Something like that. I think Ford's thinking processes, such as they are, run something like:
1) The city wants to spend money on something that's not my idea? Must be a waste of money
2) Mental health? What is that really? Can't people just pull themselves together, get a grip, get over it?
3) You can't stop people killing themselves, at least not with money. So again, waste of money.
4) What kind of people kill themselves anyway? Hmm ... well, that guy who was abused by that child molester at MLG. Maybe if we used money to nab guys like that.
In the case of the arts, he'd probably use a similar argument, except insinuate that the arts don't need money, especially if they somehow promote/hide child molestation.
Ford is very skilled at 'othering' those who don't follow his reflexive desire to withhold money whenever possible. There's something psychological to his pattern of denial of monetary assistance.