COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Columbus City Council has introduced $18.5 million in amendments to the city’s operating budget.
The original $1.19 billion draft budget, introduced by Mayor Andrew Ginther, prioritized neighborhood safety, affordability and core city services. Budget changes unveiled Monday councilmembers were a drop in the bucket compared with the originally total.
“In November, Mayor Ginther presented a strong, balanced budget to this council,” Council President Shannon Hardin said. “Council’s job as a legislative body is to review that budget and make additions or changes to best serve our residents.”
Hardin said that the council held five public hearings on the budget and that the amendments reflect the concerns of the city’s residents.
The $18.5 million in amendments included $4.56 million being dedicated to the support of community agencies. Six of the 24 community agencies under that funding are proposed to receive $300,000 and over, which include the following:
- ROOTT Doula Support ($500K)
- Besa — 2024 Sector Building Initiative ($300K)
- Short North Alliance — Public Safety Enhancements ($500K)
- Columbus History Museum ($300K)
- Experience Columbus ($350K)
- Fashion Alliance ($450K)
A document outlining the newly unveiled budget amendments showed which members had introduced the individual funding items. Amendments credited to the entire council included $2.25 million for councilmember discretionary funds, $500,000 for owner-occupied home repair and more.
Harden introduced a few significant amendments. His included $500,000 toward violence intervention and interruption, $350,000 for nonpartisan civic engagement to fund public service announcements and outreach to educate residents, and $300,000 to a STEM diversity initiative that exposes underrepresented youth to career paths in the field.
Two of the pricier amendments from Councilmember Lourdes Barroso de Padilla included funding for 614 Beautiful and Choice Network. 614 Beautiful, a program deploying low-dollar capital improvements and neighborhood beautification, would gain $300,000 in the proposed amendment. Choice Network, which provides assistance to residents making reproductive health decisions, would gain $350,000. Barroso de Padilla also added $500,000 to subsidize the cost of acquiring E-Bikes for low-income residents.
Councilmember Nancy Day-Achauer introduced $300,000 toward a Columbus Recreation and Parks program called Center Without Walls, which expands recreation opportunities for children and residents lacking immediate access to a recreation center.
President Pro Tem Rob Dorans introduced $350,000 toward record-sealing support, to provide aid for Opportunity Port, Legal Aid, and others working in the space to increase record sealings and expungements. He also introduced $325,000 in workforce development grants.
Councilmember Shayla Favor introduced $350,000 for fair housing enforcement, to support additional full-time equivalents in Code Enforcement. The funding is intended to enforce existing city housing codes.
Federally qualified health centers in Columbus would receive a $485,000 boost from Councilmember Melissa Green. The amendment would provide additional financial support for FQHCs to increase patient access and quality care.
Councilmember Emmanuel Remy introduced three amendments worth half a million dollars each. They included funds for Cleaner Columbus, his paid litter cleanup and neighborhood beautification program; Project Taillight, which provides vehicle repair to low-income residents; and the Department of Public Safety to hire additional staff to more quickly respond to public records requests.
Councilmember Chris Wyche introduced, among other amendments, $400,000 toward supporting organizations to be open for free to residents impacted by power outages and heat waves, as well as winter warming centers.
The only councilmember not to introduce an amendment equal to or exceeding $300,000 was Councilmember Nicholas Bankston. His largest amendment commitment would send $250,000 to a grant program supporting churches and other community-based organizations providing programming to the community.
The city will postpone the proposed budget for comment by one week, before voting on it on March 4. Then it will be sent to the mayor’s desk.
