Resolution No.

1525-10 AN EMERGENCY RESOLUTION

Council Members Cummins, Keane,
Kelley, Brady, J. Johnson, Zone,
Westbrook, Cleveland, Conwell, Miller,
Pruitt, Mitchell, Brancatelli, Reed, Dow.
Urging Governor-elect Kasich to continue the 3C rail
project to preserve and create good-paying rail industry
jobs in Ohio, to create affordable, energy-efficient, high-
quality rail transportation for Ohioans regardless of their
economic or physical ability, to promote jobs and real
estate development near transportation centers in Ohio's
largest central business districts, and to accomplish this
using only ODOT funds, as planned, that would not
burden the State of Ohio's troubled general revenue fund.

WHEREAS, Ohio is suffering from a 10 percent unemployment rate as of September

2010, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services; and

WHEREAS, Ohio is the fifth-largest rail industry state supplier in the country, with 225 companies
employing 26,000 people, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT); and

WHEREAS, the Cleveland - Columbus - Cincinnati (3C) travel corridor is the most heavily traveled
corridor for passenger trips between metro areas in the entire Midwest, according to the U.S. Department of
Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics; and

WHEREAS, ODOT was awarded a zero-match-required $400 million grant from the Federal Railroad
Administration to improve, modernize, make safer and more efficient the railway infrastructure linking Ohio's
largest cities for the movement of freight and people; and

WHEREAS, Ohio rail industry supplier companies, including many in Cleveland, are in an
economically and geographically advantageous position to win the construction, operation and maintenance
contracts resulting from this critically needed federal grant; and

WHEREAS, the federal grant will not incur any annual costs to the State of Ohio's troubled general
revenue fund; and

WHEREAS, the state's share of passenger rail operating costs will instead be supported by the ODOT
budget which is legally separate and financially distinct from the State of Ohio's general revenue fund; and

WHEREAS, immediately upon his election, Ohio Governor-elect John Kasich asked in writing to
President Barack Obama and current Governor Ted Strickland to cancel the 3C Corridor project or instead use
the funding for freight rail and/or road projects; and

WHEREAS, Governor Strickland has declined to cancel the 3C project and U.S. Transportation
Secretary Ray LaHood informed Governor-elect Kasich in a letter dated Nov. 9, 2010 that the $400 million
Ohio received cannot legally be used for any purpose other than passenger rail corridor development and that if
Ohio will not use the $400 million for its legally intended purposes, Ohio should immediately return the funds
to the Federal Railroad Administration; and

WHEREAS, the governors of Illinois, New York and possibly other states have asked the federal
government for Ohio's $400 million if Governor-elect Kasich opts out of it; and
 WHEREAS, Cleveland City Council urges Governor-elect Kasich to continue the 3C project to
preserve and create good-paying rail industry jobs in Ohio, to create affordable, energy-efficient, high-quality
rail transportation for Ohioans regardless of their economic or physical ability, to promote jobs and real estate
development near transportation centers in Ohio's largest central business districts, and to accomplish this using
only ODOT funds, as planned, that would not burden the State of Ohio's troubled general revenue fund; and

WHEREAS, Cleveland City Council encourages city and county officials, Ohio General Assembly,
Ohio Congressional Delegation and other leaders to undertake all reasonable action necessary to ensure the
development of railroad infrastructure, service, safety and industries continues unabated in Ohio's 3C Corridor;
and

WHEREAS, this resolution constitutes an emergency measure for the immediate preservation of public
peace, property, health or safety, now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLEVELAND:

Section 1. That this Council urges Governor-elect Kasich to continue the 3C rail project to preserve
and create good-paying rail industry jobs in Ohio, to create affordable, energy-efficient, high-quality rail
transportation for Ohioans regardless of their economic or physical ability, to promote jobs and real estate
development near transportation centers in Ohio's largest central business districts, and to accomplish this using
only ODOT funds, as planned, that would not burden the State of Ohio's troubled general revenue fund.

Section 2. That the Clerk of Council is hereby directed to transmit certified copies of this resolution
to  Mayor Frank Jackson, Cuyahoga County Executive-elect Ed FitzGerald and county council members-elect,
Cuyahoga County members of the Ohio General Assembly and Ohio Congressional Delegation including
Senator-elect Rob Portman.

Section 3. That this resolution is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and, provided it
receives the affirmative vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to Council, it shall take effect and be in
force immediately upon its adoption and approval by the Mayor; otherwise it shall take effect and be in force
from and after the earliest period allowed by law.

BC:jho
11-15-10
Council Member Brian J. Cummins, Ward 14
November 15, 2010
 
READ FIRST TIME
and referred to
by the council

CITY CLERK

READ SECOND TIME

by the council

CITY CLERK

READ THIRD TIME

by the council November 15, 2010.
PRESIDENT

CITY CLERK

APPROVED

MAYOR

Recorded Vol. 97. Page

Published in the City Record November 24, 2010.