MIKE’S VISION FOR A BETTER CLEVELAND
MIKE’S VISION IS UPHELD BY FOUR PILLARS OF FOCUS.
TOGETHER, THESE POINTS OF EMPHASIS CREATE A STRONG COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INCLUSIVE OF ALL RESIDENTS.
INFRASTRUCTURE / CITY SERVICES
Lackluster city services remain an ongoing concern. Accountability and better management of resources and assets must be pressed daily in a pragmatic manner. Over 25% of Cleveland residents are “car free.” While some politicians and other candidates will attempt to convince you this figure is by choice or a lifestyle preference, the truth is that a majority of those residents simply face crushing poverty and cannot afford a vehicle. Only around 20% of the RTA’s budget is made up of passenger fares. I will initiate discussions with local foundations to fill that gap. There is no reason why riding public transportation cannot be free. We must also prioritize public and private investment in high density housing along RTA rail stops and other transit hubs, and ensure there is room on the road in our neighborhoods for all modes of transportation: from walking, to bikes and scooters, public buses and personal automobiles.
safety
The vast majority of all crime is rooted in endemic poverty and lack of opportunity. As of 2025, nearly half of all children growing up in Cleveland (45.3%) live in poverty. Supporting poverty alleviation initiatives such as Participatory Budgeting by residents in our city government’s budget is a must. Investments in youth programs as well as apprenticeships that earn prevailing wages and pathways into jobs paying a living wage will relieve many of the stressors associated with crime. There are many good codified laws on the city’s books. The problem is not necessarily how they're written, but their lack of enforcement, particularly when it comes to construction projects throughout the ward, and lack of enforced penalties.
economic partnership
From day one, I will be committed to supporting progressive policies and other progressive candidates for elected offices. Trickle down economics does not work at the federal level, nor has it ever worked here in Cleveland at the local level. Locally owned businesses are the backbone of this ward. Considering advice, suggestions and wisdom from small business owners throughout the community will impact my decisions heavily. Promoting and incubating small businesses, particularly those from historically underrepresented groups, is a priority. Our new Ward 7 includes the Downtown Cleveland lakefront and river. I am not supportive of providing welfare to oligarchs, such as the Cleveland Browns. Tax increment financing (TIFs) are a popular tool created by our city government to siphon off increases in property taxes from new development projects, literally putting those city dollars directly into the pockets of those developers. It turns into a zero sum game where the burden of taxes being paid falls largely on the backs of the city’s working class and low income residents.
affordable housing
Affordable, quality housing should be accessible to everyone. Currently, longtime senior citizen homeowners are being squeezed by significantly increased property taxes. While other politicians and candidates will fully blame property tax issues on the State of Ohio, there are programs that we can initiate locally to lessen the burden in a swift manner. The City of Cleveland’s residential tax abatement program must be overhauled to incentivize the construction of new, truly permanent affordable housing. The addition of land trusts for scattered site homes will be instrumental in my agenda. Tax abatements for all luxury housing types must cease immediately. While high-density affordable housing will be a priority at transit stops, continuing to jam high-density housing onto all of our side streets and back alleys filled mainly with single-family homes must stop.
