A City Government that Works for You

The trust between Clevelanders and their municipal government is functionally non-existent, and its relatively easy to see why: undemocratic practices are rampant in the corridors of City Hall. City Council meetings, for example, have not allowed the opportunity for public comment for years, and standard, day-to-day legislation is consistently passed as "emergency ordinances", which fast-tracks implementation and circumvents public review. For example, in 2017, City Council approved the Quicken Loans Arena (now Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse) renovation project and did so as "emergency legislation" despite the clear lack of an emergency. Practices like these undermine the public's trust in their government, and without a trustworthy government, none of the other issues facing our city can be properly addressed.

My plan lays the foundations for a trustworthy, accountable, and transparent municipal government. First, we must reform City Council. I believe that the two biggest changes we need to make are to establish public comment at City Council meetings and to end the misuse of Council's "emergency ordinance" powers. Additionally, City Council meetings should be held not only at City Hall but at libraries, parks, and other neighborhood institutions to promote resident engagement. Lastly, I will work actively to effectively represent the residents of Ward 11, which will include opening a publicly accessible office in the ward where residents will be able to directly address their concerns.

"Better Council, Better Cleveland" Pledge

I'm proud to support Rebecca Maurer's "Better Council, Better Cleveland" pledge:

"1. First, we must establish public comment at City Council meetings.

2. Second, we must give Clevelanders input over the budget. In this challenging year where the budget will face strain because of COVID-19, we can start with resident forums for feedback and take the low-cost measure of putting an interactive version of the city budget online like other cities do.

3. Third, we must take City Council to the people. As soon as it is safe, let’s hold council meetings at recreation centers, libraries, and parks. Let’s show the public what council does — and do work worthy of public viewing."

My Plan to Effectively Represent Ward 11 and Democratize Cleveland's Government

  • Bring an end to City Council's undemocratic and deceptive practice of passing standard legislation as "emergency ordinances".
  • Mandate that City Council meetings provide the opportunity for public comment.
  • Hold City Council meetings not only at City Hall but at neighborhood institutions throughout Cleveland.
  • Overhaul the process of appointing successors to open Council seats by allowing for public comment and shortening the amount of time before a general election in which a special election is not called.
  • Open a publicly-accessible office within Ward 11 to promote resident engagement and respond more effectively to constituent concerns.
  • Work tirelessly to represent the residents of Ward 11 and address their day-to-day concerns as their ombudsman.
  • Expand the scope of resident services offered to those who live in Cleveland and improve access to ensure that everyone who wants to utilize them is able to do so.

Join the Grassroots Movement

If you're ready to join the fight for a Cleveland that works for everyone, we would love to have you onboard.