Tulsa Deputy Mayor Krystal Reyes on City Resilience
Lessons on city governance, launching new local initiatives, and the challenges facing a small-city Deputy Mayor
Last month, I attended a talk between NYU Wagner Dean (and former NYC DOT Commissioner) Polly Trottenberg and Tulsa Deputy Mayor Krystal Reyes. I found the conversation to be a fascinating insight into the inner workings of governing a city and full of advice on how to actually get local policies implemented. Though Tulsa is, of course, a very different city from NYC - not just in terms of size but also demographics, geography, culture, and many other things - there are still applicable lessons in local governance and some surprising similarities. For example, Tulsa is a Certified Welcoming City and opens its doors to immigrants and refugees, recognizing, like NYC long has, that diversity and immigration are strengths.
Below are my key takeaways and highlights from the discussion.
Background on Deputy Mayor Kyrstal Reyes
Deputy Mayor (DM) Kyrstal Reyes started as the Chief Resilience Officer of Tulsa before becoming DM
DM Reyes moved to Tulsa as part of her work with the George Kaiser Family Foundation, an education policy nonprofit
Funds from the foundation were used to build a park - the largest privately funded park in the US
She met the Mayor, a moderate Republican at the time, who was working on a racial equity initiative that piqued her interest
However, the neighborhood rebounded and thrived again until an interstate highway was later built through the neighborhood
She led the office for 6 years, working on efforts for immigrants, racial justice, and mental health
NYC is special for funding services for people and not just infrastructure, which is different from many other cities
Building networks has been everything for her, both in terms of finding her next opportunities and in achieving goals in her work
Comparisons of NYC and Tulsa
Relationship building is the key to getting things done in either city, and the trust you build with the people you meet in local government
No social services or safety net is directly funded by the city government in Tulsa, which was a major challenge for her
Had to think about how else the city could provide support for children, immigrants, families, and the elderly
Small cities have very limited resources, often no income tax revenue, and must rely on federal funding
This adds uncertainty and limits the potential scope of actions
Local government has to be non-partisan and focused on practicality
What other cities does Tulsa look at for policy ideas?
Brought in a language access policy from NYC - translating vital documents into the top 3 languages in Tulsa
Part of the Welcoming America network, Certified Welcoming for immigrants and refugees - they work together with peer cities on how to respond to challenges
Tulsa is the largest US city sitting nearly entirely on Native American lands, bringing unique governance questions that no other city faces
Mayor, Governor, and judges have different ideas on how to co-govern the city - an interesting and evolving issue to watch
How to get things done in city government
In 2018, Tulsa ran a survey to ask who residents trusted most - nonprofits were at the top, government at the bottom
Demystifying government is the key - build trust, teach people how city government works, and how to provide public comment
Building trust is a daily exercise, takes a long time to build, and can be instantly broken
Communications is a key part of successful policies - educating the public, fighting misinformation, reaching diverse populations
Getting things done at the local level almost always involves public-private partnerships
United Way in Tulsa partners with the city and raises $26M per year from residents and corporations
Tulsa has a culture of the private sector helping to build a safety net
Housing, refugee inclusion policies, and much else involve private partnership
Tulsa’s city council is non-partisan and has only 9 people
Relationships between the City Council and the Mayor/Mayor’s office are key to getting bills passed and signed
DM Reyes looks for projects that are aligned with the City Council and tries to get them done together
Tulsa’s Mayor was elected on 6 priorities. Staying authentic to pursuing these policies helps unite the coalition to make change
Lastly, some great personal and career advice from DM Reyes:
“When you are the first to do something, your confidence will be shaken. Keep in mind you are paving the way for others, and don’t focus on what people say.”