City Officials Present Proposed FY 2025 Budget Update
May 24, 2024
Today, Mayor Aftab Pureval and City Manager Sheryl M. M. Long announced the release of the Recommended FY 2025 Budget Update at a press conference at City Hall.
The Recommended Budget totals approximately $1.9 billion and comprises a $1.3 billion Operating Budget and a $621.3 million Capital Budget. As required by state law, all funds are balanced.
Budget documents are available on the City’s website:
“I’m very happy to announce that through a combination of increased projected revenues and carefully managed spending, I am presenting a structurally balanced budget for all ongoing operating expenses. For the first time since the pandemic, the City does not need to rely on American Rescue Plan resources to cover operating expenses, and the remaining Rescue Plan dollars we have will be used to support impactful one-time investments, especially in the area of economic development,” said City Manager Sheryl Long.
“Our City Administration has produced a recommended budget that explicitly delivers on our core goals and values: investing in public safety, prioritizing our future fiscal health, delivering excellent and equitable basic services, growing economic opportunity, and supporting thriving neighborhoods. Thanks to the thoughtful, compassionate, community-and-data-informed work of our City Administration and Council, we have made strong progress in addressing Cincinnati’s challenges and opportunities. There will remain difficult decisions ahead, but we are on the right path,” said Mayor Aftab Pureval.
The Recommended Budget aims to make impactful investments in five strategic areas that align with the Mayor’s and Council’s vision for the City.
The five strategic priorities are:
- Public safety and health
- Growing economic opportunity
- Thriving neighborhoods
- Fiscal sustainability
- Excellent and equitable service delivery
City Manager Long and Mayor Pureval highlighted several investments that epitomize the Recommended Budget’s focus on efficiency and performance-based budgeting. These include a more than $8 million investment in capital funding to support economic development; continued support for the Building Inspector Training Academy; investment in CFD and CPD, including two 50-person CPD recruit classes; two full-time equivalent positions to serve vulnerable residents, one in the City Manager’s Office to connect those struggling with homelessness and eviction to resources and another in CPD’s Victim Services office to join Karen Rumsey’s efforts to support crime victims; among others.
The budget deliberation process — which includes Council discussion and community engagement sessions — will begin next week. Council will then vote to approve the final budget. The City’s fiscal year commences on July 1.