More on Cuyahoga County Reform & The Plain Dealer

The following is part of a post by Roldo Bartimole at Cleveland Leader about the PD and the push for reform in Cuyahoga County.

If you are a Cuyahoga County resident you must click the link and read the whole story. it is by far, the best and most informative post I have read on this area and this issue.

From the Cleveland Leader --

Maybe the Plain Dealer should stick to reporting news and issuing editorial opinions and stop looking foolish by trying to be a state legislature instead of a newspaper.

The newspaper’s ill-advised attempt to get County Commissioner Tim Hagan to lead the charge on “reform” of county government stumbled clumsily with a rebuke from the elected state legislature.

The newspaper – with Hagan in the lead and a tag-along Republican Party – tried to get state legislation, as is needed, to change Cuyahoga County government. The Ohio Senate, however, felt differently and dumped a reform amendment hastily attached to other legislation.

The PD yowled, “The Ohio Senate is about to prove that it couldn’t care less about the democratic rights of Cuyahoga County residents.” More...

Roldo accurately points out that this ill-fated stab at reform would consolidate power for the commissioners, particularly Hagan. Trust me - the arrogant Hagan with more power - is the last thing this county needs!

I agree with Roldo that a county reform is sorely needed. I would personally opt for a county executive style of reform. It should be noted that Hagan was vehemently against a county reform measure in 1980 when he was head of the Cuyahoga County Democrat Party. He also refuses to look at a 1990 reform study conducted by Kathleen Barber, former political scientist at John Carroll University. Many would say both of these plans are better than the latest put forth by Hagan and the PD.

Back to the PD.... The Patronage Dealer (Plain Dealer), who has money & staffing problems of their own, has highlighted and recently taken issue with the patronage that takes place in our county offices. The misguided PD feels this patronage is one of the reasons our county is failing and that their version of reform will rid us of these questionable hiring tactics.

I would say objective and unbiased reporting would be the first place to start. It strikes me as ironic that all of a sudden the PD has an issue with this patronage in our county offices. They act as if this hiring practice just started last week. Much of the patronage they write about has been going on for many, many years. In fact, the PD has been party to it and should shoulder the blame for allowing it to happen.

Again, I agree with Roldo's statement of...

"This has been a part of the problem of poor local government here for years. Protection has taken place within the news media with the PD in the lead."

He could not be more on point! For those that have lived in Cuyahoga County for at least the last 15-20 years - when is the last time you remember reading the PD complain about any patronage in our county offices? How often have you read the PD heap praise on many of the offices & issues you hear them complain about now?

After enjoying a free pass from the PD, local Democrats that did not support their push for reform - were "outed," and the local Republicans that agree with them are now, all of a sudden, the good guys.

It sounds as the PD is crying over spilled milk from the cup they were holding!