Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther has released his first budget proposal as mayor today. Ginther has divvied up near $870 million and allocated funds to various departments and projects.
The Department of Public Safety gets the largest share of those funds, nearly $577 million. The money pays the salaries of police and fire personnel; it’s also funding the implementation of body cameras and pays for the Community Safety Initiative. That's also a $20 million increase over last year’s allocation.
The Columbus City Council will now hold budget hearings and seek public comment. Adoption by Council will probably occur next January or February.
