Ohio United States Sen. Bernie Moreno says Cincinnati is at risk of losing federal funding if the city doesn’t halt an ordinance that passed last month, according to a letter sent by Moreno to Mayor Aftab Pureval. Moreno’s letter demands the city halt an ordinance that passed on June 10 that created a new city department called the Department of Economic Inclusion and Procurement.
Department of Economic Inclusion
The ordinance passed city council unanimously and combines the functions previously handled separately by the Department of Economic Inclusion and the Division of Purchasing. Moreno’s letter to Pureval reads, ‘Taxpayers should never foot the bill for woke DEI policies or initiatives.’ Moreno agrees with President Donald Trump’s executive order, signed on March 26, 2026, that addressed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion discrimination by federal contractors.
According to the city’s recommended operating budget document for the 2026-27 financial year, the mission of the Department of Economic Inclusion is ‘to ensure economic opportunity and inclusion for all citizens seeking to do business with the City of Cincinnati and serve as a catalyst for the growth of minority- and women-owned businesses in the City and throughout the region.’ Moreno adds that the adoption of the ordinance represents a ‘gross misallocation of resources, at a time when the city faces a surge in violent crime, including multiple recent homicides, a mass shooting, and a persistent law enforcement recruiting crisis that undermines public safety.’
Crime Statistics
According to Cincinnati police data published on June 29, violent crime — which encompasses homicides, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault — is down 3.6% year-over-year from 2025 to 2026. While there have been fewer shooting incidents from year-to-year (down nearly 2%), there has been a year-over-year increase in shooting victims.
Moreno ends his letter asking for the mayor to provide five specific data points: the exact amount of federal funds the city has received over the last three fiscal years, the projected cost of the implementation of the new department, the process by which the city will seek applications, review, and award contracts, how the city is complying with the Department of Justice’s Memorandum regarding Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination, and the most recent city law enforcement staffing data.
Original reporting: WLWT Cincinnati — read the source article.
