IndianaLocalNews

South Bend Mayor signs off on city’s 2022 budget

(Photo supplied/City of South Bend)

Mayor James Mueller has signed the City of South Bend’s 2022 budget after its adoption by the South Bend Common Council on Monday, Oct. 11.

The 2022 budget is the culmination of months of public hearings and budget input sessions and incorporates the historic funding from the federal American Rescue Plan.

“I am grateful to the Common Council and the City team for their hard work crafting this historic budget for our neighborhoods and prioritizing our community’s needs,” said Mayor James Mueller. “Special thanks to our City Controller, Dan Parker, and Chairman of the Personnel and Finance Committee, Troy Warner, for leading the City’s efforts throughout the months-long budget process.”

The majority of the $386 million structural budget covers “baseline spending,” which includes essential governmental services such as the Police and Fire Departments and the City’s utility operations. Roughly $79 million of the budget will support strategic operations and strategic initiatives identified by the administration and Common Council, and an additional $46.3 million from the ARP will support other strategic priorities.

The 2022 budget and ARP plan prioritizes funding for programs within five primary strategic priorities:

  • Strong Neighborhoods: Over $25 million for projects to strengthen South Bend’s neighborhoods, including funding for expanded home repair and homebuying assistance, commercial and emergency demolitions, and a doubling of funding for neighborhood infrastructure work like curbs, sidewalks, and traffic calming.
  • Safe Community For Everyone: Provides $12 million for homelessness and mental health partnerships, violence reduction programs, and public safety technology upgrades.
  • Robust, Sustainable Infrastructure: $26 million for green infrastructure, street, wastewater, water, and stormwater improvements, including full funding for the Rebuilding Our Streets Plan.
  • Equitable Access to Opportunity: More than $6 million to support small businesses, provide utility relief to residents, and support new immigrants coming to South Bend
  • Youth and Workforce Development: More than $12 million to support the creation. of the Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Center, fund workforce development programs, and fund the development of neighborhood Pre-K centers.

“This budget leverages federal funding and the City’s strong cash reserves to allow for once-in-a-lifetime investment in our community while maintaining strong, long-term financial sustainability,” said City Controller Dan Parker. “I’d like to thank the Common Council members for their leadership through the 2022 budget process, and I’m excited for the incredible impact that this budget will have on our City.”

Two salary ordinances remain to be adopted and are scheduled to be considered at the next Common Council meeting later this month.

Not everybody was happy with the budget breakdown. The following statement was sent to 95.3 MNC from South Bend Councilman Henry Davis Jr.:

“The budget is the city’s moral document. This year our moral document left out members of our public that have been greatly impacted by the pandemic. The digital divide is even bigger, the South Bend Housing Authority does not get any assistance to help house our working poor, and the idea of celebrating less than 20 homes being built juxtaposes to 700+ homes being demolished during 1,000 homes in 1,000 days is appalling. 

The actions of this council with plans prepared by our mayor have shown me that people of color and poor folk do not have any value in South Bend. The proof is in the budget. We are clearly invisible to this local government. I am ashamed.”

 
Councilman Henry Davis, Jr.

 

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1 comment

Van October 31, 2021 at 9:40 pm

HENRY DAVIS IS RIGHT. WHERE IS THE LOVE?

Reply

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