Port Approves 2026 Budget, Withholds Spending Details | The Locally Times
Following at least five meetings held without public documents, the Port of Cleveland board approved its 2026 budget, but the specific spending figures and tax rates remain secret.
The Port of Cleveland Board of Directors approved its 2026 financial framework on December 10, concluding a months-long process where key financial documents were withheld from public view. However, the actual budget document detailing specific appropriations, revenue projections, or spending priorities was not attached to the public notice, continuing a pattern of non-disclosure. ## A Pattern of Withholding Financial Documents The December 10 vote followed at least five board and committee meetings in 2026 where finances were the central topic, yet none included the corresponding financial reports in public notices. The Port’s Budget & Administration Committee also met on August 3 and December 7 to discuss the budget, with no draft budgets released to the public ahead of the full board's final vote. ## Key Budget and Tax Questions Unanswered With the 2026 financial plan approved, the public record contains no specific figures for the Port’s budget or tax levies. The total dollar amounts of the operating and capital budgets remain undisclosed in public documents. The lack of these records prevents any comparison of the 2026 budget to previous years or an analysis of how funds are allocated between maintenance, new projects, and administrative costs. Similarly, the public record does not specify the tax rates approved by the board, leaving their impact on taxpayers unclear. The term “advances,” discussed on September 10, is not defined in meeting materials, obscuring what financial instruments or commitments the Port may be undertaking.