Over Mayor Justin Bibb’s opposition, Cleveland City Council on Tuesday passed an annual budget that pays for ward projects by dipping into last year’s leftover cash.
Bibb has called the move “irresponsible” given looming union negotiations and potential federal cuts. Council members said they needed the extra money for street repairs, security cameras and parks that City Hall might not otherwise address.
The spending plan scoops $4.6 million out of a pool of $61 million that went unspent last year. While $4.6 million is a relatively small amount of money in city budget terms, the fight pointed to the twin financial realities facing Cleveland.
On one hand, the city entered 2025 unusually flush with cash, thanks to two reserve funds totaling $67 million and $73 million, in addition to $61 million left over from last year. On the other hand, City Hall is bracing possible cuts in federal aid to municipalities under President Donald Trump.
Council President Blaine Griffin rejected criticism of council’s spending in an interview following Tuesday’s meeting. Council members have previously spent discretionary dollars on such items as holiday food assistance, police workout equipment and park upgrades.
“This thing – like somehow we’re these greedy rascals that are trying to somehow bilk the public’s dollars – is asinine,” he said. “These are money and dollars that go directly to investments into the infrastructure and the people of the City of Cleveland.”
Griffin pointed out that council passed the budget unanimously, meaning it had the votes to override a mayoral veto. The city must pass a budget by April 1. While there is still time for the mayor to veto the budget and for council to override the veto, the window to act is closing.
Asked after the council meeting if he would sign the budget legislation, Bibb turned up his hands and smiled but did not answer.
Nearly $1 billion for city services
The overall budget would spend $810 million from the city’s General Fund, which accounts for such basic services as police, fire and EMS. The full city budget, including spending on the airport and city utilities, comes in at about $2.1 billion.
City Hall is budgeting for 1,350 police officers but had more than 200 vacancies as of January. The Bibb administration has increased police pay in an effort to close the gap. Low-level patrol officers now make $62,651 annually, according to a list of employees and salaries released by City Hall in February.
The city and the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association negotiated another raise in the latest contract for rank-and-file officers, which has yet to be approved by council. The proposed three-year contract would increase officer pay 3% in each year.
This year’s budget also includes more code enforcement jobs in the Department of Building and Housing. Council’s final budget deal with the administration added 11 more EMS jobs.
