Cleveland's 2026 budget is nearly finalized after city council and Mayor Justin Bibb struck an agreement for annual operating costs, with more money for parks, roads and more.
Bibb submitted his proposal to council last month. After weekslong hearings, council leadership presented its wish list, most of which the administration granted.
That agreement includes $20 million for road resurfacing, up $8 million from Bibb's original proposal. That will be funding by the city's capital improvement plan.
The administration also granted council $4.5 million dollars for neighborhood improvement funds, or $300,000 per ward. The fund was a point of contention in years past. Last year, council approved a budget allocating millions more to neighborhood projects despite Bibb's objections. Griffin said not every council member spent those dollars last year.
Other amendments to the mayor's proposal include:
- About $806,000 for the city's receivership fund to level legal action against negligent landlords to prompt takeover of problem housing units. The city recently used this strategy for long-troubled apartments in Shaker Square. Council requested $1 million, and some members noted these funds will drain too quickly because of the costs associated with the legal process.
- $250,000 from the general fund to support the Program
- An additional $10,000 per police district (totaling $50,000) for special events
- $624,000 for 10 park maintenance employees. The budget also includes funding for more arborists.
- $75,000 for an additional, council-sponsored park event in each ward
- $88,400 for one additional electrical safety inspector
After transferring funds and with the new allocations, Finance Director Paul Barrett reported an $82 million carryover instead of the $90 million projected. The city will be using that money to fund capital improvement projects up front, then finance at the end of the year to reimburse city money. This new strategy is intended to save big on interest.
Though Council President Blaine Griffin called the budget agreement "equitable and fair," not all members were pleased with the outcome. Council Member Richard Starr, who represents the Central neighborhood and parts of downtown, decried the lack of investment in what he said are key problems facing his residents, such as food insecurity.
"If we have a $90 million carryover and we just make a $7 million amendment, I'm just not pleased, and I don't think I'm going to support this," Starr said. "I believe we should have more dollars added to be able to do more projects in the neighborhoods to make sure we help and provide resources in addition to capital projects improvements."
Council Member Mike Polensek, who represents Collinwood on the city's Northeast Side, warned the administration about the "optics" of investing in things like the lakefront plan and other downtown initiatives while some neighborhoods struggle.
"All I keep hearing down here is about the lakefront, the lakefront," Polensek said. "At my neighborhood meetings, I don't hear anybody telling me, 'We got to plow another 50, 100 million on the lakefront. As Councilman Starr indicated, we got food deserts all over the East Side."
Griffin urged members to work with council's policy team to push forward legislation to address those problems.
"We don't have to solve all of the world's problems with this initial budget," Griffin said. "My apologies to everybody, but 15 different members, all wanting to have priorities; it's very hard to juggle, but we put together what we believe is a fair, equitable document. And at the end of the day, I'm asking people to support it."
The budget was presented for second reading at council's Monday night's meeting. It must be finalized and passed by April 1, per the city's charter.
