Fort Wayne City Council’s $1 million cut from the Southeast Strategy Update raised tensions Tuesday as members, including one who called the move “trash,” worked to finalize a budget.

Most City Council members said they needed to cut $1 million from the effort’s local income tax to pass a balanced 2026 budget. The council’s three Democrats asked their Republican counterparts to reconsider as southeast Fort Wayne has historically missed out on investment.

It was part of more than $8.6 million in cuts council approved to Mayor Sharon Tucker’s $244.8 million budget proposal. The cuts also included more than $3.5 million for the planned third phase of riverfront development, $25,000 for maintenance of the downtown Portland Loo and almost $8,000 in elected officials’ salaries.

Council Presid

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