The Med-Mart "Dog & Pony Show" begins!

And for your entertainment, in the center ring we present the Med-Mart "Dog & Pony Show"! Being brought to you by the CuyaHOGa County Commissioners!

Playing on the desperation of Cleveland & Cuyahoga Co. residents, the people that want to bring us Med-Mart, are now resorting to scare tactics.

Wanting to give the appearance of public support, our CuyaHOGa County Commissioners stacks the peanut gallery with supporters (Jock?) to give the full effect....

From the PD --

The president of Merchandise Mart Properties told 300 mostly supportive people Thursday that a Medical Mart would help Cleveland's economy by creating new jobs - from entry level to high-paying - and would revitalize and rebrand the region as a place to be.

But Chris Kennedy cautioned after his presentation that competitors could snatch the idea and business opportunity away from Cleveland if things don't happen fast.

The mart would draw year-round visitors, as well as lure as many as 50 medical trade shows a year, bringing in thousands of people who would stay in Cleveland hotels, eat at restaurants and visit area attractions.

Kennedy promised his company would relocate to Cleveland some of the dozens of trade shows and events the company currently hosts in its other properties in Chicago, Los Angeles and High Point, N.C. More.....

Haven't we heard all these promises before?

Being right up his alley, Taxin' Tim Hagan, states, "virtually all convention centers are publicly supported...."

Good point Tim! Problem is these other publicly supported convention centers were not built by incompetent boobs full of corruption.

In between bites of a salami sandwich, Dimora reminds the residents they are not as smart as the commissioners claiming, "residents don't understand the county only gets 1 percent of the sales tax and that 5.5 percent goes to the state and 1 percent to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority."

Wow, another good point! Could you tell us dumb people, if these places get part of the sales tax and the RTA will directly benefit, will they be participating with any matching funds? Has anyone asked Rev. Ted if the state will help the poorest city in Ohio?

Why would he not buy into this "yellow brick road" of a plan?

PETER Lawson Jones is the lone commissioner, at least for now, against forcefully imposing the .25% sales tax increase. But with promises of possibly shortening the length of the tax the Jones, said "It's more appetizing, but I'm still resisting the bite."

Knowing his vote means nothing and already admitting defeat, PETER wants his colleagues to commit to finding other revenue sources that would allow them to quickly rescind the sales tax soon after it is enacted.

Most of the supporters in the peanut gallery were area business owners, who stand to benefit most, and of course the unions, who remained silent for years about minority contract corruption. The few voices against this proposal ranged from, a request to putting the tax increase on the ballot and then one person calling it communism.

Under the pretense of seeking community input, but purposely scheduled to exclude the John Q. Citizen, the meetings are set when most people who will be burdened by this 20 year tax are working and unable to voice their opinion.

The next public hearing will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Cleveland Public Library, Louis Stokes Wing Auditorium, 525 Superior Ave.

With something of this magnitude and the impact it may have on the region, why would our commissioners only have two public meetings scheduled during the day?

Would it not be more appropriate to schedule a series of meetings like Stephanie Tubbs-Jones did with her inquiry in to the Cuyahoga Co. Board of Elections?

If they truly wanted to hear public input, why would these meetings not be scheduled in the evening, when most people would be able to attend?

I've said it before, and I will say it again....If the so-called "business and political leaders" want the medical mart so bad, they should ask the business community and medical community to foot the bill, NOT the taxpayer.