Akron will spend close to $16 million dollars on safety services and road repair this year. The city Wednesday released its plans for the Safety & Streets fund, financed by an income tax levy passed in 2017.
The police and fire departments will receive about $5 million dollars each to replace vehicles, including 28 police cruisers and two fire engines. The money will also partially fund a new fire station.
City spokesperson Ellen Lander-Nischt says the city was not able to invest as much into vehicle maintenance and repair prior to the levy. "We still have a lot of vehicles that are in need of replacement, so every year we’re just trying to really replace a lot of those oldest, most worn out vehicles," Lander-Nischt said.
The remaining funds will go toward maintaining police and fire department staffing levels and repaving city streets.
“Obviously, we need to always be looking to replace people who are leaving for retirement and other means, but I think it’s a topic of conversation."
The city also plans to replace a fire station in 2021. A portion of the funds will go toward that project.
