CLEVELAND — Akron Mayor Shammas Malik on Monday unveiled his first operating budget proposal, largely focusing on public safety, education, and economic development.
The $815 million budget represents a 1.2% increase from a year ago, which the mayor's office attributes to staffing costs. Officials claim the heightened expenditures will be offset by an increase in both income and property taxes, as well as millions of dollars in funds from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act.
Most notably, Malik is calling for 488 uniformed police officers, which the administration says would be "the highest level in at least 20 years." The city sported just under 450 law enforcement officers in 2023, a slight decrease over the previous three years.
Additionally, the mayor is seeking to increase the number of firefighters and paramedics to 402, which would be "the highest level in 30 years." Hiring for both the police and fire departments would be a top priority, with City Hall also working towards new jobs that would focus on recruiting and retaining first responders.
Previewing a potential reshaping of city government roles Malik, alluded to his administration being "more strategic and more collaborative across safety, education, economic development, health, housing, environment, and more." The mayor is also proposing $500,000 for out-of-school activities for children, $750,000 for a new small business program (with a particular focus on Black-owned businesses), and nearly $29 million in ARPA funds for renovating city parks and community centers.
Malik released the following statement:
"I’m proud to present the 2024 operating budget to city council and our residents. One of my top priorities is building a team that can lead Akron to reach our full potential. I’m pleased to announce that this year’s budget invests heavily in that team by budgeting for 2,055 full time employees including 488 uniformed Police Officers and 402 uniformed Firefighter/medics. In addition to public safety and personnel, we are going to fund more opportunities for our youth as a key partner in the Youth Success Summit, invest in the launch of the THRIVE program which supports small businesses with a focus on Black-owned businesses, and continue to invest in our American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) initiatives. I look forward to engaging with our residents and councilmembers on this year’s proposed budget."
The operating budget is separate from the mayor's $356.7 million budget for capital improvements, which City Council unanimously approved last month. Council held a public introductory hearing for the latest proposal on Monday, with more hearings scheduled for this week (all are scheduled for 3 p.m.):
Tuesday
- Mayor's Office
- Economic Development
- Planning
- Citizens' Police Oversight Board
- Public Safety
- Fire
- Police
Wednesday
- Legislative
- Municipal Court - Judges
- Municipal Court - Clerk
- Human Resources
- Neighborhood Services
- Public Service
Thursday
- Law
- Finance
- Health
You can also read the entire budget below: