At 9 this morning, the council will yet again sit down to debate the budget, and most of the briefing will likely focus on cuts to Park and Rec, which is looking to lose around $15.4 million out of its budget in the coming fiscal year (from $64,266,766 to $48,855,266), and a could-be-round-the-corner tax hike.
But Mayor Tom Leppert's chief of staff, Chris Heinbaugh, just sent word of a late addition to the agenda: a noon press conference in the Flag Room at City Hall, during which the mayor "will have an important announcement that will help ease the City budget situation and news about a major new city-wide initiative being launched today." I asked Heinbaugh for a hint. His eyes brightened and he leaned back in his chair. "Tee-hee-hee-hee!"