Mayor Bynum Presents Proposed $799 Million Budget For City Of Tulsa

Mayor G.T. Bynum presented the proposed budget for the City of Tulsa Wednesday for the 2021-2022 fiscal year.

The total budget proposal that includes all city funds, operations and capital funding, sits at $799.4 million. The budget would be almost $30 million less than last year's, but the mayor said it gives the city room to operate without relying on federal funds.

"I think it's important that we have a budget that is self-sufficient and isn't reliant on the American Recovery Plan Act funds that we expect to receive," Bynum said. "That will position us to use those funds that do come to our city for things that help grow our economy."

Bynum said the proposed budget would enable the city to end its hiring freeze.

This budget includes funding for the continued excavation and work for the 1921 Graves Investigation, expands the Community Response Team that helps officers address mental health calls, as well as improvements to parks and neighborhood lighting.

Projects under the capital budget include expansion of the city’s animal shelter, construction on both the Gilcrease Museum and the Greenwood Cultural Center, along with improvements to water and sewer system projects and the police records system.

You can find the full budget here.