Mayor Bynum unveiled 'Improve Our Tulsa' spending proposal
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — $2.4 billion dollars is the total of the wants and needs for various projects in the city of Tulsa, but the amount available to spend is $772 million.
"Everybody has an idea of things they want to spend more money on, but it’s, 'What do you pull money away from to increase funding for the things that you want to do?'" said Mayor GT Bynum.
Bynum laid out his plan for how the money should be spent, including $6.4 million for safety and security improvements at the BOK, and almost $80 million to update the Tulsa Performing Arts Center.
The plan, especially updating the Tulsa Performing Arts Center, resonated with City Councilor Crista Patrick.
"That building has been let go for way, way, way too long. And so this will make a good start, but it’s not going to be the end of the conversation of needs," Patrick said.
$279 million was dedicated to streets and transportation in addition to what's already in the pipeline.
"So when you see this dollar number in here for street work, you need to think about that over the next five to six years with another $500 million on top of that," said Bynum.
City Councilor Jayme Fowler said he hopes more money can be found to fund streets from funds or grants from the state or federal government.
"A number of councilors, including myself, would have loved to see more funding for roads," Fowler said.
One big change will be the demolition of the current police court building.
"We think that it’s cost effective to get everybody out of that building," said Bynum.
Police and fire headquarters would be relocated to a centralized Public Safety center with a price tag of $45 million. $58 million will be allocated to updating the fire department's fleet of aging fire trucks.
"Yeah this is something that to my knowledge we have never done as a city in the past in any capital program," said Bynum.
$75 million for housing and $15 million for neighborhood revitalization.
"I believe is our community’s greatest challenge, which is homelessness and the stark need for housing in all levels," said Bynum.
The city council will now take the proposal and is expected to vote on it on May 24th, with a vote by the public on August 8th.