Senators Christi Gillespie & Mark Mann Lead Interim Study on Stabilizing Municipal Funding

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senator Christi Gillespie, R-Broken Arrow, and Senator Mark Mann, D-Oklahoma City, convened an interim study Wednesday before the Senate Local and County Government Committee to examine options for stabilizing municipal funding across Oklahoma.

The bipartisan study, approved by Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton, brought together city officials, financial experts, and local government advocates to discuss long-term solutions for sustaining critical local services and infrastructure.

“As a former city councilor and vice mayor, I know how unpredictable municipal revenue streams can be,” said Gillespie, noting reform was long overdue. “When a single economic downturn or sales-tax dip can jeopardize essential services, we owe it to our communities to explore a more stable, modern framework for local funding.”

Sen. Mann said the conversation is especially important as many municipalities continue to face rising costs and limited revenue streams.

“Municipalities face limited sources of funding, rising costs, and are struggling to provide adequate resources for the critical services their communities depend on,” Mann said. “I appreciate Sen. Warren Hamilton, chair of the Local and County Government Committee, for hearing this study to look at how we can assist local governments in stabilizing their finances.”

The study examined revenue volatility, local economic trends, and potential state-level policy mechanisms — including revenue-sharing models, targeted grants, and structural reforms — to provide a more predictable funding base for Oklahoma’s cities and towns.

Gillespie noted that insights from the study will guide the development of future legislation aimed at reducing budget shortfalls and protecting essential municipal services.

The full study was livestreamed on the Senate website and will remain available for public viewing at oksenate.gov.

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