The city said will preserve $277 million in federal grants for things like public safety, utilities for low-income housing and funding for city workers.

The city faced the potential loss of $277 million in federal grant funding if it did not end the DEI programs. Councilman Charles Lauersdorf, who represents District 4, said he supported ending the programs because he wanted to keep taxes as low as possible while not sacrificing public safety, which was in line with his constituents’s wishes.

Seventy people signed up to speak at Tuesday night’s city council meeting. The overwhelming majority of people speaking want the city to continue DEI programs, even if it’ll cost hundreds of millions of dollars.