Columbus mayor unveils $1.99 billion capital budget

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- In what the city is calling the largest in its history, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther proposed uses for the $1.99 billion 2024 capital budget Wednesday.

Some of the major items allocated in the budget include $104 million for the construction of new affordable homes as well as support for those experiencing homelessness.

Another $150 million is designated for a new Franklin County Municipal Court building and $50 million to construct the Real Time Crime Center and Public Safety Campus.

Ginther said this year’s budget is strategic while still focusing on keeping the city safe.

“Community safety remains our top priority,” he said. “We know what happened last week in the Short North was unacceptable and it must stop. We will not allow an extremely small group of violent criminals to disrupt our way of life, diminish our collective sense of safety and wellbeing, or roll back the progress we achieved in decreasing our city's homicide count to nearly 10-year lows.”

The Capital budget has been submitted to Columbus City Council. Beginning next week, council will hold three public hearings to discuss the mayor’s proposal.

For more on the budget, click here. To see the schedule for council’s public budget sessions, click here.