Med Mart Saga continues....

Crain's Cleveland Business has an article by Jay Miller about the forced tax increase to fund a proposed Convention Center and Med Mart.

The article also gives mention to the referendum started by Cleveland Councilman, Zach Reed, to repeal the forced 20 yr tax hike and allow voters to decide by describing these efforts as having an, "abundance of willpower but a lack of political and financial support."

Noting the time concerns if forced on the ballot, Miller remarks on the unlimited financial resources, the overwhelming support and behind the scenes work of Med Mart officials, county officials and Unions to squelch this effort. Pretty cool huh, the county will spend our money to convince us we need to be taxed more!

Being on the Central Committee of the Cuyahoga County Republican Party, I am very disrturbed by the follwing piece of the article....

GCP chairman Fred Nance said the group also reached out to Republican public officials to rein in county Republican Party chairman Rob Frost, who initially supported the petition drive.

Mr. Frost had spoken out in mid-June against the tax increase and had stood with Cleveland Councilman Zachary Reed, a Democrat, in calling for a referendum to block the tax. Mr. Frost said he and the party withdrew from the petition effort after county commissioners announced July 20 that they would end the tax hike after 20 years and would not divert some of the tax revenue to other purposes.

“Ronald Reagan is rolling over in his grave,” Mr. Reed said, alluding to the strong anti-tax increase stand of the Republican icon.

Don't worry Zach, some of us republicans will not disappoint you or the memory of Ronald Reagan. There is only a small "select few" in our party that support this forced tax. This was sent to me from a "high up" in the party after the RPCC Platform meeting....

I was disappointed that we did not take a formal stand against the Forced Tax Hike.

Really, if the Med Mart is so great, they could go to the Legislature, extend the Gateway bonds with a vote of the people, not raise taxes, and explain why the MedMart is supposed to save the world!

I was with several RPCC members tonight and over the last several days getting signatures. We will continue to be out circulating petitions every chance we can!

If anyone is interested in signing a petition, circulating a petition or anything to help, please go to Put It On The Ballot.