Cincinnati City Council Passes Budget Boosting Human Services, Neighborhood Groups

Cincinnati City Council today approved the city's $1.6 billion Fiscal Year 2020 budget, boosting spending for basic public services, some human services organizations and neighborhood groups.

Council made several changes to Mayor John Cranley's proposed budget, including restoring funding to several outside organizations, creating a new funding category for legal aid organizations, restoring funding for the director of the city's Office of Environment and Sustainability and the city's bike program, and other additions.

A veto-proof majority and, many times, all council members voted for the ordinances, adding $1.5 million for those groups on the budget's operating side. Some of that spending, including $750,000 for nonprofit Center for Closing the Health Gap, was opposed by Cranley and City Manager Patrick Duhaney.

The money for the additions and funding restorations comes from roughly $881,000 left over from this year's budget, plus adjustments to holiday pay for incoming police recruits (totaling about $220,000) and other sources.

Read more: https://www.citybeat.com/news/blog/21074025/cincinnati-city-council-passes-budget-boosting-human-services