will require some hard work. For decades, this state has passed budgets that take the easy way out of hard problems. We have to stop doing that.”

Doerflinger is also proud because, he says, the proposal does not include one-time money or any of the other usual tricks of the state budget-making trade. But he agreed that this was achieved in part by reclassifying money formally considered one-time funds and by giving with one hand while taking away with the other.

The proposal, for instance, lists $178 million for the much ballyhooed teacher raises, but more than a third of that is paid for with a 3 percent cut to common education’s base funding. Thus, common ed will receive a net increase of only $105.3 million.