Columbus City Council Announces Proposed Budget Amendments
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
January 30, 2014
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More Information:
John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798
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Columbus City Council Announces Proposed Budget Amendments
(Columbus)--Columbus City Councilmembers are proposing
amendments to the 2014 General Fund Budget that will allow the City to continue
to focus community resources on the health and safety of Columbus neighborhoods
and the creation of jobs.
“Council’s proposed budget amendments support public safety,
economic development, and other important neighborhood priorities,” said
Finance Committee Chair Priscilla R. Tyson. “They will also fund small business
growth and provide services that will address the poverty and health needs in
our community.”
Columbus City Auditor Hugh J. Dorrian reported to City
Council a carryover of approximately $4.989 million in general fund revenues
from 2013. Council President Andrew
J.Ginther and Councilmember Tyson are recommending that Council place a
one-time $5.714 million state refund of workers’ compensation premiums in the
Basic Neighborhood Services Fund to offset unexpected City expenditures.
Council President Ginther is sponsoring an amendment to
support the work of the Greater Columbus Infant Mortality Task Force. The task force is comprised of public health
experts and community leaders who have been charged by President Ginther and
Ohio First Lady Karen Kasich with finding solutions to the city’s infant
mortality rate, which is two times higher than that of New York City.
“The infant mortality rate is an indicator of the overall
health and wellbeing of a community,” said President Ginther. “It is essential that we reduce our infant
mortality rate so that children and families in our community have the chance
to live healthy and happy lives.”
Councilmembers are utilizing three funds to organize
amendment dollars, the Jobs Growth Fund, Neighborhood Initiatives Fund, and
Public Safety Initiatives Fund, to prioritize the spending of resources during
the next year. Councilmembers will hold a budget hearing this evening at 5pm in
City Council Chambers to discuss the proposed budget amendments.
Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson
$192,884 Cougar Bridge Columbus State Community College
The purpose of the Cougar Bridge program is to help students
gain the literacy and numeracy skills they need to prepare them for success in
their education and their careers. Through this program, they will have the
opportunity to attain the skills they need through targeted remediation and
counseling as well as college and career readiness programming.
Councilmember Hearcel F. Craig
$100,000 IMPACT-Operation Hope Veterans Services
Operation Hope is a program that helps veterans and their
families identify and overcome barriers to self- sufficiency. Veterans and their families will work with a
Family Development Specialist who will conduct a comprehensive assessment that
will lead to the development of an Individual Goal Plan. The veteran or family is then referred to
various internal and external resources to begin to address the goals outlined
in the plan. Many of these veterans may be referred to IMPACT from
Councilmember Craig’s Better Municipal Care for Veterans Housing Initiative,
which assists eligible veterans and families with home repairs.
Councilmember Zach M. Klein
$200,000 Environmental Court
Columbus continues to employ a multifaceted strategy to
battle blighted and abandoned properties that negatively impact the quality of
life in Columbus neighborhoods. This
amendment will provide funding to hire a housing specialist to work within the
Environmental Court to better ensure compliance with housing codes and hold
violators responsible for their actions.
Council President Pro Tem A. Troy Miller
$100,000 Small Business Concierge Service
In an effort to help start up business owners succeed, the
City of Columbus will host a small business concierge service to simplify the
process of working with the City to open a small business in Columbus. The idea for the program arose from a series
of small business roundtable meetings hosted by Columbus City Council for local
small business owners and the providers of resources and mentoring to
businesses.
Councilmember Michelle M. Mills
$700,000 Fire Recruit Class and Public Safety Diversity
Recruitment Efforts
Councilmember Mills is sponsoring two amendments that will
support the Division of Fire’s work to keep our residents and neighborhoods
safe. The first amendment will fund a new fire recruit class, increasing the
number of firefighters in our force. The second will enhance the city’s effort
to recruit women and people of color to the division, so that our fire forces
better reflect the diversity of our city.
Councilmember Eileen Y. Paley
$100,000 Pathways to Central Ohio Engineering Program
Formerly known as the Alpha Minority Youth Engineering
Program, the Pathways to Central Ohio Engineering Program targets high school
juniors and seniors who possess strong academic skills in math and science and
are considering a career in engineering.
The program provides a weekly lecture series, monthly engineering
events, and summer internships across a broad spectrum of engineering-related
fields.
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