​At its regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 15, Toledo City Council will likely vote on Ordinance 496-20 which would approve adjustments within the 2020 approved budget. Changes would increase the estimate for general fund revenues by $20,043,238. Notable individual revenue adjustments include increases of $6.4 million from income tax collections and $16.8 million from excess Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation rebates, and a decrease of $4 million from the traffic photo enforcement program and court fines. Changes would also increase the estimate for general fund expenditures by $965,395. The ordinance would also make a number of other city fund adjustments.

As the last leaves touch the ground and the snow begins to fall, we know it's the start of December. Here at the Chamber, we're looking forward to the start of 2021 and all the new changes and events that come with it. But first, let's celebrate our new members who joined us in November 2020.

​​By Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz’s proposed 2021 operating and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budgets are expected to be referred to committee at Toledo City Council’s regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 1. Ordinance 470-20 estimates operating expenditures of $283,118,577 which is $14.2 million higher than the amended 2020 budget that included adjustments in response to COVID-19. It is balanced using a transfer of $11 million from the CIP fund and almost $23 million from general fund reserves. Income tax revenue is expected to generate $178.4 million, which is $7.7 million higher than the amended 2020 budget, but still lower than estimates prior to COVID. Separately, $17 million in new revenue for roads is expected from the additional 0.25 percent income tax approved this year. Ordinance 471-20 includes CIP expenditures of $18.7 million for residential roads and $20.3 million for other capital projects in 2021. Hearings on both the operating and CIP budgets, which can be view here, are scheduled for December 7 at noon, December 14 at 5:00 p.m., and December 16 at 5:00 p.m. The proposal sets January 19, 2021 as the target date for passage of the budgets, while the statutory deadline for passage is March 31, 2021.

​​By Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

Registration is now open for the 20th edition of the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce’s public service leadership program which begins in January. The Institute for Leadership & Advocacy is designed to build and strengthen our region’s leaders to help them serve their communities and work with public officials. The program is the longest-running of its kind in the state and has to date graduated more than 400 leaders in our region.