Dozens of residents and city officials discussed Akron's top issues in a community forum Tuesday.
Mayor Shammas Malik and members of his administration gave a presentation about the city鈥檚 proposed $798 million budget at East Community Learning Center in the city's Goodyear Heights neighborhood.
Attendees then gathered into small groups with city officials to give feedback on the budget and ask questions.
The groups each focused on one of the budget's four main priorities: public safety, core city services, strategic initiatives and fiscal responsibility.
Many people flocked to the public safety table to discuss the police and fire departments, as well as the police oversight board.
Rev. Joyce Penfield spoke in support of the oversight board's proposed budget increase.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really a good investment. It鈥檚 a great investment because it is helping to create a system of trust, we hope, a little at a time in the community,鈥� Penfield said.
The board has requested a budget of $544,352, up from last year鈥檚 $414,000. An additional $150,000 for new software and independent legal counsel for the board are proposed under the mayor鈥檚 office budget.
Councilmember Jan Davis sat at the table across from Penfield. She expressed concern about funding a board that does not have disciplinary authority.
Voters approved a charter amendment to create the board in 2022, but members have said the amendment鈥檚 language is vague about its investigative powers.
Akron City Council rejected the board鈥檚 request to have subpoena power last year. Representatives from the police union have said broader investigative authority would conflict with the collective bargaining agreement.
鈥淲e can continue to add money, and add money, but if you have (a) charter, you have policies, procedures, union contracts that are all restraining forces to moving this forward, I鈥檓 having a hard time seeing where we should fund this,鈥� Davis said.
The board needs to try to extend its powers through another charter amendment, Davis added.
鈥淪o here, we鈥檙e stuck with a board that you want us to fund; it (doesn鈥檛) work,鈥� she said.
John Williams, president of the Akron Urban League, agreed that the board does not have power but said it鈥檚 important to continue funding the work that it is permitted by the charter to do, such as data collection.
The board is requesting funds to purchase case management software.
鈥淭he committee has zero power, and I agree that they need to have power,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淚 will say, data collection and some of the other independent pieces that the committee needs to effectively do their job, in alignment with the creation of an additional 鈥� amendment, to give the review board more power, is needed.鈥�
Penfield pushed back on Davis鈥� and Williams鈥� comments that the board has no power. The board鈥檚 police auditor, Anthony Finnell, is making recommendations to improve police department policies, she said.
鈥淚t has power in the fact that standards are being, are being challenged and implemented now, one little piece at a time,鈥� Penfield said.
Housing, communication also discussed
Citizens discussed a wide variety of topics at the other tables, from lead abatement, litter, emergency communications and housing.
Georgann Mirgliotta attended the meeting to share her thoughts on homelessness and housing, she said.
While she does not live in Akron, she works with people experiencing homelessness in the city. She鈥檇 like to see more funding for homeless services because local shelters are full.
鈥淭here's nowhere for them to go. That鈥檚 an emergency. We need 24/7, 365 emergency shelter,鈥� Mirgliotta said. 鈥淣ot for them to stay for a long period of time, but to get connected with services so that they can move on.鈥�
Mirgliotta appreciates the city funding an emergency overnight shelter, but that facility is only open during the cold months.
There鈥檚 a growing need for a permanent shelter, she said.
Summit County Continuum of Care Director Marquetta Boddie also attended the meeting. The county鈥檚 unsheltered homeless population recently increased by 300%, she said.
鈥淭here has to be more resources and more priority put behind homelessness,鈥� Boddie said. 鈥淚 think right now, we鈥檙e kind of talking about it as an afterthought, but when you start to think about federal funding being cut 鈥� it is a serious matter that we really need to start paying attention to.鈥�
Akron budget overview
This year鈥檚 budget proposes a two-percent decrease in expenditures compared to last year. About 71% of the budget accounts for staffing, Malik said.
Amid looming federal and state funding cuts, the mayor said he is looking for other ways to save money and generate revenue this year.
鈥淭here will be this balance between delivering the highest service levels possible, while also being fiscally responsible,鈥� Malik said during a presentation to Akron City Council鈥檚 budget committee last week.
The city has a forecasted $13 million shortfall of revenues compared to expenditures, due to its 2.5% income tax rate not keeping pace with inflation, he said.
鈥淭here will be this balance between delivering the highest service levels possible, while also being fiscally responsible.鈥�Akron Mayor Shammas Malik
Although other Ohio cities have the same income tax rate, Akron is unique because 0.25% of the income tax funds is designated for community learning centers, a funding model approved by voters in 2003.
Additionally, 75 public safety positions previously funded by federal grants - $49 million over the past five years 鈥� will now be charged to the city鈥檚 general fund, Malik said.
The shortfall will be balanced with $8 million in interest earnings from American Rescue Plan Act funds and a $5 million draw from a portion of the city's income tax dedicated to funding police, fire and road improvements, Malik said.
鈥淭his is a budget that seeks to be more limited, while making a couple of investments where it is more targeted,鈥� Malik said.
Akron City Council must pass the budget by the end of the month.
