After weeks of negotiations, Cleveland City Council passed a $2.3 billion budget on March 23. The plan was approved in an 11-3 vote in support of Mayor Justin Bibb’s administration. Bibb, the city’s first millennial mayor and a Case Western Reserve University alum, has been known for modernizing the government and advancing urban policy to redevelop Cleveland’s historically underserved neighborhoods.

Since becoming mayor in 2022, Bibb has worked on renovating city services. For example, his Southeast Side Promise addresses the divestment problem happening in Southeast Cleveland by revitalizing the area. Additionally, the Raising Investment in Safety for Everyone (RISE) initiative is using data to assess policing in the city to cut violent crime rates down. In office, he launched a $100 million affordable-housing fund to help the unhoused population.

This year, Cleveland had greater financial flexibility after ending 2025 with a $91 million budget surplus. Budget proposals from officials focused on where to add programs and invest rather than finding ways to cut costs.

The general fund makes up about $920 million of the annual budget and is used to pay for core services. Public safety remains the top priority as it takes up the largest share of the general fund. In practice, this means that the department will have more staffing and localized funding.

Also, the city is focusing on improving infrastructure by adding $8 million for street resurfacing budget. Another important part of the fund goes towards housing. This year, the focus will be on addressing abandoned properties, legal aid programs to help residents avoid eviction and reducing property deterioration. This correlates with Bibb’s goals to focus on restoring undersupported neighborhoods because these initiatives will aid in lowering crime rates and preventing economic decline. Parks and recreation areas are also seeing an increased budget that will be directed at hiring more staff, specifically youth employment programs.

The major disagreements that arose during the budget proposal were with regard to gunshot detection technology, city hall renovations and what the city’s priorities should be. The three votes opposing the approved budget largely reflected disagreement over whether it should prioritize immediate public safety needs or long-term investments.

Cleveland’s new 2026 budget reflects the financial strength of the city. Instead of cutting back services, the local government’s goals are to expand safety, infrastructure and neighborhood stability.