CLEVELAND — Recent Cleveland summers have provided the best example of the city’s comeback, from big events downtown and on the lakefront to neighborhood festivals across the city.
At the moment, the upcoming summer life of the city will look more like it does now – deserted.
Cleveland Frank Jackson said today during a telephone conference call with reporters that he’s not committing to any timeline for allowing big crowds to gather. And he said he’s reluctant to promise to open recreation centers and pools, though he acknowledged the city is working on alternatives for the city’s youth.
“But to say that in the summer and we want special events and we want the parks to be crowded and people to gather is premature and right now that would cause a greater problem than what we want to happen,” he said.
He also said he’ll continue to follow guidance from the governor on opening stadiums, theaters and other venues and continue to watch the spread of the virus. He said he will only allow events when he believes Clevelanders are no longer at risk.
“Our goal is to keep Clevelanders safe as part of the reopening the economy we have to do it in a way that keeps Clevelanders safe,” he said. “And people have to understand, and I need your help for people to understand, that the pandemic is not over.”
Jackson also discussed the erosion of city finances, which had been strong. His recent $670 million general-revenue budget included a $43 million surplus from the previous year. But the city’s revenue from taxes on income and entertainment – including casino play – were down $12 million in April.
He said the city was actually ahead of projections in the early part of the year, which kept March numbers strong despite the state’s stay-at-home order that shut much of the city mid-month.
“So far with the closing down of the economy has resulted a $12 million loss for us,” he said.
He said parking-garage taxes will not cover the garages’ financing obligations so the city will have to tap other revenues to cover the costs.
Also on Tuesday, the Cleveland Department of Public Health announced that there are 31 confirmed test results for coronavirus in residents of the city, with one new fatality. The patient was a male in his 70s. This brings the total to 629 confirmed cases in the city of Cleveland and 32 deaths.