Fort Wayne's 2027 city budget took a significant step this week, with City Council approving millions of dollars in cuts on Tuesday night.

Council members approved $11.6 million in reductions to the spending plan Mayor Sharon Tucker proposed in September, according to The Journal Gazette.

The cuts are preliminary, and a final vote is scheduled for the council's next meeting.

Here is a plain look at what happened, what was trimmed and what comes next.

What council did

Council members proposed 66 cuts totaling about $19 million.

They approved 23 of them, withdrew more than 30 and rejected only a few, the Journal Gazette reported.

WANE reported that the meeting lasted about three hours as members worked through the numbers department by department.

Councilmen Russ Jehl, Nathan Hartman, Paul Ensley and Scott Myers, all Republicans, proposed the cuts.

Many of the votes followed party lines, since Republicans hold six of the council's nine seats.

Democrats Geoff Paddock, Rohli Booker and Michelle Chambers opposed the cut drawn from local income tax revenue, which passed 6-3.

Among the cuts

The Journal Gazette lists a $4 million reduction for projects on Coldwater Road and West Jefferson Boulevard.

A separate $2 million cut for sidewalks on and around Coldwater Road passed by a narrow 5-4 vote, according to WANE.

WPTA and WOWO reported cuts to funding for North River District development and to a proposed Portland Loo public restroom downtown.

WIBC reported smaller reductions, in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, for Flock technology, new sidewalks and a park master plan.

Two perspectives

Mayor Tucker said in a statement that the city took a step back, pointing to mainly party-line votes on several of the cuts.

She said the budget, prepared with division and department heads, is responsible, protects taxpayers and looks ahead to future projects.

The Journal Gazette reported that the mayor said she was saddened by the cuts.

In a joint statement, Council President Marty Bender and Finance Committee Chairman Nathan Hartman said their goal was a balanced budget that prioritizes public safety, infrastructure and neighborhoods.

They added that they want to maintain a responsible cash balance for uncertain fiscal times ahead.

They also pointed to changes in Indiana's state tax policies as a factor that complicates the city's budget process.

Where the budget started

Council members have been reviewing the plan since mid-September, and the city's major divisions presented their spending plans earlier this month.

Tucker and City Controller Pat Roller introduced a $257.7 million operating budget in September, up 2.9 percent from the current year.

It included $42 million for neighborhood infrastructure, with $31.9 million for streets, roads and neighborhoods and $6.7 million for sidewalks and alleys.

The plan also maintained 510 police officers and 375 firefighters.

For comparison, council trimmed more than $8.6 million from the 2026 budget last October before passing it.

What happens next

The preliminary approval moves the budget forward, though it has not yet received final approval, according to WOWO.

Council will vote to finalize the budget at its 5:30 p.m. meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 27, in Room 035 of Citizens Square, 200 E. Berry St.

Residents who want to follow along can check the council's agenda before the meeting.

Because the cuts were preliminary, the final numbers could still change before the budget is adopted.

Readers who want the full picture can compare each outlet's coverage, since reporters emphasized different parts of the meeting.

However the final vote goes, the budget will shape what gets paved, built and staffed in Fort Wayne next year.