Building a growing, thriving Cincinnati where everyone belongs requires all of us to work together. Government, businesses, nonprofits, and civic growth organizations each have a role to play in shaping our region’s future.
That is why I want to commend City Manager Sheryl Long, Mayor Aftab Pureval, Budget Chair Jeff Cramerding, and the Cincinnati City Council for advancing a Fiscal Year 2027 budget that continues to prioritize economic growth, even in a challenging fiscal environment.
Despite that environment, city leaders made the deliberate choice to continue investing in partnership initiatives that drive long-term growth. Those decisions matter and will pay dividends in the coming years.
Partnerships that produce results
Case in point, the city prioritized funding for REDI Cincinnati, the Port, Cintrifuse, CincyTech, MORTAR, and other key organizations that focus on economic growth and jobs, all while increasing funding for the city’s most important function: public safety.
Economic growth is powered by the entrepreneurs launching businesses, the companies creating jobs, the innovators developing new technologies, the developers building new housing, and the organizations working every day to attract talent and investment to our region. But the policy and funding decisions made at City Hall have a dramatic impact on whether that growth can take root in our city.
Those policy decisions have led to measurable growth. Economic development organizations have helped attract thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in capital investment to the city. They have cultivated high-paying employment, transformed vacant properties into productive community assets, and empowered entrepreneurs and small business owners. Together, these efforts make Cincinnati more competitive.
In addition to the funding for economic development organizations, I applaud the city’s creation and funding of a Neighborhood Development Fund to accelerate strategic investments in Cincinnati’s neighborhoods.
Two years ago, business and community leaders came together through the Cincinnati Futures Commission to develop recommendations for ensuring Cincinnati’s long-term economic growth and fiscal sustainability. A neighborhood development fund of this sort was a key recommendation. The commission made clear that growth is not accidental − it requires intentional investment, strategic leadership, and a sustained commitment to the policies that make Cincinnati more competitive.
The continued funding of economic development partnerships, creation of the Office of Strategic Growth, and the Neighborhood Development Fund represent progress toward implementing the commission’s vision. These investments recognize a fundamental truth: growing our economy expands opportunity for residents while strengthening the city’s long-term fiscal health.
Building Cincinnati’s future together
Cincinnati’s future depends on our ability to attract people, businesses and investment. By continuing to invest in the organizations that drive growth and opportunity, city leaders are helping lay the foundation for a stronger, more prosperous Cincinnati for generations to come.
The Cincinnati Regional Chamber looks forward to continuing to partner with city leaders, businesses and community stakeholders to build a stronger regional economy and ensure Cincinnati remains a growing, thriving region where everyone belongs.
Brendon Cull is president and CEO of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati budget doubles down on jobs, neighborhoods | Opinion
Reporting by Brendon Cull, Opinion contributor / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brendon Cull, Opinion contributor | USA TODAY Network
