The future of the City of Cincinnati’s Office of Environmental Quality is on the line…
IF you believe that it is a huge mistake for the City to pull the plug on it’s aggressive effort to implement its Green Cincinnati Plan – and to save millions of tax dollars through energy conservation and state of the art recycling – you have an opportunity to let your voice be heard.
This Monday, August 1, the City Manager will present his proposed budget cuts to Council’s Budget & Finance Committee at 11 am at the Madisonville Community Center (5329 Stewart Ave.). You will have an opportunity to sign up to speak for 2 minutes to share your concerns.
Letter from City Manager Milton Dohoney to City empolyees
From: Dohoney, Milton
Sent: Friday, July 29, 2011 3:53 PM
To: #CIN.City Mailing List
Subject: Budget issues
Due to our ongoing fiscal situation, it is necessary to make the next set of moves now in order to further prepare for the coming budget challenge.
Today I am transmitting a document to the Budget & Finance Committee to elaborate on the decisions that have to be made. This Monday I will be speaking before the Committee.
I have met with the departmental leadership and sent a message to individuals within the affected departments. While these moves by no means resolve our problems, they give us a beginning toward addressing our 2012 deficit of $33 million. Any long lasting cuts we make now allow us to realize more savings from day one in 2012.
I cannot say with certainty how these recommendations, listed below, will be received by Council but we are moving on them out of economic necessity:
· Department cuts totaling $5.1 million;
· Dissolving the Office of Environmental Quality;
· Dissolving the Department of Community Development and merging with the Department of Planning and Buildings;
· Moving the Business Development Division of Community Development into Economic Development Division; and
· Pursuing a COPS grant coupled with a layoff of 44 police officers.
These moves will provide some financial help in both 2011 and 2012, but it will still require some tough decision making in the budget that will be voted on this December.
These are difficult time, but we must persevere.
Milton Dohoney, Jr.
City Manager
Tell City Council what you think !