Mayor: Budget progress being made

CINCINNATI - Progress is being made, that's the word out of Cincinnati City Council Wednesday afternoon.

With a day's worth of behind-the-scenes negotiations complete, the Budget and Finance Committee has adjourned until 7 p.m.

The special session of council has adjourned until 8 p.m.

"The discussions are so that we can actually have a budget when we come back at 7 p.m. this evening to meet in 'Finance,'" said Roxanne Qualls, the city's Vice Mayor and committee chair.

Mayor Mark Mallory told reporters that he is encouraged by the progress the committee members are making.

"I can't give you any particulars right now because we are still in conversation about where this budget is headed. I will tell you that I'm optimistic that we have made some progress but at this point there is still no deal," said Mallory.

Members of the Budget and Finance Committee have been at odds over a proposed garbage collection fee and managed competition that would allow private contractors to bid on sanitation work.

Councilmember Cecil Thomas said earlier in the day that cutting the controversial proposals out could help pass a budget for 2011.

When asked if the garbage fee was now off-the-table neither the Mallory nor Qualls would comment.

Stay with 9 News and WCPO.com for the latest developments as Cincinnati leaders negotiate the 2011 budget.