The South Bend Common Council approved the city’s 2023 budget of roughly $425 million Monday.
That’s about 16.5 percent higher than last year, but officials said in August the increases are largely driven by multi-year infrastructure projects and inflationary impacts on construction costs.
Those projects include full funding for the third year of Mayor James Mueller’s Rebuilding Our Streets plan, which covers street repairs in city neighborhoods, and money for continued upgrades to the city’s wastewater system.
And the budget includes more funding for the South Bend Police Department to pay for raises and eight new officers as part of a tentative union contract that officials say could lead to a fully staffed SBPD by 2024.
The city received feedback from 898 residents as part of its annual build the budget public engagement process.
According to the report, top priorities included repairing roads, expanding violence intervention initiatives, utility and wastewater improvements and expanding access to affordable housing.
Contact Jakob at jlazzaro@wvpe.org or follow him on Twitter at @JakobLazzaro.
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