It was expected to be a heated battle, but in just under four hours, Fort Wayne City Council approved the 2019 fiscal year budget on a 6-3 vote.
Of the $173 million budget proposal, Council only cut $750,000 worth of items across agencies. $5.3 million in cuts had initially been proposed.
Republican councilman Russ Jehl was one of the votes against the budget; he stated he would vote “no” ahead of the meeting due to decreases in funding for neighborhood improvements, and proposed a variety of cuts Tuesday night as a way to offer solutions.
Mayor Tom Henry issued a statement immediately following the budget’s passage, which he says, “provides us an opportunity to look ahead with optimism as we continue to experience momentum and excitement in our community.”
