The city of East Cleveland asked the state last week to approve a petition for municipal bankruptcy — a step that could give breathing room to the city's problems, Cleveland.com reported yesterday. The move, described as an "urgent matter" in a letter from Mayor Gary Norton Jr. to state Tax Commissioner Joseph Testa, is an effort to keep payroll funded and to maintain services. Council President Thomas Wheeler said that even if approved, filing for bankruptcy would be a "Band-Aid" to keep the city going, not a solution. Norton said that the bankruptcy filing would be a temporary fix for the cost side of the city's economic distress, but the real problem is with income. There's simply not enough revenue coming in to support the city, he said, and upping taxes or adding fees won't provide an immediate solution. Changing the city's borders by merging with Cleveland would help in many ways, Norton said, including creating possibilities for economic development, giving the city financial tools, and adding stability.
