Several City Projects Over Budget In Tulsa

Several major projects in Tulsa are over budget, according to a briefing city councilors received a few days ago, but Mayor G.T. Bynum says the city is still in good shape.

The sales tax committee gave a report to the city council last week that showed a shortfall in a major city project. That project is the Gilcrease Museum.

The museum is undergoing a huge reconstruction, but the sales tax committee told the city council that the cost is about $27 million over budget. City leaders believe the money for that project can be raised through private funding.

Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum said that inflation is affecting just about all of the city's projects, but sales tax receipts are still up about 5% over the last year. Mayor Bynum said the city included options can easily be cut, if projects go too far over budget.

"Well, I mean on our capital projects overall right now, we are seeing inflation hit us just like everybody at their kitchen table is seeing inflation hit, so the city isn’t insulated from that," Mayor Bynum said.

One city councilor said that the council needs more information about all of the city's projects, especially now as the city prepares to ask voters to approve a large bond proposal later this year.