Budget Book Breakdown

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.

The budget process begins each February with a City Council budget workshop. This year’s workshop was Feb. 7 and featured a five-year forecast that included presentations from the Finance Department and economist Dr. Russell Evans.

The budget hearings in the spring and budget adoption in June finish the budget process every year. When necessary, the Council adopts amendments to the budget in the middle of the fiscal year.

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

The operating budget is $930 million and pays for day-to-day operations. The proposed budget includes funding for 5,090 full-time positions, a decrease of 27 from FY 25.

Budget highlights

Fire Department

• Deletes 15 vacant uniform positions, removing the 2nd engine from station 1 from service.
• Adds two Recovery Support Specialists and two Mobile Integrated Health Responders to further implement the Alternative Response Team Program.
• Adds one Human Resources Business Partner to support employee training and related needs.
• Adds $1.7 million for a new fire station and remodeling costs from the Fire Sales Tax Fund.

Police Department

• Freezes 20 vacant uniform positions.
• Adds $8.6 million in funding toward capital construction and additional funding for services and supplies from the Police Sales Tax Fund.

Municipal Court

• Deletes Lead Customer Service Representative.
• Deletes Office Clerk and Municipal Court Clerk.
• Deletes two Senior Customer Service Representatives.

Public Works

• Deletes a net of 2 vacant positions.
  • Office Administrator from Traffic Services.
  • Construction Project Manager from the Infrastructure Program.

Development Services

•  Deletes 2 vacant positions.
  • Code Technician from the Plan Review Program.
  • Lead Customer Service Representative from the Permits and Licensing Program.

Public Transportation and Parking

• $1.4 million in savings achieved by insourcing the operation and maintenance of the Streetcar.

Utilities

• Adds 2 Facilities & Plant Mechanic II positions.
• Increases the services and supplies budget by $2.1 million.

Parks and Recreation

• Deletes net of 2 vacant positions from the Recreation Program.
• Deletes 1 vacant Municipal Accountant.
• Decreases athletic field maintenance supplies by $255,209.
• Decreases contract labor in the Grounds Management Division by $245,000.
• Decreases Public-Private Partnership support with Myriad Gardens, Scissortail Park, and First Americans Museum by $515,123.

General Services

• Deletes a net of 2 positions.
  • Building Maintenance Mechanic.
  • Fuel Systems Technician.

Finance

• Deletes a vacant Training and Safety Specialist in Risk Management.
• Deletes a vacant Municipal Accountant II in Accounting.

Human Resources

• Deletes a vacant Public Information and Marketing Specialist in the Talent Acquisition program.

Municipal Counselor’s Office

• Deletes a vacant Legal Secretary II position.