Cincinnati Futures Commission unveils economic revitalization plan

After more than a year of work, officials of the 34-member Cincinnati Futures Commission say they believe Cincinnati is poised to usher in a decade of economic opportunity. After engagement and analysis by experts, the Futures Commission recently presented a set of recommendations that align the City’s budget around core operations, structure the City to support growth, and target investments into economic initiatives. The report has been given to City Councilmembers and to the public at large to review the recommendations. The City Council has not yet had community engagement or taken a position on the recommendations. The Cincinnati Futures Commission spoke to hundreds of residents and dozens of stakeholders over 15 months while analyzing the city’s spending and needs. As a result, the commission issued a 77-page report detailing spending recommendations, raising taxes, and other tactics to help Cincinnati balance its budget while angling the city toward a future of growth. The City’s projected 10-year deficit currently projected in the city’s operating budget sits at around $439 million. according to the report. “With the winding down of COVID-era federal aid, and uncertainty related to the shifting nature of work, many cities are facing the real possibility of cutting back...