Michael McIntyre

3 weeks ago | ideastream.org | Mike McIntyre |Michael McIntyre

Cleveland lost two council seats this year as prescribed by the city’s charter and based on population numbers from the decennial census. Ward maps were redrawn to accommodate the reduction in the council’s size. That process means that a third of Cleveland’s voters will have to cast their ballots at a new polling location in the upcoming May primary.

1 month ago | ideastream.org | Mike McIntyre |Michael McIntyre

The Haslam Sports Group laid out the case for state funding of a mixed-use development in Brook Park that would include a domed stadium for the Cleveland Browns. The team wants the state to approve $600 million in bonds, paid off with taxes generated by the project, and sought to reassure legislators that the risk to taxpayers would be minimized. One way to minimize the risk? The team would provide more than $38 million in upfront cash.

1 month ago | ideastream.org | Mike McIntyre |Michael McIntyre

Cleveland City Council and Mayor Justin Bibb are tussling over the city budget, specifically over how much money is earmarked for neighborhoods. Council members wanted an allocation so they can control how $600,000 can be spent in each of their wards -- the same amount each council member had to spend in each of the city's 17 ward last year.\We will talk about budgeting season to begin Friday’s “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable.”In Akron, the budget season is marked by belt tightening.

1 month ago | ideastream.org | Mike McIntyre |Michael McIntyre

Republicans in the Ohio Senate passed a series of new restrictions on legal recreational marijuana sales this week, saying adjustments were needed to protect the health and safety of the public. Democrats who opposed the changes said legislators opposed to legal pot were undoing the will of the voters, who approved recreational marijuana in 2023 — though sales did not begin until last August. Senate Bill 56 now goes to the Ohio House.

2 months ago | ideastream.org | Mike McIntyre |Michael McIntyre

A higher education bill aimed at combating what supporters view as 'liberal bias" on public college campuses passed the Ohio Senate Wednesday, 21-11, with two Republicans joining the Democratic opponents. The bill, once known as Senate Bill 83, languished in the last session. Republican Sponsor Jerry Cirino of Kirtland re-introduced it this session, adding back some measures that were dropped in a compromise effort last year, including a ban on faculty strikes.