Due to a drop in city revenue, Mayor G.T. Bynum said the furloughing of city employees could continue in 2021.

In April, Bynum installed the furlough plan when the shutdown due to Chinese coronavirus pandemic caused a steep decline in revenues. Beginning in May, about a thousand city employees have been off a half-day a week without pay during the furlough.

 “My intent is for us to continue to look at the numbers as they come in, and probably in mid- to late November we should have a better feel on whether or not we need to extend those furloughs or if we can let them lapse Dec. 31,” Bynum said last week. Police and firefighters and some other safety officials were not furloughed. Bynum hoped to save the city about $4 million with the furloughs.

Bynum said he and the councilors tried to set low budget figures for the 2020-2021 fiscal year in light of the pandemic shortfall. Sales tax revenues have been higher than projected. In the first four months of the fiscal year, tax collections topped projections by more than $5 million.

However, the city has lost revenue due to declines in municipal court fees, code enforcement, franchise fees and other fees owed to the city.

The pandemic has hurt employment in Tulsa.

Plus, the ruling in the McGirt case by the United States Supreme Court has had an effect on criminal justice and it could impact local taxation. The city could lose maybe $6 million a year in sales and use taxes due to that ruling.

Also, due to quarantine problems with the Tulsa Fire Department, almost three quarters of the department’s overtime budget has been spent. Firefighters have worked extra shifts to cover for quarantined firemen.

And the city’s hotel/motel tax collections are down about 40% as downtown theaters and convention arenas have lost business due to the coronavirus. The BOK Center is losing about $700,000 a month on maintenance costs due to canceled events. Fortunately, the center has a $15 million reserve account but that is getting smaller.