FY27 City Council Members’ Budget Priority Memos
The agenda for the meeting of the Budget, Finance and Governance Committee on April 6, 2026 contains a memo from each member of council concerning their FY 27 Budget priorities. The Committee Chairman, Councilmember Cramerding, did not submit a memo. The members’ priority memos are posted below.
I have a quick story about “earmarks.” When I was going through my confirmation process to serve as the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Commerce, earmarks were a hot issue on Capitol Hill. Recall the “Bridge to Nowhere.” One of the hurdles along the way of my confirmation was an interview with very seasoned staff of the Senate Commerce Committee. The first question out of the box was, “What are your views on earmarks?” I responded, “I think there are good earmarks and some not so good earmarks.” They said, “Good Answer.” The rest of the interview was a breeze. That is still my answer.
However, Cincinnati’s process, seriously lacks transparaency around most, if not all, of the nearly $35 million in earmarks in the priority memos. Where do the numbers come from? How is the public supposed to tell a good earmark from a not-so-good earmark?
FY27 budget priorities Jeffreys
FY27 budget priorities Johnson
FY27 budget priorities Kearney
