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Resident challenges mayor’s op-ed on bond rating; administration says formatting error was copyediting mistake
Summary
A resident questioned Mayor Justin Burns’s op-ed reference to the city’s bond rating as “triple A”; administration says Moody’s rating is AAA but a copyediting error produced a different format and a staff member apologized. The resident also raised concerns about proposed mayoral salary increases.
A Beachwood resident asked the council on Feb. 3 whether Mayor Justin Burns had published a false statement in a Cleveland Jewish News op-ed about the city’s bond rating, prompting discussion and a clarification from city officials.
Resident Kyle Fisman (identified during public comment) said he read the mayor’s op-ed and that the mayor ‘‘stated…our prudent financial management has earned multiple awards and fiscal transparency and sustained our bridal a bond rating’’ but that other sources indicate the city’s rating was downgraded from ‘‘triple A’’ in August. Fisman called the statement misleading and asked for an explanation; he also criticized recent council proposals to raise the mayor’s salary and urged transparency, inviting officials to appear on a local podcast.
Mayor Justin Burns (speaking later during his report) said there are two rating agencies and that the city’s Moody’s rating is AAA. Later Mr. Lombardi—who said he copyedited the mayor’s letter to the Cleveland Jewish News—took responsibility for providing an incorrect rating format for Moody’s and apologized for the resulting confusion. Lombardi said he provided the rating format for a different rating system, accepted accountability and reminded residents about the State of the City event on Feb. 19.
Council members discussed bond-rating language and cash-flow information; one councilmember said they would distribute a cash-flow document to clarify recent financial remarks. The exchange took place during the public-comment period and the mayor’s regular report; no formal action or vote followed directly from the comments.
The council continued with its agenda after the mayor’s remarks and the copyediting clarification.
Next steps: the State of the City will be held Feb. 19; council indicated it will circulate clarifying financial materials.
