The Chattanooga City Council has OK’d the first reading of Mayor Andy Berke’s 2016 operating budget.
The council unanimously approved the first look at the operating budget in a 9-0 vote.
Jerry Mitchell, who leads the council’s budget committee, thanked Berke and his staff for how the budget has been presented.
Councilman Yusuf Hakeem said the budget wasn’t perfect, “but I think it is in the right direction.”
The council will vote on the second, and possibly final, reading of the operating budget ordinance next week.