FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) — The Fort Wayne City Council is proposing significantly deeper budget cuts for 2026 than last year, with nearly $17.4 million in reductions on the table. By comparison, the council proposed about $4 million in cuts for 2025, of which only around $600,000 were actually implemented.

This year, most of the proposed reductions come from Republican council members. Councilmen Jehl, Marty Bender, and Nathan Hartman each suggested at least $10 million in cuts, while Councilmen Paul Ensley and Scott Myers added smaller reductions totaling several million more.

Among Democrats, only 6th District Councilwoman Rohli Booker proposed any reductions, suggesting just over $50,000 in cuts by trimming a sports grant and scaling back the city’s parking administration.

The proposed cuts are part of ongoing discussions as the council works to balance the 2026 budget amid competing priorities for city services and investments.