Tue 1/31 @ 7PM
Poor East Cleveland! The impoverished city, which has seen its tax base erode and its infrastructure crumble, seems to move from one crisis to another. Corruption, infighting, grudges and numerous expensive recall elections have stalled progress.
In the last several years, talk about the city merging with Cleveland has gotten serious – and evoked serious opposition in the city. This past December, in yet another expensive special election, the city ousted Mayor Gary Norton, an advocate for the merger, by less than two dozen votes with only 7% of voters turning out.
Where does this leave the city? The League of Women Voters is hosting a forum on the merger at the Tinkham Veale Center at Case Western Reserve University. Panelists include Norton, Cleveland City Council President Kevin Kelley, East Cleveland Councilman Nate Martin and Jeff Johnson, Cleveland councilman for Ward 10, which abuts East Cleveland. Johnson has also announced his candidacy for mayor of Cleveland. Ideastream’s Nick Castele moderates.
The event is free and open to the public.