Tulsa City Council Discussing Budget Cuts Tuesday, Taking Public Comment Thursday

By Emory Bryan, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Tulsa's next round of budget cuts take effect January 15th. With that in mind, Mayor Dewey Bartlett says the city needs to cut $10 million, but how is not the only question.

There is still the possibility of moving money around to avoid layoffs, but there is opposition to that idea too.

Tulsa City Councilor Chris Trail says he's hearing one thing.

"I've been overwhelmed by emails and phone calls from people who say please don't cut our police and fire," Trail said.

Trail believes the city should dip into utility payments to pay salaries for police and fire but only one time.

"I don't think it's something where we need to give them this money and down the road we're in the same situation. They need to get their house in order and I think they have plans that will accomplish that," Trail said.

The council and the mayor are urging changes in the police and fire departments to thin out the ranks at the top to save jobs at the bottom.

City Council chair Rick Westcott says that's the better plan.

"By working top down, I think we'll realize some savings that with other things will mean the layoffs are minimized," Westcott said.

Westcott says he's against the one time transfer of money and so is Mayor Dewey Bartlett.

"That doesn't solve our problem, it really doesn't," Bartlett said.

The Tulsa Fire Department restructuring could eliminate many extra services, like haz-mat, and shift more responsibility for medical calls to EMSA.

For police, the changes could thin out investigations and specialty units to keep officers on the street.

Councilor Westcott believes the next two weeks will mean big changes but not big layoffs.

"I'm optimistic we will not see massive layoffs, we may see a few but I don't think it will be the worst case scenario," Westcott said.

The Tulsa City Council is talking restructuring and cuts Tuesday morning, then take public comment Thursday night.

Next week, they'll vote. The cuts and layoffs would take effect the next day, January 15th.

1/2/2010 Related story: Protestors: Tulsa Police, Fire Needed In Any Economy