CH council approves 2012 budget with nearly $800,000 in cuts

Cleveland Heights City Council passed a budget for the 2012 fiscal year at the council meeting on July 18. It includes nearly $800,000 in cuts from the 2011 fiscal year.

The budget resolution, introduced by Cheryl Stephens, chair of the finance committee, and passed by unanimous 7-0 vote, included a budget of $40,201,515—a decrease of $792,102 from the 2011 budget of $40,993,617.

The biggest decrease came from switching to the Regional Income Tax Agency (R.I.T.A.) for income tax collection, which saved the city $400,000, Stephens said.

Other savings came from the decision to not replace the retiring capital projects manager, Carl Czaga; lower electric bills, thanks to the use of more energy-efficient light bulbs and lighting systems in the Cleveland Heights Community Center; and keeping a careful eye on health care costs for municipal employees, Stephens said.

"Quite frankly, this is still a work in progress," said Dennis Wilcox, vice chair of the finance committee. He said the new state budget, as approved by the Republican-controlled state government, was "balanced on the backs of local governments."

In addition to these cuts, the city will have to reduce its budget by an additional $1,000,000 in 2013 with the repeal of the estate tax, Wilcox said.

Cleveland Heights Mayor Edward Kelley denounced Republican state legislators for cuts in funding to local governments. If they think these budget savings are wise, "they’re from another planet," he said. "Those folks in Columbus are criminals and they should be swept out of office," Kelley added.