Columbus City Council schedules public hearings on Ginther's $1.14 billion 2023 budget

Bill Bush, The Columbus Dispatch
·2 min read
Columbus City Hall
Columbus City Hall

Columbus City Council will hold a series of public hearings beginning Monday and continuing over the next two weeks to review and receive public feedback on Mayor Andrew J. Ginther's proposed 2023 operating budget.

"We want to hear from residents about how the city can best deliver critical services," said Council President Pro Tem Elizabeth Brown, who will be leaving the council by early next year to take over her new post as CEO and president of the YWCA Columbus.

"These hearings will highlight how the budget supports the quality of life for families while also gathering feedback on how the city can continue to improve the services it provides," Brown said.

Ginther's proposed total general fund budget is $1.14 billion for 2023, the largest in city history and almost 14% higher from the current year. Almost $800 million will go to pay salaries, almost $705 million will go to public and neighborhood safety, and another $183 million to purchase services. Almost 80% of the city’s revenue comes from income taxes. The proposed spending plan can be viewed at: http://columbus.gov/2023budget/.All hearings will take place in Council Chambers at City Hall, 90 W. Broad St., Downtown. Any resident seeking to submit written or in-person testimony should submit a request to the designated Council member's office by the deadline list below on the day of the hearing. Each speaker's remarks are limited to three minutes or less.​

The hearings will be livestreamed on the city's YouTube page, WOW, Channel 3 and AT&T U-verse, Channel 99. The videos will also be posted on the City of Columbus YouTube channel following the conclusion of each event.

The schedule of hearings by date and time, Council member and hearing topic:

Monday, 5 p.m.Council member Nick BankstonHearing of the Economic Development, Small and Minority Business, and Technology Committees

Tuesday, NoonPresident Pro Tem Elizabeth BrownHearing of the Finance, Education, and Recreation and Parks Committees

Dec. 7, 3 p.m.Council member Emmanuel RemyHearing of the Public Safety, Environment, and Administration Committees

Dec. 7, 5 p.m.Council member Rob DoransHearing of the Public Utilities, Workforce Development, and Building and Zoning Policy Committees

Dec. 8, 5 p.m.Council member Shayla FavorHearing of the Housing, Health and Human Services, and Criminal Justice and Judiciary Committees

Dec. 13, 5 p.m.Council member Lourdes Barroso de PadillaHearing of the Neighborhoods and Immigrant, Refugee and Migrant Affairs, Public Service and Transportation, and Veterans and Senior Affairs Committees.

wbush@dispatch.com

@ReporterBush

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus 2023 budget: Council sets hearings on Ginther's plan