Cirino Congratulates Cleveland Citizens for Defeating People's Budget Initiative

COLUMBUS - State Senator Jerry C. Cirino (R-Kirtland) congratulates the citizens of Cleveland for defeating Issue 38, the People's Budget Initiative that would have allowed an unelected and unaccountable board to spend two percent of the city's budget. Incredibly, Issue 38 would have allowed members as young as 16 to serve on the People’s Budget Steering Committee, and allowed residents as young as 13 to have input on how the $14 million could be spent. 

"I congratulate Cleveland voters for not handing $14 million of their city's budget to an illegitimate board," Cirino said. "Common sense has prevailed in Cleveland, allowing elected city council members to retain their authority as the proper stewards of taxpayer dollars."

Issue 38 was opposed by the Cleveland Plain Dealer's editorial board, which called the initiative "ill-conceived, poorly structured and superficial." Ironically, the paper opposes Cirino's Senate Bill 158, which is designed to prevent similar initiatives statewide. 

"I hope the Plain-Dealer reconsiders its stance on Senate Bill 158 for the sake of other Ohio communities that may face poorly constructed ideas like Issue 38," said Cirino. "This type of proposal could still be pushed in any city in the state, which is why I am still fighting for legislation that protects city budgets from this type of ballot-driven attack on taxpayers. I am hopeful the Ohio House of Representatives will pass this much-needed legislation, which the Senate passed on September 27."

Senate Bill 158 ensures local city councils keep control over their budgets and protects their appropriation power. It also reinforces Ohio municipalities' statutory authority to make financial decisions, safeguarding the budgeting authority of city councils and the financial stability of cities.

The bill also actually supports "home rule" rather than subverting it, as some critics have claimed.