Councilmember· January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2028
Michael J. Houser, Sr.
Cuyahoga County
About
Council Member Michael J. Houser Sr.'s legislative priorities focus on public safety and community protection, highlighted by his sponsorship and successful passage of the Tamir Rice Act to ban gun-shaped novelty lighters in Cuyahoga County.
Campaign promises (1)
- public-safetyIntroduce and pass the 'Tamir Rice Act' to ban the sale and possession of gun-shaped novelty lighters to protect children and the community.
Voice
- Meetings spoken in
- 2
- Total speaking time
- 1:57
- Avg per meeting
- 0:59
- Segments
- 25
Want every word Houser has said?
The OpenCity MCP for Claude.ai answers questions like “what has Houser said about housing this year” with one prompt — full speaking history, with YouTube timestamps.
Top issues during term (11)(General)
convention center investment
Taxpayers are on the hook for a major public bet, and the payoff depends on whether the convention center brings in enough visitors and revenue to justify the cost.
unified zoning code program
It could affect construction costs, property values, and tax revenue by making development rules more consistent—or more contentious—across the county.
shared zoning code pilot program
Taxpayers and developers could save time and money through faster permitting, though the pilot may carry upfront administrative costs.
data center moratorium
It could delay construction jobs and tax revenue tied to new data centers while officials sort out power costs and incentives.
government consolidation
If mergers cut duplicated staff and equipment, taxpayers could see savings—but consolidation costs and transition expenses may eat into those gains first.
license plate reader surveillance transparency
The source doesn’t put a dollar figure on it, but taxpayers already fund the cameras—and clearer reporting could add modest staff or auditing costs while reducing the risk of unchecked spending.
immigration policy
Expect possible savings in local jail and staff time, but also risk of legal costs or federal funding pushback—so the budget effect is uncertain.
law enforcement deployment
There’s no dollar figure in the report, but pulling the patrol could shift public-safety costs and staffing pressure onto the city or other agencies—or free up county resources elsewhere.
SNAP benefits loss for refugees
Losing SNAP will squeeze household food budgets and could push higher emergency food costs onto county agencies and nonprofits.
municipal litigation against Browns ownership
Depending on how the case plays out, residents could either save or recover public money—or end up footing new legal and stadium-related costs.
conversion therapy ban
The ban likely won’t hit county taxpayers with a big new bill—enforcement can ride on existing health and regulatory channels—while the payoff is less mental-health harm for LGBTQ+ kids.
Decisions during term (9)
Recorded while Sr. was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.
R2026-0305: General fund and HHS levy budget amendment (adopted)
R2026-0288 — Budget amendment, General Fund and HHS levies
R2026-0253 adopted — general engineering services
R2026-0248: 2026 General Fund and HHS levy budget amendment
R2026-0233 — General fund/HHS budget amendment
R2026-0212: 2026 budget amendments — General Fund and HHS levies
O2026-0002 — General Offenses code and companion animal endangerment ban
R2026-0188 — General Fund/HHS budget amendment
R2026-0101 adopted — biennial budget amendments (General Fund/HHS levies)
Voting record (0)(General)
No votes found matching General.