Cuyahoga County Council this year unanimously put on the ballot a request for more money to fund services like the addiction and mental health board, as well as child services. Voters agreed, 55 percent to 45 percent.
County Councilman Dan Brady says the county faced declining tax revenues, and needed to replace and increase the property tax levy to continue to offer services.
“To protect its most vulnerable citizens," Brady said. "Its seniors, its children, its homeless, its mentally disabled, its physically disabled.”
The Metroparks sought a levy renewal and increase. Voters passed it roughly 70 percent to 30 percent. CEO Brian Zimmerman says the Metroparks have new responsibilities to take on, including the care of lakefront parks taken over from the state.
“We’ve got some road work to do, we’ve got a few areas at the zoo to take care of, a few maintenance facilities," Zimmerman said. "So we have a nice plan laid out. And certainly these assets we that we have now on the lakefront, we’ll be taking care of those as well.”
The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority asked for a levy renewal, and voters approved it 65 percent to 35 percent. This was a victory over last year, when the electorate shot down a levy increase.
Port CEO Will Friedman says this levy renewal is adequate for the moment, and helps the port with its primary work.
"To better connect our companies in the county to world markets," Friedman said. "And to make sure that we can restore the Cuyahoga River and open it up for people.”
But he says the port may look to the state and federal governments for more assistance.
