New Philadelphia, Ohio (WJER) - The city’s 2019 budget is short on big projects but high on hopes for more revenue in the future. 

Council last week approved this year’s city budget of just over $30 million. Councilman Rob Maurer says state cuts have contributed to a shrinking carryover, estimated to be $43,000 for 2019.

“Each year, our carryover gets smaller and smaller but when the state has taken away local government funds like they have and the current governor has given us no hope that those would be restored this year at least, unless revenue goes up, it doesn’t keep up with the price of road salt, for example,” he says.

Maurer says the future could be brighter for the city’s revenue with the addition of new businesses, including Menards and Gemini Industrial Machine. 

Ward 1 council member Cheryl Ramos cast the lone “no” vote against the budget. She says she appreciates the work by city staff in putting the budget together, but she had two concerns.

“They removed 2 percent that usually goes to the roads, and you know how wonderful our roads are. They removed 2 percent of that and moved it into the fire pension, and also there’s still zero percent in Master Capital, and I think it’s very important to be putting money into those funds,” she said.         

Maurer disagreed and said Ramos’ concerns came too late in the budget process that began in October. He said council needed to pass the budget by March 31st or essentially face a city government shutdown.

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