CLEVELAND — On Monday night, Cleveland City Council gave preliminary approval to Mayor Justin Bibb’s proposed $1.8 billion annual budget following passage by the Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee earlier in the day.
After the 7-2 vote by the committee, Monday's approval from council came in the form of a “second reading," with three readings required for passage and adoption. Council must finalize the budget by April 1.
Bibb's proposed budget includes a $709.95 million General Fund for daily operations and services. To balance the 2022 budget, the plan put forth by the Bibb administration included rolling over $56 million of $132 million in money the city carried over from 2021. The federal American Rescue Act funding helped the city end the year with the extra balance.
Despite giving tentative approval to Bibb's budget, council members voiced their concerns over the administration not providing a structurally balanced budget – where revenues equal expenses. They also laid out some concerns about the following challenges facing Cleveland when considering the budget for this year:
- Rising oil and gas prices exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which in turn will likely increase the costs of goods and services.
- Unanswered questions about how much income tax the city may have to reimburse those who worked from home last year rather than at their Cleveland offices.
- Union wage and benefit negotiations that are set to start soon with the 30 unions that represent different city employees.
The council stated these "likely increases" were not incorporated into the budget.
"This council really didn't want to vote for this," Council President Blaine Griffin told Cleveland Finance Director Ahmed Abonamah prior to calling the roll for the committee's vote on Monday. "I'm reaching out to my colleagues to say 'let's give the mayor an opportunity.'"
Council did make several changes to the proposed budget:
- Added new positions, including two in the Department of Health, one in the Landmarks Commission and one in the Board of Building Standards.
- Raised annual salaries of council members’ executive assistants to not exceed $55,000 from the current $48,726.
- Added $200,000 to Vision Zero, a traffic safety program.
- Increased funding for the Right to Counsel program from $300,000 to $500,000. The program assigns free legal assistance to families with children who are facing evictions.
- Increased funding for the Cleveland Muni Football League from $80,000 to $160,000.
- Added back to the budget the Age Friendly Home Investment Program that provides $150,000 per ward for senior home repair. Council initiated this new program to help seniors in 2018, but it wasn’t included in the mayor’s 2022 budget.
- Added back to the budget $150,000 for each of the 17 council members to assist in funding neighborhood projects including park or playground improvements, street repairs and other infrastructure. Council first added this in 2018, but it wasn’t included in the mayor’s 2022 budget.
Council’s additions add approximately $5.8 million to the budget, which increased the rollover amount to nearly $62 million.
Following the second reading, the budget must “sit” for seven days after publication in the City Record. The third and final reading leading to a formal approval could come at council’s March 21 meeting.
Related Stories:
- New Cleveland Police Academy graduates take oath
- ‘Restoring Public Square to its original intent’: Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb proposes legislation to remove temporary barriers
- Meeting the mayor: A look at Justin Bibb’s appointment calendar | Mark Naymik Reports
- West Side Market vendors embrace changes while still remaining true to what makes them special
