[{"_1":2,"_105":-5,"_106":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,85,95],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6017033,"mediaKeyId","5778794-c8edc2cd6717735ea1e3f5629ee2899f","parentId",5778794,"title","Nonprofits, business groups and service providers press council for funding during budget public comment","audioSeconds",941,"startMs",197000,"endMs",1138000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778794-c8edc2cd6717735ea1e3f5629ee2899f&start=197&end=1138","thumbnailUrl","https://d352y6ypj4mjo3.cloudfront.net/AudioPlaceholder.png","articleUrl","/articles/6017033/Ohio/Nonprofits-business-groups-and-service-providers-press-council-for-funding-during-budget-public-comment","mediaUrl","author","City Council of Cincinnati OH","date","2025-06-16T00:00:00Z","article","CINCINNATI ' Before the committee's budget debate, more than a half-dozen community representatives addressed council during the public-comment period to urge funding for economic development programs, arts education and reentry legal services.

Emma (last name unclear), speaking for CincyTech, thanked council for supporting a proposed restoration of the organization's funding to $250,000, noting that the city contribution unlocks an additional $250,000 in state funding. \"That doubles the impact we're able to make in the city of Cincinnati,\" the CincyTech speaker said.

Will Gerhardt, manager of government affairs for the Cincinnati Regional Chamber, spoke in favor of restoring economic-development initiatives in the FY26 package, including support for the port, Ready Cincinnati, the African American Chamber of Commerce, Centrifuse and other startup ecosystem partners.

JB Cropp, CEO of Centrifuse, described the startup incubator's work in Over-the-Rhine and said Centrifuse participants have attracted more than $70 million in co-investment to the region. \"These entrepreneurs are our growth engines for the city,\" he said.

Speakers representing the Art Academy of Cincinnati delivered lyrical remarks and appealed to council for support after the academy left a larger institutional umbrella two decades ago; the academy's advocates asked for city assistance tied to facilities and student services.

Several speakers asked council to preserve or restore funding for the Ohio Justice & Policy Center (OJPC). Gabe Davis and attorney Devin Perry described OJPC's record-sealing, expungement and reentry work. Davis said OJPC sealed records for more than 250 Cincinnatians in six months and that the organization serves people who earn too much to qualify for traditional legal aid but cannot afford private counsel.

The public-comment session set the context for committee discussion of a number of human-services, arts and economic-development allocations included in the omnibus budget and later amendments.","mediaType","Audio","parentTitle","Budget & Finance Committee (June 16, 2025)","oneSentenceSummary","Public commenters urged the committee to restore or maintain funding for startup support organizations, arts education and legal reentry services; organizations included CincyTech, Centrifuse, the Art Academy and Ohio Justice & Policy Center.","taxTitle","Cincinnati Board & Committees, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio","taxId",75954,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":50,"_51":82,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6017038,"Vice mayor's plan to reallocate $1 million from fleet to nonprofits fails after heated debate",3128,5320000,8448000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778794-c8edc2cd6717735ea1e3f5629ee2899f&start=5320&end=8448","/articles/6017038/Ohio/Vice-mayors-plan-to-reallocate-1-million-from-fleet-to-nonprofits-fails-after-heated-debate","CINCINNATI ' The Budget & Finance Committee considered and rejected an amendment that would have shifted $1 million earmarked for fleet repairs to a package of nonprofit programs, including funding requests from the Art Academy of Cincinnati, Habitat for Humanity and the Ohio Justice & Policy Center.

Vice Mayor Kearney proposed the reallocation, saying the city already had $10.6 million in the manager's FY26 fleet plan and that $1 million would produce more immediate impact if directed to local nonprofits providing workforce development, housing acquisition and health programs. \"One million dollars will not even buy one fire truck,\" Kearney said, arguing the sum could do more for organizations delivering services now.

Opponents, including the committee chair and several council members, said fleet needs remain acute and that the administration's May 27 fleet plan required the $10.6 million requested; they argued additional fleet funding should be considered later in the carryover or closeout process rather than removed from the manager's baseline. Councilmember Jeffries noted that fleet shortfalls have contributed to operational gaps such as snow removal and that replenishing vehicles and equipment carries immediate public-safety and service consequences.

The committee took a roll-call vote on the vice mayor's amendment. Votes recorded in the transcript show a majority opposed the reallocation (Yes votes: Vice Mayor Kearney, Councilmember Scottie Johnson; No votes: Councilmembers KramerDing, Nolan, Jeffries, Albee, Owens, Parks, Walsh). The amendment failed and the omnibus budget retained the additional $1 million for fleet as proposed in the council package.

During discussion, administration staff clarified that reappropriated funds scheduled to be available July 1 were already committed to projects and therefore not a direct source for the vice mayor's proposed redirection. Committee members asked administration to continue pursuing larger fleet funding options in the carryover and fall closeout processes.

The committee then moved to finalize the omnibus package and scheduled a short follow-up meeting Wednesday to prepare final ordinances for full council.","Vice Mayor Kearney proposed moving $1 million from a fleet line item to seven nonprofit programs; the committee debated whether $1 million would meaningfully impact fleet needs and then rejected the reallocation in a roll-call vote.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_47":91,"_49":50,"_51":92,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":93,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":94,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6017043,"Council reallocates FY26 Riverfront Transit Center funds to Cincinnati Art Museum maintenance",701,6925000,7626000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778794-c8edc2cd6717735ea1e3f5629ee2899f&start=6925&end=7626","/articles/6017043/Ohio/Council-reallocates-FY26-Riverfront-Transit-Center-funds-to-Cincinnati-Art-Museum-maintenance","CINCINNATI ' The Budget & Finance Committee approved a council motion to move fiscal 2026 funds originally slated for preliminary work on the Riverfront Transit Center to the Cincinnati Art Museum to address deferred maintenance.

The motion was introduced by Councilmember Seth Walsh. Administration staff told the committee the Riverfront Transit Center allocation for FY26 would have been used for preliminary design work to investigate beams beneath Second Street. Officials said Metro operates and maintains parts of the transit center but the city retains responsibility for the asset and any structural work.

Museum representatives told the committee the Cincinnati Art Museum has approximately $200,000 in an active capital account and previously allocated capital dollars that have been administratively difficult to spend; they said the museum's deferred-maintenance backlog is \"well north\" of $12 million and that city funds would allow faster remedial work on public-facing areas including a stabilization project referenced during the hearing.

The committee recorded a roll-call vote and the motion passed. After committee discussion, the administration and museum indicated they would work together to improve procurement paths so museum-allocated funds could be spent more quickly.

Councilmember Walsh said the Riverfront Transit Center item lacked sufficient documentation for immediate FY26 spending, while museum advocates argued the facility needs urgent repair and city funds would be used for stabilization and other public-facing maintenance.

The transfer will be reflected in ordinance language presented to full council at the follow-up meeting Wednesday.","A council motion transferred this year's Riverfront Transit Center preliminary design allocation to the Cincinnati Art Museum after administration and museum representatives said the museum had active capital accounts and deferred maintenance needs.",{"_33":96,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":97,"_41":98,"_43":99,"_45":100,"_47":101,"_49":50,"_51":102,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":103,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":104,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6017048,"Cincinnati committee approves manager's fiscal 2026 budget, backs council omnibus adjustments",8596,0,8596000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778794-c8edc2cd6717735ea1e3f5629ee2899f&start=0&end=8596","/articles/6017048/Ohio/Cincinnati-committee-approves-managers-fiscal-2026-budget-backs-council-omnibus-adjustments","CINCINNATI ' The Cincinnati Budget & Finance Committee voted Tuesday to advance the city manager's proposed fiscal year 2026 operating and capital budgets, and to approve a council omnibus motion that incorporates mayoral adjustments and council's final amendments.

The committee chair said the group would consider three related actions in sequence: first approve the manager's budget, then the mayor's changes, and finally council's omnibus motion. \"We have to pass a budget by June 30,\" the chair said during opening remarks, setting the timeline for final action.

The omnibus motion folded individual council budget adjustments into a single package that adds funding across several priorities, including economic development, housing, public safety and fleet. Committee members and administration staff outlined that the omnibus keeps the city structurally balanced while adding targeted resources for neighborhood investments, a quick-acquisition fund and additional economic-development programs.

Administration officials described the manager's ordinances before the committee as the package that implements the majority of the general fund operating budget, restricted funds budgets and the capital improvement program. Several HUD entitlement grants and transfers were also on the agenda, including Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME funding appropriations.

Council members emphasized the budget's twin aims of addressing near-term service needs and positioning the city for growth. \"This council still prioritizes housing and economic development,\" the committee chair said while describing the omnibus additions. Members praised investments for fleet maintenance, a lateral police recruitment class, and catalytic neighborhood development funds.

The committee took a recorded roll-call vote on the omnibus motion; the motion passed. During the meeting a member later asked that a change to their recorded vote be noted for the minutes. The chair announced the committee will reconvene Wednesday to present the ordinances to the full council.

The meeting included separate votes to place numerous appropriations, bond and grant ordinances on the agenda for final passage; several items were described and put \"on for passage\" during the hearing. The administration answered questions on specific items, including anticipated trust disbursements for the Cincinnati Southern Railway and details about HUD grant recipients for ESG homeless services.

The committee chair closed by reminding members of the council's June 30 deadline and scheduling a short follow-up meeting Wednesday to finalize ordinance language and move the budget to full council for final adoption.

Looking ahead, the council will hold final debate at Wednesday's meeting before moving the fiscal 2026 ordinances to final vote and enactment.","The Budget & Finance Committee voted to advance the city manager's proposed fiscal 2026 budget and a council omnibus package that incorporates mayoral adjustments and council amendments; the committee recorded a roll-call vote on the omnibus motion.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Nonprofits, business groups and service providers press council for funding during budget public comment

Vice mayor's plan to reallocate $1 million from fleet to nonprofits fails after heated debate

Council reallocates FY26 Riverfront Transit Center funds to Cincinnati Art Museum maintenance

Cincinnati committee approves manager's fiscal 2026 budget, backs council omnibus adjustments