CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Mayor Frank Jackson delivered his seventh annual State of the City speech today, portraying Cleveland as a city that has its house in order and is making progress on multiple fronts.
"Today, the state of the city is financially stable with indicators of economic growth," Jackson told a crowd at Public Auditorium. "Cleveland is a city that is redefining itself through investments in both economic development and quality of life. And we are well positioned for the future."
The mayor made no startling announcements, but he laid out accomplishments that he said include righting the budget. Though $38 million was cut last year, he recently restored recreation services and recalled 20 police to help deal with downtown activity expected from a new casino. He also is adding temporary building and housing inspectors to take stock of 6,000 abandoned structures.
The mayor pointed to an estimated $7 billion in economic development planned or under way, including the casino set to open May 14 and the combination convention center and medical mart now under construction. He also promoted his plan for 3.5 million square feet of lakefront development, including a hotel, restaurants and shops.
Jackson highlighted investments in people, including the Healthy Cleveland initiative to promote healthier living and a collaboration with U.S. Attorney Steven Dettelbach to curb gun violence.
He also put in a plug for his efforts to improve the Cleveland schools. The plan, elements of which need approval from state legislators, calls for closing and "reprogramming" bad schools, working with high-performing charter schools and giving administrators freedom to assign teachers without regard to seniority.
Jackson spoke in a venue that early next month will host the annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. Cleveland also will welcome a Marine Corps gathering, the Ohio Senior Olympics and the International Public Markets convention this year, the National Senior Games next year and the International Gay Games in 2014.
"Cleveland is becoming a world-class destination -- for events, tourism and visitors," he said.
The outlook is not without challenges, Jackson said. He said the city's reserves will steel it against a spike in expenses next year, including $13 million from an extra pay period.
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