Cincinnati officials are continuing work on next year’s city budget. The public could see it later this month.
City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr. and his budget team are working on a spending plan to close a $40 million general fund deficit.
Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls was asked Wednesday when she expected to get the budget. She responded November 26th. Qualls also said public hearings on the proposal will be scheduled for early December.
A city spokeswoman said in an e-mail officials have a target of late this month to release the budget, but she wouldn’t confirm any specific date.
The spending plan is being crafted using a new process that Council approved earlier this year.
Priority-based budgeting ranked more than 200 city programs based on what people said were their priorities. Consultants held a series of meetings with residents and targeted populations to get their input on city priorities. They also conducted an online survey.
More than 50 programs ranked at the bottom of the scale.
The city manager submits the proposed budget to the mayor, who has time to review it and then forwards it to city council.
This year’s process will be a little different.
The plan released later this month will cover six months from January thru June.
Then the city will switch its budget from the calendar year to a fiscal year starting July 1st.
