Categories: CLEVELANDPolitics

Bibb Gives State of the City Address

Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb delivered his State of the City address to a capacity audience Thursday, March 28 in the City Club of Cleveland at Mimi Ohio Theatre of Playhouse Square.

By Vince Robinson

Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb delivered his State of the City address to a capacity audience Thursday, March 28 in the City Club of Cleveland at the Mimi Ohio Theatre of Playhouse Square.

He spoke of confidence being regained in the city as he ran down a list of items including public safety, education, lakefront development, digital infrastructure, action against predatory landlords, and lead remediation.

After his address, he received questions via video clips of various Clevelanders in a chat moderated by CSU President Laura J. Bloomberg.

The session started with selections by the Cleveland State University choir, followed by a video featuring Cuyahoga County Poet Laureate Honey Bell Bey performing a poem about Cleveland at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

His speech was peppered by a couple of spontaneous outbursts by hecklers. In Obama-esque fashion he deflected by responding “Let’s give it up for freedom of speech!”, buying time for security to quickly dismiss the offender.

The Mayor spent considerable time on public safety, citing it as the number one priority and highlighting the recent 52-member cadet class of police officers as an accomplishment. It exceeded the total of the previous four classes combined. He spoke of a nearly 80% homicide solve rate and a 14% decline in homicides since the pandemic. Police officers are also receiving raises that will approach 25% in two years.

Mayor Bibb mentioned a number of measures to curb gun violence and combat illegal firearms. “A safer Cleveland needs comprehensive gun reform and tools to crack down on illegal traffic, and as mayor, I’ll work with anyone in the legislature, regardless of party or politics who has a passion and sense of urgency to solve our illegal gun problem. It’s time for us to put people over politics on this issue once and for all.”

Another legislative measure he covered was a ban on the sale of flavored tobacco in the city, despite the fact that the Republican Ohio Legislature overrode Governor Mike Dewine’s veto to pre-empt local control of tobacco. He said Cleveland has one of the highest rates of smoking in the country at 35%, three times the national average. Illnesses caused by cigarettes are the number one killer in Cleveland, according to the Mayor.

He’s calling for a state-wide tobacco control policy.

The balance of his remarks drew attention to measures being implemented to address needs in the education system, housing stock, employment, environment, and other issues.

“We’ve reset relationships. We’ve taken on predatory landlords. We’ve delivered on a model city hall. We’ve been bold in our vision for our waterfronts and the southeast side. We’ve achieved real results in our strategy to address public safety, but many of the challenges we face today have been built up over generations. That’s not an excuse, it’s a reminder that change doesn’t happen overnight.”

The Mayor ambitiously suggested that “Cleveland is a place in this country where the American dream is still within reach for everyone. The state of our city is strong, and we’re just getting started.”

Bibb is in his third year as Mayor of Cleveland. To watch Mayor Justin Bibb deliver the State of the City address, click here.

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Vince Robinson

Vince Robinson Bio Vince Robinson is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Cleveland, Ohio. He took up photography as a student at Kent State University in the 70’s while studying Telecommunications with a minor in Pan African Studies. His career path took him through stints as a radio news reporter, television and radio producer/host, voiceover artist, entertainment journalist and photographer. He is the current host of Open Door, a television show he directed prior to assuming duties of host and Executive Producer. He’s also the host of a radio version of Open Door on 95.9 FM WOVU - Cleveland, in addition to co-hosting and co-producing 360 Info Network, an African-centered radio talk show on AM1490 WERE - Cleveland. He was the co-host and producer of Down To Business, a minority-oriented business show on WOIO-CBS 19 in Cleveland. Reflections: A Moment in Music History is a syndicated radio show that he produced, which aired on stations in Ohio’s urban markets. His filmmaking projects have included documentaries shot in Ghana, West Africa, Israel, Egypt and Sudan in Northeast Africa. In addition to documentary films, he is a content creator of videos and podcasts via YouTube. Is current project, E(Race)Sure, Is a documentary on the life of Winston E. Willis, a Cleveland millionaire who lost his business empire as a result of local corruption and a cover-up. His photography has been featured in solo exhibitions at Kent State University and two exibitions at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. His book, Got Words? (Parablist Publishing) was published in 2015. Other books in which his writing and poetry are include The Kent Quarterly (Kent State University Press, 1977), Cleveland Poetry Scenes: A Panorama and Anthology (Bottom Dog Press, 2008) and The Journal of Traditions and Beliefs (RASHAD, 2023). As a journalist and photojournalist, Robinson has written for several publications, Including CAN Journal, Real Deal Press, East Side Daily News, Freshwater Cleveland, Crusader Arts & Entertainment, Eschelon Magazine and African American Golfers Digest. Robinson is the editor and primary photographer for Black Local Artists of Cleveland Kuumba, a directory of artists of different genres, funded by the Cleveland Foundation and placed in all 27 Cleveland Public Library branches. As a musician, he leads his own group, Vince Robinson & The Jazz Poets and has performed in several local and regional venues, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum, Kent State University and the Cleveland area’s legendary jazz club, Nighttown. As a performance poet, he has competed on stages of the National Poetry Slam as a member of the Cleveland Slam Team in national competitions in Chicago and St. Louis. In addition to his artistic pursuits, he spent 27 years at State Farm Insurance in Claims and Corporate Risk & Compliance. As an art advocate, he serves on the Board of the Assembly for the Arts, a local arts and culture advocacy and research agency tasked with creating opportunity for creatives and creative businesses. He’s a member of the Board of Trustees for the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra. Robinson is also a board member for Little Lumpy’s Center for Educational Initiatives. He participates in their Great Lakes African American Writer’s Conference as a co-host for nationally-televised events featuring prominently known writers. He is a former board member for Heights Arts, a Cleveland Heights non-profit arts organization. He currently serves on an advisory committee on arts and culture for Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and the City Planning Department. Robinson is the owner of Larchmere Arts, an art gallery, photography studio and performance venue in Cleveland.