Council member says he'll oppose capital projects until Cleveland Public Power gets investment

Councilman Brian Casey told the Municipal Service and Properties Committee on March 23 that he planned to vote against most capital projects in protest over what he called a long-standing failure to invest in Cleveland Public Power (CPP).

"Please mark me a no on all the pieces of legislation for the capital projects," Casey said during the discussion of the light-vehicle ordinance, adding that his objection did not reflect department staff but rather the administration’s investment choices.

Administration staff responded that Cleveland Public Power typically manages its own capital budgeting through enterprise fund processes and bond market access. "Cleveland Public Power goes through their own budgeting process that's outside of this capital plan," a director told the committee and offered to arrange meetings with finance and CPP leadership to discuss specific needs.

Why it matters: CPP is the city-owned electric utility. Council members argued capital choices in the general capital plan should be weighed against unresolved infrastructure needs at CPP; administration characterized CPP as on a separate budget track that would require different financing.

What the committee asked for: Council members requested clearer accounting of which projects are financed through general funds versus enterprise funds and asked administration to clarify what CPP can and cannot finance through its own processes. The director agreed to help arrange follow-up meetings with finance and utility leadership.

Provenance: Councilman Casey’s remarks in committee (SEG 090–140) and the director’s reply (SEG 648–661) in the same meeting transcript.