@CleCityCouncil discusses history-making 541 million dollar stimulus (Part I)

Hi, I'm Teela! I will be tweeting last week’s Committee of the Whole meeting Tues 4/6 for #CLEDocumenters @CLEDocumenters @NeighborUpCLE

THIS IS ONE TO WATCH!!

Cleveland slated to receive half of the .5 billion dollars between May 10 - May 15 after President Joe Biden signed 1.9 trillion dollar economic stimulus https://www.whitehouse.gov/american-rescue-plan/

@kevinkelleyCLE: There is no formal agenda, this is a conversation among ourselves to discuss our ideas and priorities. Money MUST be spent by 2024. Official guidelines will be available in two weeks.

Council President @kevinkelleyCLE: Let's be thoughtful and look for solutions that solve our short-term issues and is impactful for generations. Broadband access is a generational gamechanger to take dramatic steps to end the digital divide and set Cleveland to be a leader

@kevinkelleyCLE “If you have access to tech, you have an opportunity to get ahead. If you don’t, you almost
surely will be left behind.” We saw it with school kids and businesses when COVID hit.

#municipalbroad #digitaldivide

"In my years here in public office, I've never seen anything like this. A chance to make more than a dent in some of our outstanding needs and move in a direction that none of us could have conceived before these funds were proposed to us,” says #mikepolensek 44 year Council

Demolition is a major concern to rid his Glenville/Collinwood neighborhood (nbhd) of condemned, derelict properties. Long-lasting Infrastructure: Brand-new vehicles, equipment and technology for Safety forces @clevelandfire1 @CLEpolice
#MikePolensek

“I’ve been through it all, and I ask myself especially on the Eastside, where did [the money] go? Because it didn’t have the impact that we’re all told it was going to have. There's still massive poverty, despair, and disinvestment… These funds cannot go down the same path"

City Services: “I dont have ppl calling me asking me to give more money to Jimmy Haslam . Ppl want their chuckholes filled, streets resurfaced, to get those abandoned houses, security cameras, our parks and playgrounds repaired -its all delivering service to our citizens” MP

Leverage funds: to generate interest income and hold institutions accountable per the Community Reinvestment Act (1977, encouraging banks to invest in the communities they serve, particularly low- and moderate- income neighborhoods)

Next speaker, Ward 12 @TBrancatelli on past spending: I would argue that when folks say what did we do with the past funds? I'd respond, Where would we be if we didn't invest those dollars- we’d be in worse off shape.

@TBrancatelli Demolition top priority: residential, industrial and on toxic wastelands. Infrastructure: disparity of F grade streets on the Eastside are "chewing up pocketbooks one ball joint at a time" Tech: Broadband network; all noted to impact the Eastside disproportionately

Ward 3 @KerryMcCormack1: “It is critically important that we invest the majority of the money specifically in areas that have been negatively impacted by systems; those being discrimination and systemic racism”

#wealthbuilding #clestimulus

@KerryMcCormack1 Homeownership is the greatest opportunity for wealth building. KM: 0% interest loans to fix up homes, down payment assistance, "0% mortgages specifically in areas that have been redlined and community members that have been redlined”, lead paint remediation.

Homelessness: Invest not only in buildings, but better systems to serve the ppl. Education: wraparound services, scholarships. Green energy: Enable @clepublicpower to offer reliable, resilient green energy that lowers bills.

@KerryMcCormack1 #clestimulus

“If we don't take care of all of our neighborhoods, none of our neighborhoods are going to thrive into the future," affirms @KerryMcCormack1

#cleveland #clevelandneighborhoods

Ward 10 @HairstonCCC10 begins, "This is our opportunity. This is the one and only opportunity that we will have to make a meaningful impact on every single part of this city” in particular areas that have been left behind.
#clevelandstimulus

Interest income: "we can take that 500 million and create a billion". Partnerships for community reinvestment. Broadband access, home stabilization, nbhd development, illegal dumping is number 2 on my list next to abandoned housing.
https://www.theclevelandobserver.com/blog/2021/02/08/what-can-be-done-to-stop-illegal-dumping-in-cleveland/

@HairstonCCC10 admonishes, "None of this means anything if we are not pushing to make sure that it happens” and if funds are used for "normal day-to-day operations of the city that already exist, it will be a tremendous letdown not only for us but the community as a whole.”

Following up, Ward 1 @CleveJoeJones on Commercial Development: “Some nbhds have been lagging behind forever, on the East side” and "we don’t have one sit down restaurant, it's appalling.” "The winners and losers, has been the selection process."

"There’s not enough competent, capable development corporations. It’s a major issue. It has been the longsuffering problem on the East Side for the last 30 years” @CleveJoeJones saying present day redlining has resulted in unappealing homes and shopping plazas (or lack thereof)

@CleveJoeJones on Quality of life issues: address polices shortages, allocate funds into wards for smaller projects, community engagement forum, and schools.
'Our schools must become a priority to be competitive enough to maintain and attract homeowners.'

@CleCityCouncil discusses history-making 541 million dollar stimulus (Part II continued...)