Link to proposed budget book
Link to budget overview
An overview of Oklahoma City Manager Craig Freeman’s proposed budget and the Police and Fire proposed budgets were presented to Oklahoma City Council on April 30.
Public Transportation and Parking, Parks and Recreation and the Development Services Department are scheduled for budget presentations on May 14. Public Works, Utilities and Airports are expected to present on May 28. A public hearing on the budget will also take place on May 28.
Budget adoption is scheduled for June 4, which is before the state’s statutory deadline.
Residents are invited to review a copy of the proposed budget book and submit comments by June 4.
Ways to comment:
The City Council meetings can be watched live and recorded on the City’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/cityofokc.
Because of a forecasted slowing of the national economy, the Police Department and Fire Department were directed to propose a 0.75% budget reduction, and most other City departments proposed a 2% reduction.
A $15.8 million investment in employee wages to keep up with the market and inflation also contributed to the budget reduction.
“The forecast for FY25’s General Fund revenue is based on just over 1.5% sales tax growth, which is about half of the normal growth rate,” City Manager Craig Freeman said. “With expenses growing faster than revenues, we needed to make adjustments where we could to reduce costs and balance the budget.”
Budget Overview
The operating budget, which pays for day-to-day operations, is $918 million.
The proposed budget includes funding for 5,117 full-time positions, an increase of nine from FY 24.
Budget highlights
Fire Department
The Fire Department proposes adding 20 positions, equipment and supplies to launch a Crisis Response Program. 70% of the program will be funded by the General Fund and 30% by an opioid settlement.
Fire also proposed adding three senior dispatch positions and $800,000 for training and technology funded through the Fire Sales Tax.
Police Department
Police proposed deleting three civilian positions, reducing $1.19 million in miscellaneous line items and adding $700,000 for supplies and equipment in the Public Safety Sales Tax.
Municipal Court
Deletes four positions: a probation officer, officer clerk, office coordinator, and quality control coordinator and adds two customer service representatives.
Public Works
The Public Works Department proposed to delete the following positions: administrative coordinator, safety analyst, civil engineer II, concrete finisher and reduce their asphalt budget by $217,136.
Development Services
Deletes three positions: provisional code inspector, unit operations leader and business intelligence specialist.
Public Transportation and Parking
This department proposed privatizing Spokies for a savings of $311,680. This deletes a Spokies position. They also proposed adding an administrative specialist for RTA (Regional Transit Authority) and added $1.9 million in funding for maintenance, operating, overtime and contracts.
Utilities
Utilities proposed adding a SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system analyst funded by their contract with Tinker Air Force Base. They also proposed moving $1.7 million of operating funds for the Root and FOG program and $200,000 for cell phone service and equipment to the Utilities Trust.
Parks and Recreation
Parks proposed removing weekend cleaning service at reservable pavilions ($61,165), repurposing Minnis Lakeview Center ($120,959) and repurposing Shilling Center ($172,213). They proposed adding three positions and repair and maintenance funds for Woodson Park Sports Complex, $632,175.
General Services
Deletes a vacant skilled trades worker position, reduces the City’s fuel budget by $236,000 and continues to fund $6.76 million the CIP (Capital Improvement Program) maintenance of facilities and vehicles.
Information Technology
IT proposed adding a systems support specialist II funded by Airports, adds funding for contract increases ($645,023) and reduces various licensing and wireless services ($408,000)
Finance
Finance proposed deleting three positions: office coordinator, administrative coordinator and municipal accountant 1 and adding a senior buyer funded by the Police Department.
Municipal Counselor’s Office
Proposed adding an assistant municipal counselor funded by Utilities.
Other proposed increases
- $1.2 million to implement recommendations from the Law Enforcement Policy Task Force and Homelessness Taskforce.
- MAPS 4 Program fund budget increase from $225.3 to $367.6 million.
- $42 million for continued implementation of ARPA and Emergency Rental Assistance 2 Program.
Funding
Oklahoma City’s largest single source of revenue is sales tax, which pays for day-to-day services. Every time you shop in Oklahoma City or buy something online, you’re investing in your community.
The City gets 4.125% of taxable sales made in Oklahoma City or when people from Oklahoma City buy something online. Of that, 2.25% goes to the General Fund that pays for day-to-day operations. About half to two-thirds of the General Fund is for public safety – our Police and Fire Departments.
Police and Fire also have a dedicated public safety sales tax of ¾ of a cent. The OKC Zoo gets 1/8th of a cent, and finally, there’s the MAPS 4 temporary penny sales tax.
The City also gets about 13% of your total property tax bill. Our share goes to paying off the general obligation bonds we use for bond projects in the Better Streets, Safer City program. That funds improvements to streets, parks, Police and Fire facilities and other needs for the next several years. Check them out at okc.gov/BetterSafer. The rest of your property tax goes elsewhere – public schools, libraries, vocational schools and the county government.
Hotel tax charged on hotel room stays is the City’s only other significant source of tax revenue. It’s dedicated to promoting tourism and capital improvements at the OKC Fairgrounds.
The City also gets some revenue from franchise fees, building permits, business licenses, fines, service charges and fees. Visit okc.gov/tax for an overview of our revenue.
Budget background
The budget is guided by feedback received from an annual resident survey. Information from the survey also helps the City Council set priorities. Those priorities are:
- Promote safe, secure and thriving neighborhoods.
- Develop a transportation system that works for all residents.
- Maintain strong financial management.
- Enhance recreational opportunities and community wellness.
- Encourage a robust local economy.
- Uphold high standards for all City services.
- Continue to pursue social and criminal justice reforms.
Find your Council member’s contact information at okc.gov/council. Visit okc.gov/WardMap to see who represents you. Find Council agendas, including instructions on how to watch or sign up to speak for meetings held by teleconference, at okc.gov/agenda.
The budget process begins each February with a City Council budget workshop. The budget hearings in the spring and budget adoption in June finish the budget process every year. When necessary, the Council adopts amendments to the budget in the middle of the fiscal year.
Visit okc.gov/agenda for City Council meeting agendas, including instructions on how to sign up to speak.
# # #
Media Contact:
Kristy Yager, (405) 297-2550, kristy.yager@okc.gov
