January 25, 200718 yr $900,000 added to city surplus Carry-over helps pay for services BY DAN KLEPAL | CINCINNATI ENQUIRER January 25, 2007 CINCINNATI - The city is flush with more cash than anyone thought. Cincinnati Finance Director Joe Gray certified Wednesday that the city ended 2006 with a $4.4 million carry-over balance - higher than the $3.5 million surplus predicted in December during the heat of intense budget negotiations. Click on link for article.
January 25, 200718 yr Isn't there any way to coordinate things so that City Council has good numbers to work with when setting the budget? Does it strike anyone else as really strange that the system requires them to work with guesses in December when they can have hard numbers in January? I mean, what if it had been a shortfall instead of an overage? This seems like a problem that could be fixed...
January 25, 200718 yr That agreement will put $2 million of the surplus in the city's bank account, and give each of the two factions on council $1.25 million to spend. Now that one faction has spelled out how they want to spend the 1.25 mil, maybe the other (Bortz's half) will spend the $1.25 toward the Streetcar Line....thoughts
January 25, 200718 yr Isn't there any way to coordinate things so that City Council has good numbers to work with when setting the budget? Does it strike anyone else as really strange that the system requires them to work with guesses in December when they can have hard numbers in January? I mean, what if it had been a shortfall instead of an overage? This seems like a problem that could be fixed... You would think a solution would be available. Middletown went to a quarterly budget for the fire department because they had to approve a budget before January 1, or the city would "shut down," in a sense--they wouldn't be able to make payroll, pay contracts, etc. until the money is appropriated.
January 30, 200718 yr Surplus divides city leaders Move to spend more on human services dies BY HOWARD WILKINSON | CINCINNATI ENQUIRER January 30, 2007 CINCINNATI - A deep and bitter split on Cincinnati City Council boiled over Monday in a vote that defeated a plan to spend $1 million in surplus funds on human service and city programs. Click on link for article.
January 30, 200718 yr Yard waste $854,000 $739,000 $739,000 I can't believe that much is spent on yard waste removal. If only people would just learn to compost...I don't think I have ever had to put yard debris at the curb.
March 5, 200718 yr City may tighten spending rules BY JANE PRENDERGAST | CINCINNATI ENQUIRER March 5, 2007 CINCINNATI - A plan to give Cincinnati City Council members more control over some spending will be talked about this afternoon. Click on link for article.
March 5, 200718 yr This is sound financial sense. Finally, city council using common sense!! :-o I'm planning an event and we have a pretty large budget. One of my committee heads in charge of the banquet is trying to pick a more expensive meal. I told if he wanted to have a more expensive meal, he needs to save money somewhere else. I thought everyone had this same common sense
March 8, 200718 yr Note I changed the listing at the end a little...they say 9 projects, but list only 6. I also thought that the streetcar study was underway (must be a reimbursable grant of somekind), and I also thought that a study(ies) have been done to look at how to improve the BSB...are we ever going to move forward on that?? Mallory to DC: Send $21 million BY MALIA RULON | CINCINNATI ENQUIRER March 8, 2007 WASHINGTON - Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory says the best way to get money for his city is the old fashioned way - put on a good pair of walking shoes and traverse Capitol Hill and meet with local lawmakers about his top funding priorities. ... At the top of the list is an 1. $8 million request to help develop the city's riverfront and 2. $5.4 million to re-work the riverfront street grid, both projects critical to the Banks. The mayor is also seeking: 3. $1.5 million to clean up Queen City Barrel 4. $3 million to improve Interstate 71 5. $80,000 to for a feasibility study on a Cincinnati streetcar line 6. $1 million to study ways to repair the overcrowded and aged Brent Spence Bridge. 7. ?? 8. ?? 9. ?? Click on link for article.
March 9, 200718 yr as for the BSB a rep from OKI was at the Height community council meeting last night to talk about the uptown plan. They were talking about a new exit off I-71, but said that OKI's main priority is the BSB and that funding has been increasingly difficult...so basicall. . . we are going to have to live with BSB for quite a while
July 25, 200717 yr City retirees fighting rise in health costs BY JANE PRENDERGAST | CINCINNATI ENQUIRER July 25, 2007 CINCINNATI - Retired City of Cincinnati employees want to stop a planned cost increase in their insurance benefits that officials say will save the city $25 million. Click on link for article.
July 25, 200717 yr Often times government jobs are nice like that. *reclines back in comfy government chair*
October 4, 200717 yr City may face a $24M shortfall BY JOE WESSELS | CINCINNATI POST October 4, 2007 CINCINNATI - City budget and finance officials are predicting a $24 million budget shortfall by the end of 2008, $11 million more than estimated during budget negotiations last year. City Manager Milton Dohoney wrote in a Sept. 21 memo to Mayor Mark Mallory and City Council members that "several changes and developments" since last December's budget agreement have upped a previously estimated $13 million shortfall to $20.4 million. Click on link for article.
November 17, 200717 yr I was surprised to read that the OTR deputies would be laid off. I didn't know how these patrols were funded, but for some reason I thought existing deputies were being used.This is the time of the year layoffs start brewing for all businesses. Kind of sad. Now there shouldn't be an increase in crime in OTR. The CPD kept insisting these patrols weren't necessary so they better be ready to step up and if crime increases the CPD should be accountable. Sheriff's deputies pull out Over-the-Rhine patrols will cease with layoffs BY KIMBALL PERRY | [email protected] Hamilton County Sheriff Simon Leis Jr. has some bad news for 19 deputies - pink slips the day after Christmas. After a sales-tax increase was defeated in the Nov. 6 election, the sheriff's office announced it would have to cut some programs because they were to be paid for by the increased sales tax. To read more: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071117/NEWS01/711170354
November 17, 200717 yr Ok. I just found jobs for the 19 sheriffs that will be layoff by Si Leis. I'm sure it not this simple, but say what you will about Leis, he does seem to create quality professional deputies. Everything I've read about the patrols indicated people were happy with them except of course CPD. Instead of "funding two new recruit classes" the city can just hire these guys and everyone will have a great holiday. Dohoney: Add fees, cut services By Joe Wessels | Post contributor Instituting fees for garbage collection and cutting funding to the arts and human services programs are among recommendations Cincinnati City Manager Milton Dohoney unveiled Friday to fill a more than $25 million gap in the city's 2008 budget. Dohoney said he had to make "many difficult decisions" in coming up with the proposed $1.1 billion budget and that it would not be prudent for the city to attempt to reach a balanced budget through cuts only. Cincinnati City Council, which typically adopts a budget in late December, must act on any recommendations made by Dohoney. To read more: http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071117/NEWS01/711170343
November 29, 200717 yr Mallory: Restore budget cuts, kill fees BY LUCY MAY | CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER November 28, 2007 Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory wants to restore millions of dollars in proposed cuts to the city's 2008 budget and eliminate two fees the city manager had recommended. Click on link for article.
November 29, 200717 yr "Other recommendations from Dohoney: Eliminate the Buildings and Inspections Department and move positions from it to the community development and planning departments." WTF???!!!
November 30, 200717 yr Yeah...most cities (to my knowledge) that have Planning Departments have these operations as part of the Planning Department. Usually some sort of subset which reduces the need for a full-blown director and possibly a couple of other overlapping positions.
November 30, 200717 yr Budget reprieve spares film group scary plot twist BY LUCY MAY | November 30, 2007 Every year the city of Cincinnati has a tight budget, funding for the Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Film Commission seems to be among the proposed cuts. And every year, the film commission somehow manages to squeak by with just enough funding to market the region and bring movie, television and commercial productions to town. Mallory has recommended the restoration of $75,000 in city funding for the film commission in 2008, a cut that had been recommended by City Manager Milton Dohoney to balance the budget. The city will have more money in 2008 than expected, Mallory said, and he thinks some of that revenue should be invested in the film commission. Read full article here: http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2007/12/03/story11.html
November 30, 200717 yr "Other recommendations from Dohoney: Eliminate the Buildings and Inspections Department and move positions from it to the community development and planning departments." WTF???!!! Zoning, Plan Exam, and Building Inspection is going to be under the newly constituted Planning Department while the housing inspectors will be under Community Development. I was at a roundtable with Charles Graves yesterday and I was very impressed. This is part of his new plan. I'll try to write up something on it this weekend.
December 1, 200717 yr ^I'm curious. Does this engrossment of the planning department mean a reversal of what had happened to it during Luken's tenure as mayor? I recall (perhaps incorrectly) that the Planning Dept. back then received large cuts, due to the economic downturn after the dot com bubble.
December 1, 200717 yr ^I'm curious. Does this engrossment of the planning department mean a reversal of what had happened to it during Luken's tenure as mayor? I recall (perhaps incorrectly) that the Planning Dept. back then received large cuts, due to the economic downturn after the dot com bubble. It's a complete reversal. The planning department was absorbed into Community Development in 2001, and has been relatively toothless since.
December 3, 200717 yr ^^Yes, but from my understanding the cuts to the Planning Dept actually had very little to do with the economy and/or .com bubble...but rather were related to a power struggle between certain people in power (cough, Valerie Lemmie) and the Planning Department regarding the Center of Cincinnati development.
December 4, 200717 yr City police money unspent BY JANE PRENDERGAST | CINCINNATI ENQUIRER December 3, 2007 Cincinnati’s police chief plans to give $2 million or more back to the city this year in unspent overtime, money he says he didn’t need for neighborhood walking and bicycle patrols. Chief Tom Streicher told City Council members today he feels he was able to achieve their goal of increased police presence in neighborhoods by rearranging officers’ schedules rather than using all the extra money. He cited statistics that show serious crime down 8 percent as evidence that his method worked. Read full article here: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071203/NEWS01/312030030
December 5, 200717 yr First Cut Is the Deepest Mayor says proposed spending cuts go too far BY KEVIN OSBORNE | CITY BEAT December 5, 2007 They want to be on their best behavior. Honest. Various factions on Cincinnati City Council were hoping later this month to avoid the rancorous political battles and heated rhetoric that marked last year's rocky budget negotiations -- but another showdown over spending might be looming. Although the 2008 budget adjustment recommended by City Manager Milton Dohoney Jr. last month recommended dealing with an estimated $25.4 million deficit partially by cutting $1 million from social service agencies and imposing two new fees on residents, a counter-proposal unveiled last week by Mayor Mark Mallory deleted those controversial provisions. Read full article here: http://citybeat.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A143159
May 30, 200817 yr Cincinnati pools ready to open Saturday’s the day kids all over Cincinnati wait for – the first day of pool season. The Cincinnati Recreation Commission opens 16 pools Saturday, timed to Cincinnati Public Schools’ last day, which was Wednesday. The rest of the 39, with exceptions in Lower Price Hill and Avondale where pools are under renovation, open June 9. That’s a shorter season than pools in many suburbs, which opened last weekend and stay open until Labor Day. Cincinnati’s close between Aug. 7 and Aug. 17, before CPS goes back to school Aug. 19. While Cincinnati’s pools close about the same time this August as last, they are opening about a week earlier. Read full article here: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20080530/NEWS01/305300046/
June 13, 200817 yr Quit pandering, do what's right http://www.urbancincy.com/2008/06/quit-pandering-do-whats-right.html City Council appears poised to not roll back the millage rate for Cincinnatians for the first time since 2000. The current millage rate (4.53) generates roughly $29-million a year for city coffers. The roll back essentially keeps that number flat from year to year. Last year's roll back saved the average homeowner $1.39, while it would have collectively generated millions for the City. These millions of extra dollars could be used to help stabilize the City's budget and improve its credit rating. Additionally the City could look into providing more services to its citizens ranging from public safety to neighborhood improvements. Interestingly enough there are still four members, on City Council (Monzel-R, Ghiz-R, Berding-D, Cranley-D), who believe it is a better idea (politically I'm sure) to roll back the millage rate and possibly even freeze it where it stands. Interestingly enough John Cranley (one of two Democrats in favor of the roll back) has also made repeated statements about the importance of investing in our neighborhoods and public safety. Chris Monzel is the most outspoken on this topic (only council member not on the Finance Committee) and describes the five others on council as, "hungry wolves at the public trough." It would seem to be a better strategy, for the politicians, to look at what is ultimately in the best interest of its citizens rather than pandering for future votes. The City's finance department, City Manager Milton Dohoney, and five members of council seem to agree. Lets take the $1.39 hit for what is ultimately best for our city. For some reason this issue reminds me a lot of the proposed Gas Tax Holiday - may score up some new votes, but ultimately it is not in the best interest of the public.
November 18, 200816 yr City's budget better than others' Deficit of $14M needs fixing, but major layoffs are unlikely Cincinnati's budget for next year includes a $14 million deficit, but officials still say the financial picture for the city is better than expected - and no major layoffs are foreseen. It's definitely better than in Columbus and Toledo, where mayors propose to lay off workers, and in Hamilton County, where more than 500 could lose their jobs. City Manager Milton Dohoney is expected to present his draft of the 2009-10 budget Wednesday to Mayor Mark Mallory, who can tinker with it before presenting it to City Council. Council members said Monday that they expect to make changes to make up for the $14 million, but they're not suffering the kinds of money problems being experienced elsewhere. Read full article here: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20081118/NEWS0108/811180345/1169/NEWS
December 8, 200816 yr I forget how this works. But full Council has to vote on these proposals, right? I question putting so much $$ into Clifton Cultural Arts Center. Cincinnati council submits budget proposals Business Courier of Cincinnati - by Dan Monk Senior Staff Reporter Finance Committee Chairman John Cranley proposed eliminating $60 million in streetcar funding so the money can be “reprogrammed for other purposes,” including $25 million for the Central Riverfront Park that’s being built in conjunction with the Banks project and $25 million for repaving of city streets. Councilman Chris Monzel proposed eliminating $11 million in funding for streetcars in 2009. He offered no alternate plans for the money. The proposals come as council works to pass a two-year budget for 2009 and 2010. Both Monzel and Cranley previously voted in favor of a streetcar system, authorizing the city manager to begin raising money for the project in April. They were the only members of council to identify streetcar cuts in budget proposals submitted late last week. Read full article here: http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/12/08/daily2.html
December 8, 200816 yr I question putting so much $$ into Clifton Cultural Arts Center. I wondered if that much was necessary as well!
December 8, 200816 yr I wonder if the Kennedy Connector could get angled instead for Obama infrastructure money. It does seem a lot for Clifton AC
December 9, 200816 yr I don't see why the Kennedy Connector should get priority over the Streetcar. Real things are being built in OTR, the Banks, and Uptown... but Millworks is a dream at this point.
December 10, 200816 yr It would actually be a mildly useful traffic management project for the northeast side. Ridge is overwhelmed and if the Kennedy Connector were built it would reduce the likelihood of PRidge being gutted when Ridge is upgraded to 'right size' for its traffic load.
December 10, 200816 yr ^I think $2 million for Mt. Lookout streetscaping in the middle of a recession is excessive. Mt. Lookout is doing fine right now. Spending that much money in Clifton school seems excessive as well.
December 10, 200816 yr Yeah, i think that the Kennedy Connector needs to go through to help ease the traffic on Ridge. It's getting to be really bad especially with new construction being planned at the former Kmart location and the new Aldi. I don't know why anyone would prioritize the streetscaping in Mt. Lookout over some of these other projects. It's true that there isn't a lot of parking but it works for now.
December 16, 200816 yr Cincinnati City Council to vote on new two-year budget Business Courier of Cincinnati Cincinnati City Council will hold a public hearing Tuesday night and vote Wednesday on a $1.3 billion, two-year city budget that includes $1 million for a new police recruit class next fall, $3 million for new ambulances and paramedic training and the elimination of a proposed $17 monthly fee for garbage collection. The spending plan won the support of at least six members of council in a Finance Committee meeting Monday. It’s the last budget to be adopted under the leadership of Finance Chairman John Cranley, whose tenure on council ends next year because of term limits. Read full article here: http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/12/15/daily18.html
February 19, 200916 yr City income higher than projected Extra $3.4 million in 2008 won't offset next year's deficit By Jane Prendergast • [email protected] • February 19, 2009 The city of Cincinnati had a little more money in the bank at the end of 2008 than projected. That's because companies and workers paid more in earnings taxes than the city projected, even in the poor economy; more people - or more wealthy people - died last year, generating $4 million in estate taxes last month alone; and more people went to plays, concerts and sporting events, adding up to more admission taxes. Those factors helped Cincinnati end 2008 with $8.4 million in the city's carryover savings account - $3.4 million more than expected. The amount is small compared to the city's total $359 million general fund and not enough to wipe out projected deficits for 2010. Read full article here: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090219/NEWS0108/902190335/1055/NEWS
June 23, 200915 yr Council agrees on budget cuts Cincinnati police officers will turn their cars off one hour every shift and walk to save money on gas. Yard waste will be picked up twice a month, not weekly. Most city employees - including the mayor and City Council members - will go without six days pay. Those are among the cuts five council members agreed to Monday to make up for a projected $20 million deficit this year. The plan was organized over the weekend by Councilwoman Laketa Cole. She started with the cuts City Manager Milton Dohoney proposed last week, but restored two ambulances, kept the Carthage and Camp Washington recreation centers open, added $253,000 back to keep pools open the full season and agreed to hire two prosecutors to fight blight. Read full article here: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090622/NEWS0108/906230346/1055/NEWS/Council+agrees+on+budget+cuts
August 6, 200915 yr City of Cincinnati proposes to cut 319 jobs Business Courier of Cincinnati The Cincinnati Police Department will take the brunt of job cuts in a plan outlined by City Manager Milton Dohoney on Wednesday. The city, faced with declining tax revenue, has to close a $28 million gap in its 2009 budget, and it expects a $40 million deficit in 2010. The job cuts, along with furlough days required of non-union employees, will save about $7.9 million, Dohoney said. Of the 319 positions being eliminated, 138 are in the police department, according to a news release from the city. Dohoney said that cuts won’t affect the number of police assigned to neighborhood patrols or the street personnel assigned to the city’s five districts. No firefighter jobs were cut. Read full article here: http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/08/03/daily35.html
August 6, 200915 yr City cuts 319 jobs, sick political game ensues http://www.urbancincy.com/2009/08/city-cuts-319-jobs-sick-political-game.html The news came out yesterday about how many City employees will be cut in order to help balance Cincinnati's 2009 budget and better position the 2010 budget which is projected to have a $40 million gap. 319 jobs will be eliminated in total, with 138 of those coming from the police department. That means 319 households across the region that will have to face difficult decisions in the coming weeks about their personal budgets. Potentially 319 people and/or families could be without health insurance. 319 people without the sense of pride one has from going to a job day in and day out knowing that they're contributing to society. These are tough losses no doubt, and it's unfortunate that some individuals and organizations are turning this into a political opportunity. Yes it's terrible that 138 people from the police department will lose their jobs, but it's just as terrible that people from the Health, Public Services, Sewers and Water Works departments will lose their jobs as well. It is easy to focus on public safety when budget time comes around. This is why you so rarely see cuts to police or fire, but often see personnel cuts in other departments. Public safety is after all a core function of government, but it should not be placed on a pedestal like it so often is. These are tough times for our city, our state, our region and our country. We need to take a step back and figure out where we are, where we want to go and how we plan on getting there. We need to do so in a reasonable way that isn't trying to score political points, but rather looks at the issues for what they are and discusses them in a productive way. We need to grow our revenue streams while we reduce our expenditures. Cincinnati needs to position itself to come out of this recession strong.
August 7, 200915 yr ^I think it's a bit tiresome to label someone who puts police and fire first as scoring political points. Is it unreasonable for someone to think those services are of primary importance?
August 7, 200915 yr It's not unreasonable, but to go out and use it in the way that has been done is unacceptable. There has been no alternative plan proposed by these politicians and political leaders about how they would balance the budget. Debate about how to go about making these tough decisions should be had, but going out and saying, "I would never cut police or fire," without offering your solution to the problem is a cheap attempt to score political points at the expense of those people losing their jobs.
August 7, 200915 yr You know everything there is to know about designing and running a city, but you know nothing about what is important to its residents.
August 7, 200915 yr I think the point is that it is easy to criticize cuts, but where is the alternate plan? By all means, people who don't like the current approach should say so, but they should have a better alternative in mind.
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