As
of 5:45pm: Cleveland.com is reporting
Cuyahoga County Council will consider charter
amendments,
40-year extension of hotel tax
CLEVELAND, Ohio --
Cuyahoga County Council is meeting at 5 p.m. to consider a 40-year extension of
the county's bed tax, as well as possible amendments to the county's governing
charter, and we'll be covering it live.
Northeast Ohio Media
Group Andrew J. Tobias will attend and provide live updates in the comments
section at the bottom of this post. The meeting will be council's first at the
new county building at East Ninth Street and Prospect Avenue.
Council is also expected
to approve the proposed 40-year extension of a portion of the county's bed tax
to provide additional funding to Positively Ceveland, the local convention and
tourism bureau.
The tax was initially
proposed as a 20-year extension.
Council is expected to
consider seven different possible charter amendments.
Among the proposed
amendments:
- Requiring
approval of a majority of county council to fire the county sheriff.
Currently, the county executive can unilaterally fire the sheriff without
giving any reason.
- Changing
the county charter to make the county agency of inspector general a
permanent feature of county government and give the position similar
protections to those contained in the sheriff amendment.
- Making
the protection
and promotion of the right to vote a permanent part of the county charter.
- Requiring
those running for county executive to live in the county for two years
prior to officially filing as a candidate.
These proposed amendments
received preliminary approval from a council committee last month. However,
each individual amendment needs 'yes' votes from eight members of council -- a
higher threshold than the preliminary approval -- in order to be sent to the
November ballot for final approval from voters.
Council also is expected
to vote to approve leasing a warehouse just east of downtown Cleveland to hold
the county's archives.
That deal has been on ice
since last October, when council members raised concerns over
the condition of the property and questioned County Executive Ed FitzGerald's
overall plan for storing records.
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