With Tax Revenue Down, Tulsa Mayor Bartlett Orders Hiring Freeze

The city of Tulsa announced a hiring freeze to save money Monday. The mayor is worried about draining the city's bank accounts, as sales taxes come in lower than expected.

Mayor Dewey Bartlett said we're not in the red yet, but the city is using the hiring freeze as a precautionary measure to make sure we don't run out of money.

Dwelling Spaces gift shop sits right across from Tulsa's City Hall.

"I've noticed business here has increased, and seeing downtown, it seems like more traffic, more restaurants are opening. It seems like business is up," said owner Mary Beth Babcock.

That's why Babcock said she's surprised to hear the city's sales tax revenue is down.

"I'm getting a direct effect of the growth downtown. I'm having to hire new people," Babcock said.

Mayor Bartlett announced city revenue is less than the expected target of $261 million. To help make ends meet, open positions paid out of the general fund will not be filled.

"We want to make certain that we don't get ourselves in a situation where we are spending too much money," Bartlett said.

Bartlett has also outlawed overtime. Still, he said there's no reason to be concerned about Tulsa's economy.

"I'd say it's probably a combination of things," Bartlett said. "Hopefully, it'll be a very short-term problem and this will be a thing of the past very soon."

The city employs roughly 3,600 people. City human relations Director Erica Felix-Warwick said her department is working right now to see how many open positions the freeze will affect.

"There will be some in the street department, engineering, planning and economic development departments - just as an example, finance, human resources - that might be affected by the freeze," Felix-Warwick said.

Any department that's not funded through the general fund - like police and fire - will not be affected.

The mayor said he is not sure how long the hiring freeze will last. Mayor Bartlett said the city does have a $2 million rainy day fund, just in case, but he does not think it will get to that point.