[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6219376,"mediaKeyId","3621889-ac23ce72010334d77cce34622aa2f26e","parentId",3621889,"title","Residents press council for participatory budgeting and transit protections as police funding debate continues","audioSeconds",1634,"startMs",6994000,"endMs",8628000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3621889-ac23ce72010334d77cce34622aa2f26e&start=6994&end=8628","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3621889-ac23ce72010334d77cce34622aa2f26e/thumbnail_6994000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6219376/Oklahoma/Residents-press-council-for-participatory-budgeting-and-transit-protections-as-police-funding-debate-continues","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6219376-5dafaa6e65566662122b1971c45dc9db/orig.mp4?Expires=1770826981&Signature=IvMAsYoE4pnWO~xzzZ8n5ww9IITez3GiyYujQcO~4t0nHhRJEEWOz~NH5rpe5eXUpx9m4UCboIKK~TCyLuOb64~i8LTNjvM7zDzMyXxAXHh1c25shA44UOYayXp9B6C4Gt6hTJ2lvAXv64GjjpgQz~jmawpkjSIvYBUbM8g7gSiS519yMio23hSOHOC20zr~IAIwSpx3fAaAtG0rldr9fvZkATHX96OgrU~B9vsgGnPb6xJjHO67jaeWvDu~hvZWBpE9YIH7MXY0cPnu236gPXK2fqSbNapSQ7d1GcrdVQtDBoXQaP8Kr5nSpFazTGNveRFOrOT4Yt4deElyYQic6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Oklahoma","date","2025-05-28T05:06:54Z","article","A broad group of residents, organized in part through the People's Budget Coalition, used the council meeting public-comment period to press for a participatory budgeting process and to urge councilmembers to redirect portions of city funding from policing into services such as affordable housing, transportation, parks and non-police crisis response.

Speakers described lived needs across neighborhoods and ages: advocates asked for more investment in after-school programs, bus service to isolated neighborhoods, shade and trees in hot neighborhoods, and permanent supportive housing. Multiple speakers told council they do not feel safer when police budgets increase and asked for more preventive community services.

On transit, Embark riders and an unhoused resident raised concerns about service changes to Route 19 in east Oklahoma City. City Manager Craig Freeman told the council he would recommend an administrative transfer of funds to keep Route 19 service in place for one year while staff and partners evaluate options, including potential microtransit pilots and coordination with county and neighboring municipalities. Freeman said the city could temporarily reduce a one-time fleet replacement allocation to preserve route service while stakeholders work through a longer-term plan.

Community speakers and coalition organizers demanded an accessible, democratic budgeting process. \"We want a more democratic process where the needs of the community are actually listened to,\" Dulce Montoya said, calling for investments in transportation and summer programs rather than additional police spending. Aurelius Francisco of the People's Budget Coalition said, \"Cut the excess budget for the police and put that into services like mental-health crisis response, transportation, and recreation centers.\"

On Route 19 specifically, Lynette Morris, a resident who said she is currently experiencing homelessness, told council that eliminating or changing the route would cut access to medical care and employment. City staff later confirmed the dispatch/commuter trips early in the morning would remain in place even as some mid-day trips were proposed for reduction; Freeman recommended a one-year preservation of the route while partners determine a longer-term solution.

The council did not vote on a budget at the meeting; staff said public comments and written submissions received through the public comment period will be compiled and provided to the council before the June 3 adoption vote. Freeman and Embark staff committed to continued community outreach if microtransit or other service changes are considered.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Oklahoma City Council - 5-27-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Dozens of residents urged the council to adopt a participatory budget and to redirect money from policing to services such as housing, transit, parks and mental-health response. Riders and advocates also raised specific concerns about proposed changes to Route 19 and asked staff to preserve access while the city explores microtransit options.","taxTitle","City Council Meetings, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma","taxId",69690,"location","Oklahoma","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6219381,"Police chief presents $298 million proposed budget; emphasizes recruitment, wellness and training initiatives",317,3781000,4098000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3621889-ac23ce72010334d77cce34622aa2f26e&start=3781&end=4098","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3621889-ac23ce72010334d77cce34622aa2f26e/thumbnail_3781000.jpg","/articles/6219381/Oklahoma/Police-chief-presents-298-million-proposed-budget-emphasizes-recruitment-wellness-and-training-initiatives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6219381-08bf53591f8cd2ccaf190791a25cb993/orig.mp4?Expires=1770826981&Signature=EfxPrwXJDHc9-8hib3PbRCpNRu8pnQzE82-LNk~t4RHUP4Q8FxW2kPhBUq3NdLGpNHYkRYGiOwSdPUQVb8bsBRYBxwWLXVuzyBOb2hBxiu-g87X9aEHapvZJ9aeGNU5ino~OwgufX5P1z2H3Ixn37F2RtM6VfuF2FDTZSPVveMm5Qx6zOL3J8FRzkKek3RndPkqCykmfn7CM~jGkyPIUtNrjT5qDf99v0EweEBi4OYHZR5zylybRvCA~FSbgKwHPwzk5WRB9UNEOQqy6kJAPGkr1JG5iYGyvJRPKhAuWIkK9Sor2kIuJucJUTk8~F8Asg7rS5mF8~ALwXo3Mc5aBaA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Oklahoma City Police Chief Bassey presented the police department's proposed fiscal year 2026 budget to the council, describing a total proposed package of roughly $297.95 million that covers sworn and civilian personnel, capital needs and technology investments.

Chief Bassey opened by reading the department's mission statement and said the department's vision is to \"ensure Oklahoma City is one of the safest cities in the country through strong community relationships, innovative strategies, and healthy, well-trained employees.\" He emphasized that the budget funds front-line policing, investigative capacity, laboratory services, communications and special operations.

Key operational and budget points cited by the chief included: a budgeted 1,235 positions (sworn and civilian) with about 1,140 on the roster at the time of presentation (including 82 in training or probation); a net vacancy count of about 95 positions; a freeze of 20 police officer positions to accommodate a 1.5% general-fund reduction; and deletion of one vacant polygraph examiner position. He also noted a July pension contribution increase tied to state legislation.

Chief Bassey highlighted recruitment efforts and training changes: the department moved from three smaller academies a year to two larger academies, with Class 152 starting in February (71 recruits) and a target for Class 153 in August (about 80 recruits). He outlined the department's cadet program, which enrolls younger people and provides mentorship and a recruitment pipeline; he said eight cadets have already been hired as officers.

On wellness and training, the chief described an expanded wellness program and the \"49 Project,\" a staff health initiative prompted after three employee deaths from cardiac issues; he said more than 400 employees have used wellness services and that the department provides biometric and other preventive health screenings in partnership with OU Health. The department also funds reality-based scenario training, crisis-intervention training (CIT) and ABLE active-bystandership training for officers and recruits.

Bureau and unit highlights included laboratory services (DNA, firearms, latent prints, drug testing) that processed thousands of items, a 92% homicide solve rate (Bassey noted the department counts a case as cleared only after the district attorney accepts charges), and the Real Time Information Center (ARCTIC) that supports intelligence and event monitoring. He said ARCTIC and other special operations teams have supported large events and narcotics/firearms enforcement.

Chief Bassey and councilmembers discussed community-response alternatives for mental-health calls. The chief credited partnerships including the fire department's Mobile Integrated Health program, crisis-response teams, and use of diversion dispatchers for a 58% decrease in some mental-health call volumes between Oct. 2023 and April 2025. He said the department expects continued investment in the Real Time Information Center as the region prepares for large events.

Councilmembers thanked the chief; one councilmember noted that the DOJ consent decree findings had been retracted following city progress (the chief said the work continues). The presentation did not include a formal council vote; the budget will be considered as part of the city's overall FY26 adoption process.","Chief Bassey presented the Oklahoma City Police Department's proposed FY26 budget, totaling about $298 million, and highlighted recruitment gains, expanded training programs, officer wellness efforts and technology investments while noting a 1.5% base-budget cut required citywide and planned position freezes.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6219386,"Airport director presents $208 million trust budget, flags passenger and capital headwinds",604,2601000,3205000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3621889-ac23ce72010334d77cce34622aa2f26e&start=2601&end=3205","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3621889-ac23ce72010334d77cce34622aa2f26e/thumbnail_2601000.jpg","/articles/6219386/Oklahoma/Airport-director-presents-208-million-trust-budget-flags-passenger-and-capital-headwinds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6219386-801540d5f65aeb46296aa5ffcffb1831/orig.mp4?Expires=1770826981&Signature=EqgZU8cpgBpSIRO4dE3sULYbMrkNhq8T1bsbye~pGuLToBKH3vrxJs5V00Sh0Io1hWwNgdRZVgQAOcIV6wY6IwGhH7ZLwDNFTzKNxtl3Rwk8TO8DUWGFzRTQ0XHJUHhF3UZpEfmO0e3j6ZFUsYhcgmNzGKDShsYearPXNx4p3Q2aUJnZo5gzP8kTKqNduoWbrdsRxKOit7SZG3JCG59txDyYDBV0hnECBYFnJNm4DOSZtI89O0s~1oweBvPplKTvfZDzf2XTjJWXbmWMOYN~tVqecCwVHJLv-q~pHMP8QuoxlE5pY7YGSOnHuYGHQrYAqY-q~A3h~h-QPekBQDrenQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jeff Mulder, director of the City's airports, presented the airports' fiscal 2026 budget and five-year capital plan to council. He described a city-side operating budget of roughly $27 million that supports personnel and city chargebacks and an overall Oklahoma City Airport Trust program with about $208 million in resources largely devoted to capital projects.

Mulder told council the trust budget reflects timing and carryover: many large projects are grant-funded and roll from year to year. He said airlines are forecasting a modest passenger decline and the airport is budgeting for a related revenue reduction; for calendar year 2024 the airport recorded a record 4.6 million passengers but Mulder said the industry expects a lower number for the coming year.

Major capital items highlighted included replacement of aging passenger boarding bridges, an FAA- and tenant-supported three-bay 80,000-square-foot hangar being built with AAR and state partners (roughly $40 million total cost; the city expects $13 million of spending in the coming fiscal year), and a planned replacement control tower at Wiley Post Airport. Mulder said the capital program for the year totals roughly $135 million for OKC Will Rogers and other airport facilities, with a five-year capital program approaching $500 million for runways, taxiways, buildings and other projects.

On near-term resource management, Mulder said the airport is building cash reserves to reduce future bonding needs for projects such as an additional parking garage. He noted carryover exists because federal grants sometimes arrive late relative to project spending schedules.

Councilmembers asked about specific projects and operations at smaller airports in the system; Mulder described recent visual-aid improvements at Clarence E. Page Airport and taxi-lane expansion plans to support higher-end development. He also said the airport is tracking a 2% passenger decline in the current calendar year and has built conservative revenue assumptions into the FY26 plan.

Mulder noted one service-development win: American Airlines plans seasonal service to Cancun beginning in November, which the director called the system's first international passenger route.

Ending note: Mulder said reserves, a heavy capital program and near-term passenger and airline-delivery pressures (for example aircraft delivery schedules) will shape airport finances going forward; no council vote or action was taken during the presentation.","Airports Director Jeff Mulder presented the FY26 airport trust and city-side budgets, showing a roughly $208 million trust program dominated by capital projects; he described an expected modest passenger decline, significant carryover capital funds and planned projects including boarding-bridge replacements and a new 80,000-square-foot hangar.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6219391,"Planning director outlines $52 million budget, warns federal grant outlook uncertain",784,244000,1028000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3621889-ac23ce72010334d77cce34622aa2f26e&start=244&end=1028","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3621889-ac23ce72010334d77cce34622aa2f26e/thumbnail_244000.jpg","/articles/6219391/Oklahoma/Planning-director-outlines-52-million-budget-warns-federal-grant-outlook-uncertain","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6219391-3829402a6b0559fbe9f76f9c7e45a8fd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770826981&Signature=mkl7xM2Lr0jjWMl~LgUDP6pWlUZTXMihw4qNvzF0lyZfNVYgLFtTlALiVoYGIxTS~POQ9iSC9DEtdxNLAc4AH79ySvLH36nw8X9ZC2aIdgTmH36OagTFHpPHpKTyenbw6laoaFBCdcu2FJOXnnvN1QTbSdHRO1lGK-E5YXWRqDsAb~IykVV0FTCCTQdYigQOSPQ-5i3WEK1o6qGpPNeWWvIuZk0b72VEc-WURxM7V0WWvsWQbcEjlj-KTIHKkGlsg048Whd9d9b7HD1l0-jhc-c8H2gbkDqMBWL0jQKscBkT2jMpEstutJqZg48yc3rq9QGuQ6CQlePlGxBZ9iQ6yA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Planning Director Jeff Butler presented the planning department's fiscal year 2026 budget to the Oklahoma City Council, detailing a general fund request of about $6.9 million and major federally supported programs that sum to roughly $52 million in total resources for the department.

Butler said the housing and community development division receives the largest share of the department's resources through federal HUD grants and other competitive funding that supports homelessness, affordable housing construction, and neighborhood revitalization programs.

The presentation matters because the city relies on federal grants to operate housing services: Butler told the council the department manages roughly $41 million in HUD grant funds that support staff and programs, and he said those grant totals can fluctuate year to year.

Butler described several housing projects and program accomplishments, including Harmony Garvey Apartments (40 units, conversion of the Marcus Garvey School plus three new buildings), Hillcrest Green (LIHTC project), and the Murrow Revolving Loan Fund-supported mixed-use project \"The Citizen.\" He also listed nine projects funded with Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, two of which are complete and several of which are under construction or nearing completion.

On homelessness, Butler outlined the Key to Home Partnership, a cross-sector initiative led by the city that embeds staff from the city manager's office, planning and police to coordinate more than 50 partner organizations and 17 work groups. Butler said the Encampment Rehousing Initiative, launched in September 2023, aims to bring services directly to encampments and house residents \"in an expedited 6 weeks\" when possible.

Butler gave outcome figures tied to the initiative: he reported 23 encampments closed; 370 people who had been sleeping outside housed with case-management support; 403 housing units secured; more than 1,600 contacts with street outreach teams; and that 88% of camp residents accepted housing and support. He said the initiative has coincided with a 43% reduction in the long-term unsheltered population targeted by the program since 2023.

Councilmembers asked whether federal grant reductions would threaten core programs such as Brownfields cleanup and housing rehabilitation. Butler replied, \"Too early to tell,\" and said city staff are monitoring federal signals and have contacted local nonprofit partners to assess potential impacts.

Butler also walked the council through the department's sustainability and code-update work: the Office of Sustainability is pursuing an electric-vehicle study, solar assessments for city properties, a heat-vulnerability data set produced with volunteer mapping, and proposed zoning changes to support tree canopy and parking designs that reduce the urban-heat-island effect. He said the planning department will recommend changes to the parking ordinance and other code updates intended to support shade and healthier streets as part of larger development standards work.

Butler closed by describing performance measures used to evaluate homeless-program success, citing a HUD benchmark the city tracks: the percentage of formerly homeless individuals who remain in permanent housing for six months. He said Oklahoma City's six-month retention average since fiscal year 2016 is about 87%.

What happens next: the council was told the budget will be presented for adoption at the council's June 3 meeting. Butler and staff said they will return with follow-up information councilmembers requested, including comparative data about how peer cities fund homelessness services and any new information the city receives from federal grantors.

Ending note: Butler framed the budget as a mix of general-fund support for core planning functions and large, multi-year federal grants that create capital and programmatic capacity but carry renewal risk tied to federal appropriations and grant competitions.","Planning Director Jeff Butler presented the department's fiscal year 2026 budget, emphasizing a general-fund ask of about $6.9 million, roughly $41 million in HUD grant-supported housing programs, and progress on the Key to Home encampment rehousing initiative while warning that federal grant renewals remain uncertain.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents press council for participatory budgeting and transit protections as police funding debate continues

Police chief presents $298 million proposed budget; emphasizes recruitment, wellness and training initiatives

Airport director presents $208 million trust budget, flags passenger and capital headwinds

Planning director outlines $52 million budget, warns federal grant outlook uncertain