Justin Bibb’s Plan puts people and neighborhoods first
We all deserve safe, healthy, vibrant neighborhoods with quality, responsive services. I’ve helped Mayors across the country strengthen neighborhoods, and worked with local leaders on strategies to do it here. As your Mayor, I’ll work with every single neighborhood to customize a plan and allocate resources that will do the job and meet people’s needs.
Safety & Justice
Cleveland has more police per resident than Cincinnati, Columbus, Toledo, Akron, Indianapolis, Detroit, and Buffalo. But it’s not working. We must be smart about new resources to improve public safety and we can't have true safety and justice without police accountability.
Police Accountability
Police misconduct has cost Cleveland nearly $30 million over the last decade. Trust is broken and the only way to restore it is by insisting on better training and stronger citizen oversight of police. We can’t have public safety without more police accountability, that’s why I support the Citizens for a Safer Cleveland ballot initiative. Comprehensive, citizen-led oversight will lead to police reform, improve law enforcement, save taxpayers’ money, rebuild trust, and most importantly save lives.
Jobs & Economic Recovery
As we come out of this pandemic, we have an opportunity to lead an inclusive economic recovery that creates high-paying, sustainable, lasting jobs in our neighborhoods to support small businesses and entrepreneurs. The American Rescue Plan funds represent a once-in-a-lifetime chance to invest in our neighborhoods and develop a target set of investment priorities to ensure our economy fully recovers and works for everyone.
High-Quality Education
We must help a generation of students get back on track.
I respect and admire our educators. Their work is demanding, inspiring, and indispensable to our entire city’s future. I have met with CEO Gordon, and as Mayor, will work collaboratively with Eric, educators, students, families, the School Board, and other partners to help our kids back on track and make up the ground they have lost to poverty and the pandemic.
Modern & Responsive City Hall
City Hall is outdated. Our systems and processes are stuck in the past and it’s time for a major upgrade to ensure we operate in the 21st century with the latest technology to increase efficiency. Residents shouldn’t have to drive, walk or take the bus to Lakeside Avenue to use basic city services. City services must be responsive to neighborhood needs. When we contact City Hall, we should know that means that we can reach them and get a timely response and solution to basic requests that all tax-paying residents are entitled to.
Public Health
The City allocates only 1% of its budget to the Public Health Department. We must increase funding immediately to ensure we can recover from this health crisis and keep residents safe and healthy. We must develop coordinated strategies to quickly distribute vaccines, accelerate lead testing and increase access to healthy food to close food deserts.
Housing
In 2020, Cleveland overtook Detroit as the poorest big city in the country with 30.8% of residents living below the poverty line. A Bibb Administration will develop a hyperlocal economic development strategy that recognizes the unique needs of each neighborhood and make investments to increase affordable housing options across the city by revisiting outdated incentives, encouraging homeownership and supporting our homeless population with services and pathways to secure housing.
Neighborhood Services
Every resident should live no more than 15-minutes from public transit, fresh groceries, healthcare, recreation centers, libraries and other essential services. A Bibb Administration will get back to the basics by focusing on making sure every neighborhood has access to the basics in 15 minutes and fight for immediate action on the lead paint crisis, decayed housing stock and recycling to clean up our neighborhoods.
Climate and Environmental Justice
Cleveland gets most of its power from the third-largest emitting coal plant in the country, that has to change as we move towards a clean energy future. The climate is in crisis and we must recognize that this is a public health emergency. Everyone deserves to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and walk on streets that aren’t covered in trash. I will fight for environmental justice to stop residents from paying too much for their electricity bills, ensure everyone has access to affordable public transit and ensure every neighborhood has access to public parks and greenspaces.