FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): The Fort Wayne City Council passed the city's $155.5-million operating budget for 2016 last night. 

The Council approved a plan that slashed $1.2-million in spending, including a $414,000 cut – or 75% – to the City Clerk's budget. It's a move proposed by Council President John Crawford last week in the wake of electioneering allegations within the Clerk's office under former Clerk Sandy Kennedy. The Journal Gazette reports that's enough to run that office for three months, while the rest of the Clerk's cash will sit in another fund and can be reallocated whenever the Council sees fit. 

All of the Council's Republicans voted in favor of the cut; all of its Democrats voted against it. 

Also, a motion to eliminate the city's Public Safety Director position failed on a 4-4 tie vote when Republican Tom Smith sided with Democrats in an effort to keep Rusty York's job. Republicans argued cutting the position would free up almost $161,000 to use elsewhere on public safety.