Summary
- Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb’s administration presented its 2026 General Fund budget priorities, emphasizing public safety, neighborhood stability and modernization.
- Safety and staffing are top priorities. The administration is proposing a $14 million increase to the police, fire and EMS budgets. The city is also investing $21 million to modernize all five police district buildings to improve police officer morale and retention.
- Lost lead grant: Bibb took “full responsibility” for the administration’s failure to execute an Ohio Department of Development grant, which resulted in the loss of $3.3 million intended for lead abatement. The administration admitted to imposing too much internal “red tape” and promised a revamped strategy. [Editor’s note: Read more on this story from Signal Cleveland’s Nick Castele.]
- The neighborhoods versus downtown debate is ongoing. Multiple council members expressed frustration over a perceived imbalance in investments. Council members pushed for more attention to basic neighborhood services, including code enforcement, street paving and housing repair. Mayor Bibb argued that a vibrant downtown is necessary to generate the tax revenue needed to fund those exact neighborhood services.
Follow-up questions
- How will we know if the new Standing Together Against Neighborhood Crime Every Day (STANCE) unit is actually working in our neighborhood? How long will it be before we can get an actual report on it?
- What is the city’s plan to fix basic things like flooding, broken infrastructure, and slow coding enforcement while the city is spending tax money on big projects?
- When will the public be able to see clear updates on where the money is going?
Scene setting
Attending: Mayor Justin Bibb, CFO Paul Barrett, directors and chiefs from several departments. Council President and committee chair Blaine Griffin and most of Cleveland City Council.
Find the agenda for this meeting here.
Watch the livestream here.
Find the 2026 Mayor’s Estimate here.
Budget Overview
- Cleveland City Council opened the 2026 budget hearings with a presentation from Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and the administration. The mayor framed the budget as a “moral document” focused on public safety, neighborhood stability, economic development and modernizing city operations.
- Council members had questions for administration on staffing, overtime, capital needs, youth opportunities and long-term financial planning.
1. Public Safety remains the top priority
- Police, Fire and EMS budgets increase by $14 million in 2026.
- City investing in $21 million to modernize all five police district buildings.
- Staffing improvements:
- Fire department is fully staffed.
- Police and EMS are staffed 85% or higher.
- The time frame to hire police reduced from 18 months to now four months.
- “STANCE” unit was created to target nuisance crimes, carjackings and quality-of-life issues.
2. Economic development strategy centers on long‑term revenue growth
- $150 million in external grants secured for lakefront development.
- The Department of Economic Development is restructuring, adding six new positions.
3. Neighborhood stability and housing remain major focus areas
- Continued deployment of home repair dollars.
- “Residents First” legislation recognized for holding slum landlords accountable.
- Shaker Square properties undergoing a $20 million reinvestment.
- In 2025, 2,000+ outreach letters helped prevent nearly 5,000 tax foreclosures.
4. City operations modernization continues
- Investments in Workday, Salesforce, Amplify, digital permitting and cybersecurity.
- Development of 311 and real‑time data systems.
- New strategic business unit in the Division of Budget & Management to improve grant management and compliance.
5. Council raised concerns about:
- Rising police overtime (from $22 million to $25 million to $26 million).
- Unfilled positions in key departments such as the Department of Building & Housing.
- Blight and code enforcement capacity.
- Youth employment opportunities beyond summer months.
- Flooding, water main breaks and infrastructure replacement pace.
- Transparency around major capital projects and long‑term financial planning.
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Council Asked…:
Chair Griffin – Ward 6:
- Requested dashboards showing spending on major initiatives (lakefront, South East Side plan, site readiness).
- Questioned flat service‑level assumptions in the five‑year plan despite inflation.
- Asked about grant losses (e.g. the lead safe grant) and whether other grants are at risk.
- Pressed for accountability from banks used by the city and diversification of financial partners.
Council Member Jasmin Santana – Ward 14:
- Asked what residents can expect to feel in terms of safety improvements.
- Raised concerns about blight, code enforcement staffing and compliance rates.
- Asked about year‑round youth employment opportunities.
- Highlighted flooding and water main breaks; asked how the budget shifts from reactive to proactive infrastructure work.
- Requested clarity on renovations for the 2nd District police station.
- Asked about multilingual access as part of “modernizing City Hall.”
Council Member Charles Slife – Ward 15
- Spoke about the tension between big‑picture investments and basic service delivery (e.g. leaf pickup).
- Emphasized the need for disciplined budgeting and realistic expectations.
Budget Themes Identified by the Mayor
Maintaining fiscal discipline (rainy day fund at $70.3 million; six bond rating upgrades) .ment field trip that he has worked with Oakar to coordinate. Fourth graders come into City Hall and create a mock meeting, as well as act out a jury trial.
Affordability & accountability agenda”
Lowering resident costs.
Strengthening neighborhood stability.
Growing the tax base without raising taxes.
Protecting core services.
These notes are by Documenter Stacie Simon.
If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@signalcleveland.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.