Akron Reporter

City of Akron issued the following announcement on March 15

Yesterday, Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan presented City Council with his 2022 Budget Plan.  Highlights of the 2022 operating budget include a new class of Akron Police officers and Akron firefighters, the second round of American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funding will be received in 2022 and the City will utilize $65M in ARPA funding this year, and no increase in Water or Sewer service rates for the year.

Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan said, “Akron, like cities across the nation, certainly felt the financial impact of the pandemic over the past two years as we had to plan for the worst-case scenario and brace our budgets. Thankfully, with the ARPA funding now coming in, we are able to restore some staffing levels for departments like Police, Fire, Service, and Neighborhood Assistance who have been short-handed and stretched thin. Helping to fill these long-open positions and provide our employees with the resources they need to do their jobs effectively and efficiently is a key component of this year's operating budget.

Before the recession hit back in 2007/2008, the City had budgeted for 2,400 employees. Afterwards, those numbers dropped drastically, and never recovered. We currently have just a little over 1,800 City employees. Being able to add another class of police officers and firefighters this year in addition to some key hires in service and neighborhood assistance will help bolster our numbers and therefore our service level to Akron residents. In short, this operating budget will help us renew focus on the core city services that Akronites depend on day in and day out.

The ARPA funding will also support us in a number of key endeavors including violence prevention, housing, small business growth, parks and public spaces, public utilities, and access to healthcare and social services. Good city services are key to any thriving city and these investments will continue to deliver on those commitments. This budget will help us to continue on our path towards neighborhood reinvestment, economic growth, and creating and sustaining a more equitable Akron for all our residents.”

Budget hearings will take place before City Council this week, and a vote on the budget is expected in the next two weeks.

Original source can be found here.