Columbus City Council voted unanimously to amend Mayor Andrew Ginther's proposed budget, adding $2 million to fund the Columbus Promise free tuition program.
The Columbus Promise funds free tuition at Columbus State Community College to Columbus City School students who graduate and attend the two-year college. Ginther introduced his annual budget to council without funding for the program, drawing criticism from Council President Shannon Hardin.
The vote on Monday moves the amendment to the proposed budget, which has yet to be voted on. It uses $2 million in carryover tax receipts from the end of 2025.
Ginther's office and Hardin sparred over the issue before Monday's council meeting.
Ginther's Deputy Chief of Staff Jennifer Fening said in a statement Hardin "chose to express performative outrage about the program’s absence from the budget, in what one can only assume was an attempt to score political points."
Hardin was asked by reporters before the meeting to respond to any assertions that speaking up about the Columbus Promise was "political theatre."
"Because it was a promise made that it would be a part of the budget, as we said, it is never guaranteed that there would be any type of carryover or any type other resources to close this gap," Hardin said. "So I think it is disingenuous to say that it was for sure that it is going to be funded if not for us stepping in and changing the mayor's budget."
Hardin said there was a lot of uncertainty when people saw that the program was not funded. He said council wanted to make sure there was certainty because people are applying for college right now.
"It's hurting us in our ability to make sure that we have the most trained and qualified workforce for the jobs that we are going to continue to work to create tonight as we move economic development forward in our city," Hardin said.
Fening said the mayor's commitment to the program has never waivered.
"We’re facing a lot as a community right now. We don’t have time for naïve attempts at political theatre – especially when it makes young people think their futures are in jeopardy," Fening said. "While the Council President course-corrects on a problem of his own making, Mayor Ginther will be focused on making Columbus a safer and more prosperous city for our young people, and for everyone who calls Columbus home."
Columbus State Community College reopened the application for Columbus Promise. Click here for more information about the program.
