By Gregory Korte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Even with a projected $35 million deficit, Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken is expected to release a budget today that finds money to fix up recreation centers, increase support for the arts, hire more police officers and eliminate the Planning Department.

"Police over planners," Mr. Luken says of his budget.

Another slogan: "Safe and clean."

Beyond that, Mr. Luken is being deliberately short on specifics, which he will announce with much fanfare at the Madisonville Recreation Center this afternoon.

With the dawn of the "strong mayor" era last year, it's the first time a Cincinnati mayor has drafted a biennial budget since 1925. Mr. Luken said the budget would be "the clearest reflection yet of how our new system works."

"This is designed to be a statement. A city speaks many ways, but most importantly through how it spends its money," he said. "I'm not going to be shy about the promotional aspects of my job. I think this budget contains some things that are very good news. It has more focus, more clarity."

A few details emerged from City Hall this week:

There will be about three dozen layoffs, and about 100 vacant positions will be eliminated. Mr. Luken said they would include positions like "public information officers," whose duties will be shifted to department directors.

The mayor will continue his commitment to add 75 police officers since 2001.

The Planning Department will be eliminated, shifting many of those functions to the Community Development Department. Mr. Luken said the budget would also call for "reorganizations of bureaucracy beyond that."

The mayor will call for City Council to increase its commitment to capital arts funding, now at $1 million a year.

The city will spend $8.5 million on improvements to recreation facilities in 2003, up from $3.3 million in 2002.

Recreation Director James Garges said five community centers top the list for upgrades: Westwood Town Hall, Millvale, Winton Hills, LeBlond and the Dunham Complex. Also, 60 playgrounds and several athletic fields would be improved.

E-mail gkorte@enquirer.com