Ooops, We Almost Voted For the Budget

True, Cincinnati City Council budget talks were much more hospitable this year than last. And much shorter. Council barely talked about the issue for two hours Wednesday.

Still, there were some sticky points. Jeff Berding, Chris Bortz and Leslie Ghiz questioned whether the $1 billion-plus package was actually balanced. They insisted it wasn't balanced because it relies in part on some revenue streams they consider too speculative - estimates of $1 million from new red-light surveillance cameras and $800,000 from contracting out for liability insurance.

Mayor Mark Mallory jumped in, asking budget director Lea Carroll if, in fact, all budgets relied upon estimated revenues. She said they do.

So the total budget packaged passed 6-3, with Berding, Bortz and Ghiz dissenting. The proposal to install red-light cameras passed 5-4, with those same opponents plus Chris Monzel. Monzel, Ghiz, Berding and Bortz also voted against giving $200,000 to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

Then, after voting against the budget, the voting began on the 15 separate ordinances that make up the budget. Everyone voted in favor of the first one - until Bortz realized what they'd done. then he, Berding and Ghiz asked to change their votes.

John Cranley, finance committee chairman who shepherded the budget, cracked: "I almost thought it was unanimous."