A million bucks for the Freedom Center?

A million bucks for the Freedom Center?

That may be the current city budget plan - to give each of four Cincinnati arts institutions - the art museum, history museum, Music Hall and the Freedom Center - a total of $4 million. Not for operations, but in capital money.

Chris Bortz says that's what all of council agreed to last year as they finalized the budget.

Chris Monzel doesn't think so. He remembers back to the days when U.R.F.C. officials promised they wouldn't seek money from the city. He doesn't think the city should be giving any now, for capital projects or anything else.

"I keep saying (to other council members), 'Guys, are you kidding me?"

The $4 million issue is expected to come up Monday at council's finance committee, chaired by John Cranley. He helped put the brakes on Bortz's try a couple weeks ago to get council to immediately vote on the plan to give each $1 million. Cranley said it should go through his committee first for more discussion. He does not want some of the $4 million coming out of a revolving loan fund supposed to help neighborhoods develop business districts.

Funding for the Freedom Center - it opened in 2004 and is dedicated to recognizing the fight to end slavery - has been controversial before. Late last year, State Rep. Tom Brinkman, a Republican from Mount Lookout, openly criticized Freedom Center spending. Reps. Joseph Uecker, R-Loveland, and Bill Coley, R-West Chester, joined Brinkman in voting against new Freedom Center funding.

That $2 million in state funding was approved anyway. Then, center officials told legislators they needed the money to pay down $50 million in construction loans.