The Oklahoma City Council on Tuesday received the City Manager’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2023, which begins July 1.

Tuesday’s meeting featured an overview of the proposed budget, plus presentations on the proposed budgets for the Police Department and Fire Department.

Presentations from Parks and Recreation, Development Services, Planning and Public Transportation and Parking are May 17, and Public Works, Utilities and Airports make presentations May 31.

Visit okc.gov/budget to see a copy of the proposed budget book. Use the online form to submit a comment online by June 5. You can also text comments to (405) 252-1053 or email them to budgetcomments@okc.gov.

Visit okc.gov/agenda for City Council meeting agendas, including instructions on how to sign up to speak.

You can watch City Council meetings on Cox Channel 20. They’re also shown live and recorded on the City’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/cityofokc.

“Stimulus from the federal government and a dynamic local economy produced remarkable sales tax growth this year,” said City Manager Craig Freeman. “This led to significant growth in revenues for fiscal year 2022 and gives us a strong foundation as we look to the new fiscal year.”

The Council is scheduled to adopt the budget June 7, which is before the state’s statutory deadline.

Budget overview 

The total FY 23 proposed City of Oklahoma City budget is about $1.8 billion, an increase of $141.6 million compared to the FY 22 amended budget.

The primary driver of the increase is the MAPS 4 Program fund, which increased by $131.6 million to $250.4 million.

The General Fund, which pays for day-to-day operations, is budgeted at $557.3 million, an increase of $57.1 million (11.4%) compared to FY 22. The high level of growth is attributed to the extraordinary sales tax growth in the current year. A budget amendment for FY 22 was adopted last week by Council, too late to be included in the proposed budget documents. If that amendment were included, the FY 23 General Fund budget would only be an increase of $10.1 million (1.8%) over the amended total.

The budget includes funding for 4,989 full-time positions, which is an increase of 123 positions (2.5%) from the FY 22 total.

Budget highlights

Fire Department 

Adds 18 firefighter positions, four civilian positions and funds $23.5 million in equipment replacement.

Police Department 

Adds eight civilian positions for accident investigation, five 911 dispatchers, two senior crime scene investigators, two senior crime analysts, two emergency management positions, two grant-funded community relations coordinators, an administrative coordinator, a licensed professional counselor, a chaplain, a FACT program coordinator and increases the size of the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT). It also fully funds equipment replacement at $25.8 million. Funding for the implementation of recommendations from the Law Enforcement Police Task Force and Community Policing working group is included in the Non-Departmental budget.

Public Works 

Adds four pothole repair positions, adds eight positions in various sections such as Plan Review, Drainage and Traffic Maintenance and contracts out utility cut repairs, which results in a net reduction of 28 positions (employees in this section will transfer to vacant positions within the department).

Development Services 

Adds four Animal Welfare positions and three Development Center positions. The Subdivision and Zoning division and its seven employees are moving to the Planning Department.

Planning 

Adds one position to coordinate Infrastructure Act grant requests, one comprehensive planning position. The department will be conducting a Request for Proposals for homeless outreach services in FY 23 in response to recommendations from the Homelessness Task Force and the Law Enforcement Policy Task Force. Seven subdivision and zoning employees will move from Development Services to Planning.

Public Transportation and Parking 

Adds three City-funded positions and 24 COTPA-funded positions for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), five positions for parking enforcement and a network administrator. Also added is $600k to cover higher fuel costs.

Utilities 

Adds 12 customer service positions, two refuse collector positions and 10 positions across various divisions. It also adds $800k to cover higher chemical costs at water treatment plants.

Parks and Recreation 

Adds two irrigation tech positions, funds for contract mowing of medians and rights of way, a recreation coordinator and a management specialist. Because of the contracted mowing, improved mowing frequency is expected at parks, and Parks creates a trail maintenance crew and an athletic field equipment maintenance crew. Included in the budget is staffing for the Willa D. Johnson Center.

City Manager's Office 

Adds one inclusion and diversity position, one special event permitting position, one marketing coordinator, one accountant in MAPS and a special projects manager. Funding for implementing recommendations from the Human Rights Task Force are included in the Non-Departmental budget.

General Services 

Adds seven positions for a fire station renovation team, one fleet services writer, one building maintenance mechanic and $1 million to cover higher fuel costs.

Information Technology 

Adds three positions funded by Utilities to support their systems along with a governance, risk and compliance program lead. It also adds two security positions, an inventory technician and $1.3 million to cover higher software costs.

Other Departments 

Finance adds three accounting positions, City Auditor adds an audit manager, HR adds an employee and labor relations manager, and the Municipal Counselor’s Office adds one attorney in economic development and one attorney in litigation, and Municipal Courts adds two quality control coordinators.

Law Enforcement Policy Task Force, Community Policing Working Group, Homelessness Task Force and the Human Rights Commission 

$2.4 million is allocated to implement recommendations from these groups, which includes a mental health professional response to certain police calls.

First Americans Museum 

Includes $1 million for funding operations in addition to the $2 million being contributed by the Chickasaw Nation.

MAPS 4 

Increases funding from $118.8 million to $250.4 million.

ARPA/ERAP 

Continues $58 million for the implementation of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. 

Funding 

Oklahoma City’s largest single source of revenue is sales tax, which pays for day-to-day services. Every time you shop in Oklahoma City or buy something online, you’re investing in your community.

The City gets 4.125% of taxable sales made in Oklahoma City, or when people from Oklahoma City buy something online. Of that, 2.25% goes to the General Fund that pays for day-to-day operations. About half to two-thirds of the General Fund is for public safety – our Police and Fire Departments.

Police and Fire also have a dedicated public safety sales tax of ¾ of a cent. The OKC Zoo gets 1/8th of a cent, and finally there’s the MAPS 4 temporary penny sales tax.

The City also gets about 13% of your total property tax bill. Our share goes to paying off the general obligation bonds we use for bond projects in the Better Streets, Safer City program. That funds improvements to streets, parks, Police and Fire facilities and other needs for the next several years. Check them out at okc.gov/BetterSafer. The rest of your property tax goes elsewhere – public schools, libraries, vocational schools and the county government.

Hotel tax charged on hotel room stays is the City’s only other significant source of tax revenue. It’s dedicated to promoting tourism and capital improvements at the OKC Fairgrounds.

The City also gets some revenue comes from franchise fees, building permits, business licenses, fines, service changes and fees. Visit okc.gov/tax for an overview on our revenue.

The budget is guided by feedback received from an annual resident survey. Information from the survey also helps the City Council set priorities. Those priorities are: 

• Promote safe, secure and thriving neighborhoods.
• Develop a transportation system that works for all residents.
• Maintain strong financial management.
• Enhance recreational opportunities and community wellness.
• Encourage a robust local economy.
• Uphold high standards for all City services.
• Continue to pursue social and criminal justice reforms.

Find your Council member’s contact information at okc.gov/council. Visit okc.gov/WardMap to see who represents you. Find Council agendas, including instructions on how to watch or sign up to speak for meetings held by teleconference, at okc.gov/agenda.