City of Rochester
News Release
(Wednesday, June 21, 2023) – Last night, Rochester
City Council approved my administration’s spending plan that will support our
efforts to create a safe, equitable and prosperous Rochester. This budget is a
detailed guide that will take our city from a poverty mindset to a prosperity
mindset. It is prudent with its use of taxpayer resources and bold with its
objectives to lift Rochester to the upper echelon of great American cities.
- The City of Rochester’s 2023-24 budget:
- Holds the property tax levy flat;
- Does not raise user fees on refuse, recycling or
public works;
- Continues dedicated funding to the Mayor’s
Office of Violence Prevention programs;
- Increases the hours of operation at all
R-Centers year-round;
- Continues funding of the City’s Summer of
Opportunity Program which provides work opportunities for youth during school
summer break;
- Funds health, wellness, and social-emotional
programming at City R-Centers using ARPA funds;
- Funds Police Officer wellness and invests in
digital evidence collection and business intelligence initiatives;
- Adds a Director of Emergency Management in the
Mayor’s Office to oversee our Emergency Management system and coordinate the
City’s response to disaster and emergency matters;
- Continues City and ARPA investments in lead
service water line replacements, many of which impact our most disadvantaged
neighborhoods;
- Increases full-time positions in our
Neighborhood Service Centers, Code Enforcement Inspection team, Winton Branch
Library, R-Centers, and Financial Empowerment Centers;
- Converts 33 less-than-full-time positions to
permanent full-time, providing viable career paths and financial stability for
these City employees;
- Continues funding of the City’s Buy The Block
Program to build new homes for income-eligible residents on vacant lots in
formerly redlined neighborhoods through the Housing Trust Fund using ARPA
funding;
- Supports the Young Adults Manufacturing Training
Employment Program’s (YAMTEP) efforts to provide manufacturing skills and
training to young adults looking to enter the workforce;
- Funds Rochester’s Guaranteed Basic Income
program which will provide payments to 351 qualified individuals for one year;
- Includes continued funding for the City’s tree
expansion and beautification program;
- Funds investments in public art through the 1%
for Public Arts legislation; and
- Invests in transformational projects that will
revitalize Rochester, grow jobs, attract tourism, and strengthen neighborhoods,
including ROC the Riverway, the Convention Center, Bulls Head, and Vacuum Oil.
It is critical that we stay focused on the real work that is
before us. With the investments outlined in this budget, we will leverage our
available operating, capital and once-in-a-lifetime American Rescue Plan Act
(ARPA) dollars to transform Rochester into a city that inspires hope and
delivers opportunity for everyone.
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