City Furloughs

[custosnox]

and just a thought for everyone to chew on.  On chatty kathy's order, all the copying machines for the city of tulsa were replaced.  on general this wouldn't mean much, unless you look at the cost and pure volume of it all.  When I say all, I mean all, even the little one out at the maintnance shack that has barely been used.   Everythign was upgraded from what they had.  So, we're talking roughly 500 machines (I'm shooting low here because I'm not sure of the exact numbers), that cost about 3k each (once again, going for the low end).  That was $1.5 million on something that really wasn't needed.  Just shows were the priorities are with our great mayor.

[Wilbur]

Why is it I can't find a report on total city income vs total city expenditures?

What I mean is, I want to see a report that includes every single penny of income regardless of sources, including grants, fees, fines, licenses, water, sales tax, third penny sales tax, 2025 tax, 911 fees on phone bills, taxes on electric, gas, assessments, ...........  every single penny.

Then, I want to see a report that includes every single penny of expenditures, regardless of which budget it's included in.  Everything such as operating, capital, third penny, 2025............  every single penny.

Then I want to see that comparison for the past couple of years.

Where does one find that? 

Once it's found, I think most people will be very surprised to see what we are spending now compared to just five years ago.

[custosnox]

Why is it I can't find a report on total city income vs total city expenditures?

What I mean is, I want to see a report that includes every single penny of income regardless of sources, including grants, fees, fines, licenses, water, sales tax, third penny sales tax, 2025 tax, 911 fees on phone bills, taxes on electric, gas, assessments, ...........  every single penny.

Then, I want to see a report that includes every single penny of expenditures, regardless of which budget it's included in.  Everything such as operating, capital, third penny, 2025............  every single penny.

Then I want to see that comparison for the past couple of years.

Where does one find that? 

Once it's found, I think most people will be very surprised to see what we are spending now compared to just five years ago.

I've been wondering how to go about doing that myself.  Let me konw if you find a way.

[custosnox]

just ran a quick search and came up with these reports.  http://www.cityoftulsa.org/OurCity/Budget/MonthlyFinancial.asp and http://www.cityauditorphilwood.com/CAFR/CAFR2008.pdf

[edit]
and to throw another one of interest in...
http://www.tulsacouncil.org/pdfs/Tulsa%20Prsntn%208.26.08.pdf
[/edit]

[Rico]

Why is it I can't find a report on total city income vs total city expenditures?

What I mean is, I want to see a report that includes every single penny of income regardless of sources, including grants, fees, fines, licenses, water, sales tax, third penny sales tax, 2025 tax, 911 fees on phone bills, taxes on electric, gas, assessments, ...........  every single penny.

Then, I want to see a report that includes every single penny of expenditures, regardless of which budget it's included in.  Everything such as operating, capital, third penny, 2025............  every single penny.

Then I want to see that comparison for the past couple of years.

Where does one find that? 

Once it's found, I think most people will be very surprised to see what we are spending now compared to just five years ago.

Please add the "Debt" incurred during the past few years.

Is "Debt Service" the finance charge on the debt the City has?

I would like to see the actual cost of all of the changes i.e. OTC, Mothballing of various City properties, management of BOK versus the glob of tax revenue we are supposed to be making, and what sort of increase or "furlough" given to the Tulsa Metro Chamber. A true P and L statement.

That can't be too much to ask for.

[cannon_fodder]

I heard on the news this AM that city employees were being requested to take 4 days unpaid off in the next year.

Is that in addition to the force furloughs or is that what we are talking about?  If that's it, then great.  A good way of doing it if it cures the problem.
- - -

While we are talking about budgets, is any sort of evaluation available or forthcoming on the financial consequences of the move to the new City Palace?  How much is that costing us on an annual basis given that the old properties are still being paid for by the city too.
- - -

And finally, nationwide we have a great example of why NOT to grow government.  As soon as a government has more money available they spend it and do so in a way that assume this new money will always be available.  When the economy inevitably slows down there is a budget panic.  As soon as it picks back up, we spend money like water again.

I wish Tulsa could set out to get AHEAD in the operating budget (not bond maintenance etc.).  To work one year in the positive.  The money collected in 2008 is put in a trust (a real trust, not those BS governmental lock boxes) and then budgeted for expenditure the following year.  We 'd know how much we had, garner a little interest, and improve our bond rating for capital improvements a crap ton.

Won't ever happen, just sayin'.  Government should assume lean times are ahead, not assume that growth is inevitable and we have money to spend.

[Chicken Little]

Our sales tax support is deprecating as the population and city employees are moving to the suburbs and taking with them the major retail outlets.  Also the sales taxes we budgeted for.

This is an excellent point, Shadows.  Many cities have a residency requirement for city employees.  Last I heard, over 60% of their employees live outside of Tulsa, which is a lose-lose for Tulsans.  For emergency workers, it puts them further from work in case of trouble; police cars in driveways are making some suburban city safer; and a couple of thousand employees are spending their salaries in ways that benefit neighboring, and unfortunately competing, cities.

[dbacks fan]

Can someone tell me what the annual budget is for Tulsa? I just want to get some figures to do a comparison Between Tulsa and the city I work for which is roughly half the size.

[sgrizzle]

and just a thought for everyone to chew on.  On chatty kathy's order, all the copying machines for the city of tulsa were replaced.  on general this wouldn't mean much, unless you look at the cost and pure volume of it all.  When I say all, I mean all, even the little one out at the maintnance shack that has barely been used.   Everythign was upgraded from what they had.  So, we're talking roughly 500 machines (I'm shooting low here because I'm not sure of the exact numbers), that cost about 3k each (once again, going for the low end).  That was $1.5 million on something that really wasn't needed.  Just shows were the priorities are with our great mayor.

How much were the maintenance contracts on those old copiers?

4,000 employees likely had no more than a few hundred copiers. You can replace 90% of the copiers and printers with MFD's for $2k a piece. An organization with 4k people could be spending $600K per year on maintenance contracts alone with older printers/copier. Replacing with new MFD's for $800k and then have an ongoing cost of less than half that is a great cost savings.

[custosnox]

I don't know the pricing on the maintenance contract, but since it was carried over from the previous ones I'm going to assume that there wasn't a change in cost of maintenance (the contract covers all maintenance for the machines).

[sgrizzle]

I don't know the pricing on the maintenance contract, but since it was carried over from the previous ones I'm going to assume that there wasn't a change in cost of maintenance (the contract covers all maintenance for the machines).

Maintenance costs are based on the number of machines, age of the machine, availability of parts, etc. 1 year of maintenance on a device can exceed replacement cost pretty easy.

[RecycleMichael]

and just a thought for everyone to chew on.  On chatty kathy's order, all the copying machines for the city of tulsa were replaced.  on general this wouldn't mean much, unless you look at the cost and pure volume of it all.  When I say all, I mean all, even the little one out at the maintnance shack that has barely been used.   Everythign was upgraded from what they had.  So, we're talking roughly 500 machines (I'm shooting low here because I'm not sure of the exact numbers), that cost about 3k each (once again, going for the low end).  That was $1.5 million on something that really wasn't needed.  Just shows were the priorities are with our great mayor.

But now you have admitted you don't know how many machines nor how much they cost, nor anything about the length of the maintenence contracts. All you have is a slam opportunity to call the Mayor a deragotory name and pass on some innuendo.

I am just amazed at what people will attack her for. For all we know the purchasing department went through their annual bidding process and bought some copiers like they do every year.

Did the previous Mayor buy any new copiers? Probably. Did you call him names and imply his priorities were out of whack? No.

[custosnox]

But now you have admitted you don't know how many machines nor how much they cost, nor anything about the length of the maintenence contracts. All you have is a slam opportunity to call the Mayor a deragotory name and pass on some innuendo.

I am just amazed at what people will attack her for. For all we know the purchasing department went through their annual bidding process and bought some copiers like they do every year.

Did the previous Mayor buy any new copiers? Probably. Did you call him names and imply his priorities were out of whack? No.

no, I know about this because I personally put in half of the machines.  I gave rough estimates on the number because I didn't bother to stop and count them.  I gave a rough estimate on the cost per machine because differant models have differant prices. In fact, there are three in the city hall now that cost about as much as a new car (and are about the size of one).  I am not in sales, so I do not know any of the details of the maintenance is, so I don't even give estimates on that.  I do know that a lot of the machines that were replaced did not need to be, and had no real maintenance cost for the use they had. 

[shadows]

Did the previous Mayor buy any new copiers? Probably. Did you call him names and imply his priorities were out of whack? No.

In order RM to update, the former mayor was also of the same gender as the present one. 

[sgrizzle]

In order RM to update, the former mayor was also of the same gender as the present one. 

Lafortune was a woman?

Explains a lot.