Politics & Government
100 Million Reasons to Pay Attention to County Executive Ed FitzGerald
In recent weeks, the county leader has gone from city to city to talk county business and garner support for his nine-figure economic growth plan
In the weeks ahead, County Executive Ed FitzGerald is looking to put $100 million where his mouth is.
To do so, he’s taken on speaking engagements and town hall meetings – like the one last night at Strongsville’s – to garner support for the ambitious economic growth plan that is set to float the first of four $25 million bond issues, starting this January.
According to FitzGerald, no other county in Ohio has come close to matching the nine-figure amount that would be paid off over time by diverting $8 million a year in sales tax revenue.
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“What continues to warrant our close attention is the $100 million fund, and how it would be administered,” said Mayor Tom Perciak. “That money could certainly go a long way in this county.”
Following his opening remarks, the county executive took questions and didn’t mince words.
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When asked for comment about Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson’s newly proposed Lakefront Development plan that would blanket as much as 90 acres of land with hotels, restaurants and retail space, FitzGerald questioned its feasibility as he had not yet seen any investments put in place to pay for the sprawling project.
He did say the proposal is a step in the right direction, and referred to the county’s current lakefront development as “one of the most egregious examples of horrible urban planning in the world.”
He briefly touched on the county’s ongoing corruption scandal, calling it “a betrayal of public trust” and said the strictest guidelines have now been put in place to help prevent further political wrongdoing.
He also addressed cuts to the county’s budget to hedge $40 million in state funding shortfalls that will come down this year and next. So far, 320 county employees have been laid off, and he projects another 100 will lose their jobs in the near term.
Despite the bad news, FitzGerald was upbeat about the current development projects that exceed $1 billion and include: the Medical Mart, the casino project, the powerhouse aquarium, the Westin Hotel and the improvements underway at the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Those projects, he said, combined with the proposed $100 million growth plan could work to “pole vault” the county to a new economic level.