The City of Cincinnati ended the fiscal year on June 30 with a nearly $19 million surplus. Now City Manager Harry Black is presenting his recommendations on what to do with the extra money.
City officials had predicted the city would end the fiscal year with a $3.9 million carryover. Black wrote in a memo the surplus was primarily the result of an increase of $11.8 million in one-time revenue and expenditure savings of $2.3 million.
Black is proposing $12 million be set aside in the city’s various reserve accounts, which are essentially “rainy day” accounts.
The manager is proposing to spend the remaining surplus with a large chunk of that directed toward the police department.
- Body Worn Cameras Project: $2,000,000
- Additional Police Visibility Overtime: $500,000
- Cincinnati Citizens Respecting our Witnesses (CCROW): $200,000
- Narcan / Heroin treatment support: $150,000
- Start up for Cincinnati Police Department mounted patrol: $50,000
- Hamilton County partnership on re-entry for ex-offenders and support: $175,000
- Data Scientist for Police Crime Statistics: $150,000
- Taking it to the Streets CIRV Community Outreach Advocates Initiative: $150,000
- Youth Jobs Initiative / Competitive Grant through United Way with a Business Community Match: $250,000
- Main Street Two Way Traffic Improvement: $125,000
- Bethany House / Family Homelessness Project (Task Force on Family Homelessness): $100,000
- Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation (RF) Housing Study: $50,000
- Energy Efficiency Grant Program: $100,000
Of the surplus, $2 million would be used for other police technology upgrades. Council approved that transfer earlier this year. An additional $2 million would fund one-time needs of the city.
City Council will have to approve Black’s plan. The Budget and Finance Committee is expected to discuss the issue Monday and the full Council could vote on it next Wednesday.
