Well, at least some state employees are getting pay raises!
Earlier this week, Oklahoma Voice and KFOR reported that Gov. Kevin Stitt quietly handed out massive pay raises to his loyalists – all while most state employees still make about half their private-sector value and haven't seen raises in years.
The biggest was given to Stitt loyalist John Budd.
A longtime aide and ally of Kevin Stitt, Budd scored a cushy $300,000-a-year gig running the Oklahoma Department of Commerce – earning an outrageous 112% more than the previous office holder.
Here are the details via Oklahoma Voice:
A report by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for fiscal year 2025 found that 18 chief executive officers were given pay increases of 10% or more.
The report shows that John Budd III, who was hired to fill a newly created post at the Department of Commerce, is earning $300,000 to run the agency.
His salary is 112% more than the agency's prior leader, who made $141,000.
That's cool! I normally frown upon government pay raises being handed out as out-the-door favors by a departing administration, but kudos to John! It's always nice to see a TLO follower doing good:
Seriously, that's awesome. At least one of our readers is making money. I guess if you want to reach wealthy, conservative, middle-aged decision makers named John who make $300,000 a year on the taxpayer dime, advertise on The Lost Ogle today!
Budd wasn't the only loyal foot soldier to get rewarded for services rendered. Blaine Arthur – Stitt's rodeoing Secretary of Agriculture also got a pay bump:
Meanwhile, Blayne Arthur – who runs the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and serves as Stitt's secretary of agriculture – received a nearly 40% pay hike. That's in addition to receiving a 14.29% raise the prior year.
Arthur's current salary is $223,750, according to the report.
Wow. Budd got a 112% raise, while Arthur only got 40%. Even for the party that opposed equal pay laws, that's a bit extreme!
Naturally, the fact that Stitt's pals are getting these pay raises just before he terms out has pissed off people who get mad about this stuff — namely, the more than 31,000 state employees who haven't received a raise since 2019 and currently make about 50% less than their private-sector counterparts.
Via KFOR:
"I think that it's going to break down morale in your employees," said Gene Blankenship with the Oklahoma Public Employees Association (OPEA). "We had a lot of shocked state employees when they started opening up and reading that report that came out."
A separate OMES report last week found that more than 31,000 state employees are paid, on average, 48% below competitive fair-market salaries.
"We've got state employees that could drive across any state line right now and make more money," Blankenship said. "We need to start taking care of the state employees right here in Oklahoma."
In all fairness, just about anyone in any profession can drive across the border and make more money, but Blankenship's point is taken. State employees are not being paid what they're worth. Instead of slapping them in the face by handing out absurd pay raises to a select few brownnosers and grifters, Stitt and the Legislature need to figure out how to fund across-the-board pay raises for all employees — regardless of whose ass they kiss.
Sure, Stitt will never do that because he's a government saboteur who enjoys watching low-paid peons squirm while his loyalists collect their reward checks – but it's still worth mentioning.
Anyway, Budd and Arthur weren't the only offenders who got big raises while there underlings got nothing. You can full the view OMES reports about all the salary increases by clicking the image below:
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We'll keep you advised.
