CINCINNATI ' Before the committee's budget debate, more than a half-dozen community representatives addressed council during the public-comment period to urge funding for economic development programs, arts education and reentry legal services.

Emma (last name unclear), speaking for CincyTech, thanked council for supporting a proposed restoration of the organization's funding to $250,000, noting that the city contribution unlocks an additional $250,000 in state funding. "That doubles the impact we're able to make in the city of Cincinnati," the CincyTech speaker said.

Will Gerhardt, manager of government affairs for the Cincinnati Regional Chamber, spoke in favor of restoring economic-development initiatives in the FY26 package, including support for the port, Ready Cincinnati, the African American Chamber of Commerce, Centrifuse and other startup ecosystem partners.

JB Cropp, CEO of Centrifuse, described the startup incubator's work in Over-the-Rhine and said Centrifuse participants have attracted more than $70 million in co-investment to the region. "These entrepreneurs are our growth engines for the city," he said.

Speakers representing the Art Academy of Cincinnati delivered lyrical remarks and appealed to council for support after the academy left a larger institutional umbrella two decades ago; the academy's advocates asked for city assistance tied to facilities and student services.

Several speakers asked council to preserve or restore funding for the Ohio Justice & Policy Center (OJPC). Gabe Davis and attorney Devin Perry described OJPC's record-sealing, expungement and reentry work. Davis said OJPC sealed records for more than 250 Cincinnatians in six months and that the organization serves people who earn too much to qualify for traditional legal aid but cannot afford private counsel.

The public-comment session set the context for committee discussion of a number of human-services, arts and economic-development allocations included in the omnibus budget and later amendments.