Tulsa City Council Approves Budget Cut Amendment

By Craig Day, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- After putting off a vote on millions of dollars in budget cuts last Thursday, the Tulsa City Council took up the issue again Monday and passed the Mayor's budget amendment. 

The final vote was 7-1 and included plenty of discussion about what cuts are the right cuts.

In a rare continuation of budget amendment talks, city councilors took up last week's issue of proposed cuts with city councilor Jack Henderson taking issue with critics who say the delay was intended to stop Mayor Dewey Bartlett's administration from moving forward.

3/13/2010 Related story: City Councilors Hold Special Meeting About Tulsa's Future

"That is a bunch of crap." Jack Henderson said. "I will make sure my vote will never be taken until I'm ready to vote." 

Henderson told the council and sent a message to the Mayor's office that he won't just rubber stamp anything. 

"Just to lay down, get something presented to me and go along with just because this person says this is what we want to do, without even thinking about what is best for the citizens not only of my district, but for the whole city, would be crazy. And I'm not crazy," said Henderson.

Proposed cuts add up to $7.6 million and included items like $436,000 from the Parks and Recreation Department, $1.2 million for Public Works and $100,000 at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. 

Councilors questioned some of the cuts with Bill Christiansen asking whether savings could be applied to other areas, like adding more police.

"That's the kind of thing that I would love to know," said Christianson. 

Many of the councilors say they would love to have more input, since the council has the final say over budgets. In the end, the council approved the measure 7 to 1. 

"It was very difficult, because I don't like a lot of things that are in here, but I understand we have to do it," said Maria Barnes. 

It includes a stipulation that no community centers be torn down until the money saving idea could be discussed further. 

Henderson, the only 'no' vote, fears that isn't enough of a safeguard to prevent demolition. 

City finance workers say the city council needed to approve the budget amendment in a timely manner, so planners could dedicate more attention to developing the budget for the next fiscal year. 

The next fiscal year begins July 1st and the economic situation isn't expected to be much better.