With Cleveland’s windfall of ARPA money, Mayor Justin Bibb proposed a $500,000 participatory budgeting pilot program, where citizens could direct spending. City Council rejected the idea, arguing that the process was undemocratic because it disregarded voters, who placed council members in office to make spending decisions. Now a “People’s Budget” totaling 2% of the city’s general fund budget, or roughly $14 million, is on the November ballot. Proponents aim to create “a democratizing force in the governance of our city.” Bibb and City Council President Blaine Griffin oppose the proposed charter amendment. So do a growing number of labor unions, including the police and EMS unions, because they say setting aside that money could jeopardize delivery of basic services. A possible compromise just collapsed. And as campaign season kicks off, it’ll be up to Cleveland voters to decide. – Laura |
Overnight Scores and Weather |
Guardians vs. Minnesota Twins: Guardians prevent sweep, regain measure of respect with 2-1 win over Twins Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Cooler with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms |
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“Participatory budgeting” would set aside the equivalent of 2% of Cleveland's general fund budget each year – roughly $14 million – for programs and capital projects that would be decided by residents. |
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Participatory budgeting: Several of Cleveland’s major labor organizations have come out against the proposed People’s Budget charter amendment that would allow residents to directly decide how to spend a portion of the city’s annual budget. Meanwhile, Courtney Astolfi reports, talks brewing in recent days around a potential compromise between People’s Budget supporters and City Council, which largely opposes it, have collapsed. Dominion Energy: A Canadian natural gas company called Enbridge has agreed to buy the East Ohio Gas Co., meaning that 1.2 million Dominion Energy customers in Ohio are in line to have a new utility. Sean McDonnell reports many Northeast Ohioans may, eventually, see some changes. But the company wants “as smooth and painless as a transition as possible” for customers. Today in Ohio: Democrats and voting-rights groups challenging Ohio’s Republican-drawn congressional district map have asked the Ohio Supreme Court to dismiss their own cases. We’re talking about the latest redistricting drama on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast. |
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Vouchers: The Ohio Department of Education has received 66,363 applications for the school voucher program that helps parents with tuition at private schools after the General Assembly expanded eligibility in the two-year state budget. Laura Hancock reports that thus far, the Ohio Department of Education has approved 27,553 of the applications for EdChoice Expansion scholarships. Solar farm: The Ohio Supreme Court dismissed a case Wednesday asking the court to reverse a state board’s rejection of a permit to build a solar farm in Greene County, reports Jake Zuckerman. The court didn’t explain itself beyond noting the participating justices unanimously dismissed the case for lack of jurisdiction. School supplies: Noting that large swaths of teachers spend several hundred dollars each year – and sometimes more – on unreimbursed school supplies, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown is re-introducing legislation that would quadruple the tax deduction that educators can take for school expenses from $250 to $1,000 each year, reports Sabrina Eaton. Householder: The downfall of now imprisoned ex-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder could soon face national, feature-length treatment. The former U.S. attorney who brought racketeering charges against the Householder and a GOP operative who blew the whistle on the scheme tell Jake Zuckerman they’ve been interviewed by HBO for the project. |
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CLE neighborhoods: Ohio City existed for almost 20 years independently until 1854, when Cleveland annexed it. In 1836, the rivalry boiled over with the Ohio City Bridge Wars. Rerouted commerce and tolls led to violent outbreaks – guns, pitchforks and the like - over the use of the Columbus Street Bridge, reports Marc Bona as part of our neighborhoods project. Fair wage grants: Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb will don an apron at Fat Cats in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood to announce a High Roads Kitchen program, in partnership with One Fair Wage and High Road Restaurants. Marc Bona reports 10 $5,000 grants will be awarded from the George Gund Foundation to small-business restaurants to help support their efforts to bolster wages, encourage fair-labor practices and recruit workers. Insulin lawsuit: Cuyahoga County on Wednesday sued the makers and distributors of insulin over the drastic spike in drug prices, reports Adam Ferrise. The lawsuit filed in federal court in Cleveland mirrors others filed recently, including one by the city of Cleveland. |
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Money Talks: Darnell Mayberry implores you to believe that if he can clean up his financial picture, you can too. You must start with your attitude and behaviors. It took tremendous sacrifice, discipline, education and an unwavering commitment to delayed gratification to get to his goal. Luna: Bridget Thibeault opened her third Luna Bakery Café in Cleveland’s Warehouse District’s Western Reserve Building. Paris Wolfe reports Thibeault's first Luna opened in 2011 in the Cedar Fairmount District of Cleveland Heights, followed in 2018 with a Moreland Hills location. |
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Judge Celebrezze: A Cuyahoga County domestic relations court judge’s former staff attorney filed a lawsuit on Tuesday accusing the judge and court administrators of retaliating against her for allowing a news reporter to review public court files. The lawsuit, which attorney Subodh Chandra filed on behalf of Georgeanna Semary, accuses the court’s administrative judge, Leslie Ann Celebrezze, administrator James Zak and other officials of demoting Semary and cutting her pay by $20,000 this summer, reports Cory Shaffer. Pinkey Carr: Former Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Pinkey Carr was sentenced to four months of probation Wednesday after she pleaded no contest to filing false court documents during her time on the bench. Cory Shaffer reports the hearing marked an end to the saga that has derailed the legal career of one of the court’s longest and most well-known jurists. Lawyer suspended: An Independence attorney’s law license was suspended indefinitely after his conviction for soliciting a 15-year-old girl and buying drugs from a cocaine dealer and human trafficker. Molly Walsh reports the Ohio Supreme Court handed down the discipline Wednesday against Shawn Romer. |
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Woody Allen: The Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque’s decision to present a series of Woody Allen movies over the course of the next six weeks raised a few eyebrows, reports Joey Morona. Amazon Studios terminated his contract in 2018 after longstanding allegations that he sexually abused his adoptive daughter, Dylan Farrow, when she was 7 years old resurfaced at the height of the #MeToo movement. John Ewing, the Cinematheque’s longtime director, admits the case against Allen is “pretty convincing,” but believes it’s necessary to separate the art from the artist. Visiting Hawaii: When it comes to travel to Hawaii, visitors have been getting mixed messages, reports Susan Glaser. Shortly after the devastating fires, visitors were told by both government officials and residents to leave Maui and to stay away. This week, the Hawaii Tourism Authority has shifted its messaging, encouraging respectful, responsible tourism to Maui. Ask Lucas: A reader wants to know how he should respond to emails. Lucas Daprile writes that if your friends can’t love you for the spunky, goofy self that you are, then you should absolutely leave society and go live in a tent. Barbie Dreamhouse: The 2023 Barbie Truck Dreamhouse Living Tour will stop at Crocker Park on Saturday, with oodles of goodies for fans to buy, reports Alex Darus. Food photos: Cleveland.com and Yelp Cleveland partnered to find the most photographed restaurant in Greater Cleveland. Brenda Cain and Yadi Rodriguez report that Michael Symon’s Mabel’s BBQ on East Fourth Street in downtown Cleveland came out on top as having the most photographed food. |
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Invasive insect species infesting elm trees detected in Ohio for first time Read more Three candidates vie to be next Berea Municipal Court clerk Read more Jeremy Zelwin faces challenger Steven Horn in Solon Ward 3 council race Read more Rubber City Jazz and Blues Festival to feature more than 50 musicians Sept. 7-9 in Akron Read more Stop! Fairview Park crossing guard nears 50-year mark Read more Lakewood’s Winterhurst Ice Arena skating into new opportunities for community programming Read more Karam Hasrouni joins Brooklyn Board of Education Read more Parma Heights Fire Department to buy another new ambulance Read more Parma City Schools moves specialized programs to former Parma Park Elementary School Read more |
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