Columbus City Council passes $1.23-billion budget, adds funds for shelters and more
Columbus City Council passes $1.23-billion budget, adds funds for shelters and more
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Top headlines of the week, Feb. 7 2025
Here are some stories you may have missed on Dispatch.com and in the Columbus Dispatch newspaper.
Columbus City Council has approved a $1.23-billion budget for 2025 on Monday which is largely similar to Mayor Andrew J. Ginther's proposed budget — except for an additional $11.6 million in amendments.
Council unanimously voted 8-0 to approve the general fund budget. It was Council member Otto Beatty III's first meeting since his appointment and first major vote. Council member Chris Wyche was absent.
Among the Council's amendments are an additional $5 million to the Community Shelter Board for homeless shelters, $2 million for the Columbus Promise and $500,000 for civil rights and immigration initiatives.
"This was a tight budget," said Council member Nick Bankston, chair of the Finance Committee. "It was also about prioritizing what we thought was important and necessary for our community, in particular for the Community Shelter Board, nearly doubling their funding."
The council added the following to the mayor's budget:
Increasing the Community Shelter Board's allocation from $5.7 million to $10.7 million
$2 million for the Columbus Promise, a program that sends Columbus City Schools graduates to Columbus State Community College for free.
$1.23 million for Council community support
$166,000 for the South Side Collaborative Parsons Outreach Program
$400,000 for housing, zoning and transit-oriented development initiatives
$200,000 for workforce development grants
$420,000 for small and minority business initiatives
$500,000 for civil rights and immigration initiatives
$500,000 for Cleaner Columbus and Project Taillight
$500,000 for several human services gaps in the community
$500,000 for extreme weather and sustainability initiatives
$180,000 for veterans and senior support
Council member Lourdes Barroso de Padilla said part of the money set aside for immigration initiatives could be used to help local refugee resettlement organizations if President Donald Trump's administration suddenly cuts off funding. But the fund is less than the city has set aside for immigration initiatives in previous years.
The majority of the city's budget, $774 million, will go to the Department of Public Safety, which includes police, fire and support services. The figure is a 3% increase from last year's budget and will fund three new police recruit classes.
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