Who is Ken Lanci / Candidate for Cuyahoga County Executive?

Most of us in Cuyahoga County have received a mailer by Ken Lanci declaring his candidacy for Cuyahoga County Executive. This mailer was either a brilliant piece of literature or a sad sign of what his candidacy may bring.

In politics, name recognition and publicity are very important and this mailer, for those who haven't tossed it, has people going to his site and asking, "Who the hell is Ken Lanci?" Other than a picture of fireworks, his web address, and claiming he was an independent, the mailer was just about blank.

Timmy "The Teen Tickler" Russo of Blogger Interrupted, and a candidate for Cuyahoga County Council, has graciously taken some time out from trying to destroy our country with socialism and did some research on Lanci with the following post at the Progressive pit of hell - Plundertard.....

Anthony gets a mailer, and immediately declares it the worst political campaign piece of the coming cycle.

And thus begins the self funded campaign of Ken Lanci for Cuyahoga County executive. Lanci’s website does have lots of words that do sound like a mattress sale. But one name leaps off the website, from the bio page.

Ken Lanci has also been actively involved in Project Love for the past thirteen years. In 2009, he accepted an invitation to act as Co-Chairman of the organization’s Remember the Children Foundation. He currently serves with Co-Chairman Arnold Pinkney.

In fact, Pinkney’s is the only political name listed anywhere on the site. Now why would that be? Arnold Pinkney is Cleveland’s designated hired gun for anyone wanting to “get” the “black community”, for whatever corporate backed initiative that happens to be on the ballot. Most recently, Pinkney was Dan Gilbert’s window dressing for the Issue 3 casino measure. Like all such self-funded candidates who think they’re gonna fool voters, this “independent” schtick is Lanci’s entire reason for being.

It seems pretty hypocritical to me that the "if you didn't vote for Obama you're a racist" lefties are upset a candidate would reach out to the black community. Last I checked they live in Cuyahoga County too.

Not knowing much about Lanci I won't call his campaign a farce like Issue 6 was, just yet. But by looking at who he has given campaign contributions, Lanci belongs in the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County where donating to both sides is almost like a prerequisite for your social club membership card....

The nice thing about such matters is that there’s always the FEC website to see just how “aligned with any political party” Ken Lanci actually is. And shock, horror, in 2008 Lanci gave a whopping $5,000 to the McCain Palin Ohio Victory Fund, and another $5,000 to the Ohio GOP in the final weeks of the campaign. Other interesting donations – Lanci gave $2,300 to Cleveland Councilman Joe Cimperman’s primary challenge to Democrat Dennis Kucinich. This year, Lanci gave $1,000 to Lee Fisher’s Senate primary campaign, proving yet again that Republicans REALLY want Lee Fisher to win this primary. Then it’s off to the Ohio Secretary of State database! Where we learn that Lanci gave $1,000 to Ken Blackwell in 2005.

To be fair, there’s a smattering of donations to Democrats, which all appear to either be attempts to feather his own nest, like the donation to no-hope gubernatorial candidate in 2002 Tim Hagan, or attempts to ratf**k Democrats; like donating to primary Dennis, or put up weak candidates to face a Republican in the fall, like Lee Fisher.

The dates on Lanci’s McCain-Palin contributions, 10/22/2008, and 11/03/2008, are telling. If you’re willing to flush $10,000 down the McCain Palin toilet in the last weeks before the election, after all of this, that makes you a borderline teabagger.

Other than exposing themselves as closet racists, the post on Lanci would have been some great insight on this candidate. But then Timmy shows his jealousy of the Tea Party's, which Lanci has no association with, by calling Lanci a closet Tea Bagger. I find this ironic as Timmy is out of the closet and being a "tea baggee" or "tea bagger" is one of his favorite past times with his friends.

Cuyahoga County Reform -- Issue 6 Co-Chair Blunders In Own City

Parma Hts Mayor Martin Zannotti is the co-chair for Issue 6 - Cuyahoga County Reform. If someone is unable to get charter issues for their own city correct -- do we really want this show of leadership wizardry heading up any type of reform effort at county level?

From Cleveland.com --

City residents may vote on charter Issue 65 this November, but those votes won't be counted.

Because of problems with the ballot language that was sent to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, city leaders told the board that the issue to create a system of ward council representatives is invalid and that votes should not be tallied.

It's too late to remove the issue, and some early voters have already sent in their ballots.

Exactly how the error was made is unknown, but board Director Jane Platten said her office printed what Parma Heights sent.

Parma Heights has more than 10 charter issues on the November ballot, but this one is particularly complex.

One thing to note is.... the charter language in Issue 6 could have been broken up and voted on individually like the one they were trying above. This way it wouldn't be a take it or leave type of reform.

The comments on the Cleveland.com post are very telling as to what Parma Hts people think about the their mayor.

Cuyahoga County Reform -- Exposing MORE lies about Issue 6

The start of this post begins with a post from Roldo Bartimole. The latter part of the post is all King (me).

Many of you may not know or have not read Roldo's stuff before -- but when it come to Cuyahoga County -- you should. Roldo, far left of our thinking is 99% correct on most of the things he posts about this area. This man, again left of most of our views, is simply the best when it come to inside knowledge of Cuyahoga County and the players killing this area.

Once again, Roldo is dead on with his views about Issue 5 & Issue 6...

From Roldo at the Cleveland Leader --

Memo to Susan Goldberg, Pee Dee editor: Stop making the news and start reporting it.

Today it was “economic development” again as the Pee Dee attributed nonsensical advantages to Issue 6, which, of course, the Pee Dee strongly backs. It’s a supposed County reform issue that has too many holes in it. Big holes.

Eliminating elective functioning offices – sheriff, treasurer, recorder, and auditor - except the County Prosecutor is an invitation to a king-maker position for Bill Mason, present prosecutor and prime mover of Issue 6. Mason doesn’t deserve the promotion.

It just doesn’t make sense. It isn’t reform. It’s merely change. Not good enough.

Anyway, today the Pee Dee gives a major Page One headline for a story that tries to suggest that voting for Issue 6 means you are voting for economic development. Please! There is no substantive evidence that this is true or even near true.

It does, however, give Issue 6 another push. That’s the purpose.

I’m not for either Issue 5 – a dodge engineered by Democrats and Labor – or Issue 6, a choice that EXPANDS not reforms Cuyahoga County government by giving us 11 County Commissioners. Oh, I know they aren’t called Commissioners. But that’s what they’ll think they are.

It is a measure that will end up dividing the county into fiefdoms. That’s something we just don’t need. Can you imagine more than one pompous Tim Hagan?

So remember if you vote YES on 6, no matter what you do with 5, you’re still going to get 11. Eleven new politicians to support. And that’s the truth.

The so-call limited government conservatives supporting Issue 6 are delusional in thinking that for some reason MORE government will work to fix the problem we face here. Hmm, I thought smaller government was wrapped up by the conservatives -- yet they continue their blind, though well intentioned support of a knee-jerk change to the structure of our county government.

We scream daily about the "change" made for changes sake in the Red Shed (Formerly the White House) -- but, like a Dick Cheney hunting trip, wildly miss the target on this one.

Below is the Issue 6 propaganda being pushed by the local fishwrap, The Plain Deceiver (Plain Dealer) that I believe Roldo is referring...

Issue 6 -- one of two competing reform issues on November's ballot -- not only would restructure Cuyahoga County government, it would also mandate a focus on creating jobs. Without economic development, Issue 6 backers say, the county cannot support its original purpose, providing health and human services.

Director of development: The county executive would appoint a development director, subject to approval of the county council. The charter insists that the director have a record of "experience and accomplishment, in the public or private sector, or both, in economic development matters."

Development Department: Among other things, the department would coordinate the county's programs related to economic development, including identifying causes of unemployment and coming up with solutions.

Economic Development Commission: The commission would oversee the Development Department. Each of the following would select one commission member: The county executive, the county council, the Cleveland mayor, the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, the Cuyahoga County Mayors and City Managers Association, the Greater Cleveland Partnership, the executive secretary of the North Shore Federation of Labor. One member also would be selected by nonprofit and educational organizations engaged in county economic development. The county council would determine those groups.

Amazing! This is a great example of how the Propaganda Dealer (Plain Dealer), shill's for the Greater Cleveland Partnership and bucking to keep their fast dwindling advertisement money from the businesses in this group, would never let the truth or objective reporting get in their way when it comes to keeping their struggling tree-killing paper alive.

The same groups mentioned above -- Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, the Cuyahoga County Mayors and City Managers Association, the Greater Cleveland Partnership -- are the biggest failure when it comes to anything in Cuyahoga County.

The Port continues wasting money on the pipe dream of getting container traffic since the 70's, the Cuyahoga County Mayors and City Managers Assoc. & the Greater Cleveland Partnership have already been working on "economic development" for this area. AS we can see -- they have continually failed. But now, if they can get Issue 6 passed -- their plans will work out. PLEASE!!!

What you see above in this PD propaganda is code language for regionalism. Or taking money from successful cities and giving it to failing cities. Issue 6 co-chair Judy Rawson has already stated that a County Executive can force cities to toe the line on regionalism efforts by threatening any funds they receive from the county. Wouldn't this be like a County Czar?

Do you really think this status quo group of players that have continually failed us -- but conveniently lined their pockets on the backs of the Cuyahoga County residents will change if their power consolidating version of reform passes?

Reason # 9, 766 for voting against Issue 6 Cuyahoga County Reform

I have recently been accused by a "I know everything & everyone else know's nothing" type person of being FOR the status quo because I do not support Issue 6 for Cuyahoga County Reform.

Actually I am against Issue 5 and Issue 6. Blaming the structure of our county government on the problems we have here is like blaming a gun for shooting someone or a pencil for misspelling a word. The problem is the people we elect -- not the structure of our goverment.

As usual with most know-it-all's, it ends up they know much of nothing. They pretty much just like to hear themself speak and read their own comments. The truth is the Issue 6 will increase the strangle hold the status quo has on our county goverment. Pretty much the same people & groups that have been destroying our county for their personal gain -- will INCREASE their control over our county.

Don't believe me?

The head of Forest City Enterprises stressed his support Thursday for a Nov. 3 ballot initiative that would replace Cuyahoga County's commissioners with an elected executive and an 11-member council.

Charles Ratner, the Cleveland real estate company's president and chief executive, said changing the structure of county government would improve prospects for development and growth in Cleveland. In a speech at a real estate event, he told developers, brokers, attorneys and investors that Forest City is backing Issue 6.

"We have to change it and we have to change it now," Ratner said of county government, dismissing another ballot issue -- Issue 5 -- that would form a commission to study reform.

Forest City, its senior executives and a political action committee called Forest City Enterprises Inc. United for a Sensible Government have donated money to New Cuyahoga Now, the campaign backed by supporters of Issue 6. (Plain Dealer)

This would be the same Forest City, through the use of their Komrade's running the Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP), that helped fleece the residents of Cuyahoga County with the forced sales tax increase for the yet to be built Med Mart.

The quarter-percent sales tax increase voted without the public for the medical mart hit $71.3 million at the end of September. The exact figure: $71,339,247.06. That’s only since January 2008 and during a recession.

So, as you see -- voting FOR Issue 6 is a vote FOR the status quo and the same damn people that have run this county into the ground.

Reason # 9, 765 for voting against Issue 6 -- it was endorsed by Senator George Voinovich.

Reason #9,765 for voting against Cuyahoga County Reform Issue 6

This pretty much confirms that as I have said all along - the Issue 6 version of Cuyahoga County Reform is a terrible plan and will not solve the ills of our county.... Senator George Voinovich just came out in support of Issue 6 for the Cuyahoga County Reform initiative.

From the PD --

"There's not a Republican way to run a city, or a Democratic way. There's a right way and a wrong way," says U.S. Sen. George Voinovich. U.S. Sen. George Voinovich has been governor, mayor, county commissioner and county auditor.

Those decades of public service compel him, he says, to endorse Issue 6, the reform measure that would swap Cuyahoga County's three commissioners for an elected county executive and 11-member council.

"From a managerial point of view, I have a perspective that I don't think anybody else has," said Voinovich, a Cleveland native. "Who else has been a county auditor for five years and will say you don't need to elect a county auditor?" More...

Yes George, your 3 decades in office has recently shown us you have a questionable record on guns, think there are too many fiscal conservatives, think Cass Sunstein & Supreme Court Justice Sotomayer are good for our country, thinks the only thing wrong with Barack Obama is Nancy Pelosi and supported the auto-maker bailouts.

Where people are misguided in their well deserved and well intended want of "change" is in the people we elect -- not the structure of our county government. We are living a perfect example of what happens when knee-jerk "change" is made. We cannot afford that mistake in our county.

Issue 6 is knee-jerk change that will actually grow our county government, will create more room for graft & corruption and solidify the power of the same elected officials and businessmen who have already run this county into the ground. Issue 6 is nothing more than lipstick on a pig by the same old farm hands.

SO those that want change in the structure of our county government --- ask yourself this question....

What happens if a bad County Executive and bad County Council members get elected -- then what? Change again?

Think very hard about it -- it is our future!

Bedford Mayor joins Anti-Gun Group

I won't go into detail, but over the years Mayor Pocek of Bedford and I have had some pretty good arguments from time to time about things going on here. I honestly have to say that after some initial "growing pains" we get along.

It is no mystery that Mayor Pocek is a strong partisan Democrat and plays hard on the partisan lines. Though for the most part this has never come into play during Pocek's time as Mayor in Bedford --- until now!

It was brought to my attention this weekend that Mayor Pocek, along with several gun-hating Mayors from the Cuyahoga County area have foolishly signed up in support of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's "Mayors Against Illegal Guns" (MAIG) group....

Despite its very misleading name, this national group of anti-gun mayors has lobbied Congress of state Right-to-Carry permits, against much-needed reform of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), for regulating gun shows out of existence, and for repealing the Tiahrt Amendment that protects the privacy rights of law-abiding gun owners and limits disclosure of sensitive firearm trace data to protect law enforcement personnel and protect lawful gun manufacturers from bogus lawsuits.

Bloomberg created "Mayors Against Illegal Guns" as a front group to lobby Congress to oppose important pro-gun reforms and support new federal gun control restrictions. (Ohio Sportsman)

You can be sure Mayor Pocek will be receiving many calls from the "Democrats" living in Bedford very upset with his signing onto a back door attempt of taking away our 2nd Amendment rights.

Realizing Bloomberg's MAIG group is just another back door way to push their gun-hating progressive programs down to a local level, Walton Hills Mayor, Marlene Anielski, when realizing the true intent and nature of this group -- did the right thing and immediately stepped down.

Below is a list of Mayors from Cuyahoga County supporting this gun-hating group, click here for a list of all the OH mayors....

Mayor Merle Gordon Beachwood, OH

Mayor Daniel Pocek Bedford, OH

Mayor Fletcher Berger Bedford Heights, OH

Mayor John Licastro Bratenahl, OH

Mayor Samuel Alai Broadview Heights, OH

Mayor Frank Jackson Cleveland, OH

Mayor Edward Kelley Cleveland Heights, OH

Mayor Jack Bacci Cuyahoga Heights, OH

Mayor Bill Cervenik Euclid, OH

Mayor Thomas J. Longo Garfield Heights, OH

Mayor Gregory Costabile Mayfield Heights, OH

Mayor Bruce Rinker Mayfield Village, OH

Mayor Gary Starr Middleburg Heights, OH

Mayor Susan Renda Moreland Hills, OH

Mayor Thomas E. O'Grady North Olmsted, OH

Mayor Kathy Mulcahy Orange Village, OH

Mayor Martin Zanotti Parma Heights, OH

Mayor Bruce Akers Pepper Pike, OH

Mayor Daniel Ursu Richmond Heights, OH

Mayor Earl M. Leiken Shaker Heights, OH

Mayor Kevin Patton Solon, OH

Mayor Georgine Welo South Euclid, OH

Mayor Beryl Rothschild University Heights, OH

** Side note for all the supporters for the Issue 6 Cuyahoga County Reform -- notice many of the above area Mayor's supporting this gun-hating group also support or had a hand in crafting Issue 6.

How long before these same people -- regionalize their efforts for taking away our 2nd Amendment?

Cuyahoga County Reform: Lipstick on a Pig!

In Cuyahoga County we have several reform issues on the ballot coming up this election. One -- "New Cuyahoga Now" is crafted by County Prosecutor Bill Mason, Parma Hts. Mayor Martin Zasnotti and the Greater Cleveland Partnership. (Side note: Mason's wife was just linked to the corruption scandal).

The other plan put forth is by Commissioner Tim "Blow Hard" Hagan and Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones -- this plan would elect a panel of 15 people to study, have community input, formulate a plan for reform and put it up for a vote of the county. Two seperate slates of candidates have been placed on the ballot for voters to choose from. One is mostly Democrats the other is mostly Republicans.

This weekend we will have a more in-depth post on the details of both reform plans. In this post, I will only concentrate on the hypocrisy of the latest PD article detailing these competing reform issues and who is backing what. Until then, you just got to love the spin and lies on this one.

Putting their arguments before the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, the two sides squared off on which reform should be listed first on the election day ballot....

Attorney Steven Kaufman argued that New Cuyahoga Now filed petitions first and therefore should get the top spot on the ballot. He also argued that the commissioners' issue, which never appeared on an agenda or was debated publicly, was not complete until supporters filed petitions on Aug. 20. (PD)

I don't understand why Mr. Kaufman is so upset and, though true, I find it intentionally misleading that he would slam the commissioners reform proposal for not being publicly debated.

Why? Forgoing the fact that Mason/Zasnotti & the GCP have been intimately responsible for the failures of Cuyahoga County -- the Mason/Zasnotti/GCP plan "New Cuyahoga Now" had not only NO community input, but it had NO input from any of the surrounding suburbs or the City of Cleveland. In fact, the commissioners reform proposal will allow for community input whereas the "New Cuyahoga Now" reform plan offer no chance of community input.

Stay tuned this for the upcoming post on the Cuyahoga County Reform. as both slates will be reviewed and the plans will be exposed for what they are -- lipstick on a pig and nothing more than a cosmetic change.

Wife of Cuyahoga County Prosecutor pushing "County Reform" involved in Corruption Scandal

Oh tee hee!

Here's a tasty tidbit about the snake everyone wants you to buy county reform from...

From the PD --

A spokesman for the prosecutor said there was nothing improper about Mason's wife, Carol, having worked for a company owned by a businessman who is part of the federal corruption investigation in the county.

The prosecutor's office said Friday that Carol Mason worked for Frola on a month-to-month basis, earning $1,500 a month from January 2008 to June 2008. She did public relations and event planning for Frola's business, though the office did not give specific projects she worked on.

Frola handled real estate deals for the city of Parma and its school district. He is a close friend of Parma Mayor Dean DePiero, who in turn is a longtime friend and political ally of Bill Mason's.

Municipal Solutions was named in grand jury subpoenas delivered to Parma schools and Parma City Hall this year as part of the widespread federal probe into public corruption in Cuyahoga County. At the time the subpoenas were delivered, Carol Mason worked for Frola's company, according to court documents. More....

Now they're getting closer to the real crooks! I'll give you a hint - their initials are GCP.

The Real Crooks of Cuyahoga County: The Greater Cleveland Politboro

I knew it would only be a matter of time before the Cuyahoga County Crooks - The Greater Cleveland Partnership - would come out publicly regarding the reform proposals in Cuyahgoa County.

Understand this - the Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP) is one of the major reasons this region has failed miserably. These suit & tie suck asses of the business elite from this area should be put on the Good Time II and sunk three miles out in Lake Erie.

The GCP, not willing to be left out and wanting to consolidate their stranglehold of what is left of our county have now offered financial support to get the Cuyahoga County Reform proposal on the upcoming ballot...

The Greater Cleveland Partnership announced Tuesday that it has given $100,000 to an effort to get a measure on the November ballot that would reform the way Cuyahoga County is governed.

Joe Roman, Partnership president and chief executive, said the contribution should be enough to help the group collect the 45,000 signatures needed by mid-July to put the measure on the ballot this fall.

"We really feel this is something the voters should be able to weigh in on," Roman said. (PD)

Roman is a joke! People do not be fooled! This was the same group that created a study to match their pre-determined, cherry -picked site selection for the Med Mart - Sam Millers Swampland. If you remember -- the GCP -- was the group pushing to FORCE the sale tax increase on us for the Med Mart - without a vote of the people. Now - they feel what the people have to say is important. Or is it our voices are important so we can help them advance their pocket lining agenda?

For the record, the GCP, Positively Cleveland, Republican Party of Cuyahoga County, the local media & the Cuyahoga County Mayors & City Managers Assoc. were all complicit in stifling the voice of the people on putting the sales tax increase on the ballot. NOW all htese same groups, as pawns of the GCP, want our voices to be heard. Are we that stupid?

Trust me, I am all for change. But the current reform proposals are nothing more than cosmetic change. We are doing nothing more than shuffling the cards with a marked GCP deck. Not only will this paper reform give the GCP more elected offices to buy off and control. In fact, it will greatly decrease any attempts by us to hold the county elected officials accountable.

The group pushing to get the reform on the ballot are nothing more than pawns for The Greater Cleveland Politboro. The problem is the players driving the ship - not the system itself. We have the same group(s) of politicians, people & GCP who have been the so-called leaders of our county for quite a while now. The same people that have run this area into the ground, now want to fix what they did or have allowed. Trust me the problems that plague Cuyahoga County run much deeper than Jimmy Dimora & Frank Russo.

Why should we believe, or more importantly trust, anything they have to say? Would you have the same guy who burglarized your home several times – house sit for you if you went on vacation?

Westlake & North Olmsted's bid to leave Cleveland Water Dept.

It is not often when we find an opportunity to praise some of our local politicians. Most are either party hacks or spineless and it is often a combination of both.

Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough and North Olmsted Mayor Thomas O'Grady are one step closer from freeing their residents from Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson's tyrannical control over single largest unregulated utility negatively affecting 1.5 million people in four counties -Cleveland Water Department.

From the PD --

Discontent with Cleveland water service has North Olmsted and Westlake thinking of buying their water from a Lorain County source.

North Olmsted Mayor Thomas O'Grady said the cities are ready to start on the second phase of a study to set up a water district. North Olmsted has requested $36 million in federal stimulus money to build the system.

Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough said the system could be financed without stimulus money, mainly because buying water from Avon Lake would be much cheaper than from Cleveland.

O'Grady said North Olmsted residents are frustrated by the Cleveland department. "We're not getting the service our taxpayers deserve," he said. He listed among complaints: slow emergency response, fights over bills and rate increases. More...

Mayor Clough has been the one Mayor not afraid to speak out about the failings of Cleveland Water Dept. It is nice to see O'Grady at least appear to be in support of removing the North Olmsted residents from being continually victimized by the incompetence and monopoly of CWD.

Other municipalities serviced by Cleveland Water Dept. would love to be from under their control, but due to logistics and existing infrastructure are unable too.

It should be noted that Bay Village Mayor Debbie Sutherland, who was defeated in her bid for County Commissioner, also had a chance to be part of this study. Sutherland, never the one to be a free thinker, chose not to be involved in this study. In fact, she stated she would just wait and see what happened in the above study. While Sutherland deserves credit for working hard on her campaign, she apparently lacks leadership qualities.

So until more area leaders like Clough & O'Grady start doing what is right for the residents by challenging the Gestapo-like control of Cleveland Water Dept. - any hope of true regionalism is just empty talk by empty headed politicians and the hacks at the Plain Dealer.

Cleveland Water Dept. - An Exercise in Incompetence

The Plain Dealer is again chronicling the abuse customers of Cleveland Water Dept must face when dealing with this unregulated utility affecting 1.5 million customers stretching to the far corners of four counties.

As you will see in the PD's list of reports outlining CWD's poor customer service and their practice of over-billing - getting an issue resolved with CWD is a complete exercise in futility.

So, our brainless area leaders continue discussing several meaningless "musical chair" types of reform and regionalism for saving this area- yet they refuse to discuss the one thing that is negatively affecting communities in four counties and 1.5 million users - Cleveland Water Department.

Does Cuyahoga County REALLY Want Reform?

Over the past 2 years we have seen several insincere attempts of reforming, restructuring and streamlining Cuyahoga County government. There have been committees formed, State Senators & Representatives assembled, proposals put forth and we are still at square one, barring a few minor proposed changes.

Overall, we are no further today than where we were when all these “know more than us” politicians and community group smarty-pants first put their empty minds together to save the region that they have pretty much let go to crap.

I have always said this reform movement is a joke and is being driven by Commissioner Hagan and the business community as a way to further consolidate their strangle hold that has been killing this region. Besides allowing one person, Louis Stokes, to over power the selected group – there were no meaningful discussions on how to improve this region.

Here is where I will prove my case…

Over the past year or so there has been several major breaks in water lines owned by the City of Cleveland and serviced by the City of Cleveland Water Dept (CWD). Now the PD is highlighting the billing problems many of the 1.5 million CWD customers are experiencing.

The City of Cleveland Water Dept. owns & services somewhere in the ballpark of over 6000 miles of water line. These waterlines service four counties - Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, & Summit. The footprint for the City of Cleveland proper sits over approximately 25% - 28% of the 6000 miles of waterline. The total daily consumption of water for the City of Cleveland alone is approximately 25%-28% of the overall total daily consumption and only 33% of the 1.5 million customers are City of Cleveland residents or businesses.

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson has blackmailed many area communities into signing onto his Joint Economic Development Agreement, better known as his “no-poaching” agreement. In this 20-year agreement, cities will agree to a limited payroll tax-sharing plan with the City of Cleveland should any business leave Cleveland and relocate in their city. In exchange for signing onto this agreement – Mayor Jackson proposed only a minimal increase in the water bills and pledged to invest $10 million a year for 5 years on repairing waterlines.

The devil is in the details with this plan… any waterline repair project the cities may have, now get lumped in with Cleveland’s. When the CWD goes to select how this $10 million would be spent, they review their existing problems and the waterline woes of the cities that signed the JED. This would also apply when making applications for grants.

The City of Cleveland is pushing hard that by signing on, they, CWD, will make any and all repairs to the waterlines. The problem is, even before the JED, as owners, CWD already makes any and all repairs all breaks on the water line. Any city choosing not to participate would have a higher rate increase and would not benefit from the $50 million in promised repairs. The only communities responsible for repairing waterline breaks are Master Meter cities. All other communities are responsible for water line rehab projects on distribution mains and CWD is responsible for maintaining transmission mains.

A fair estimate for installing 1 mile of waterline, depending on conditions and the exact scope of work, is approximately $400,000 - $500,000. Not even getting into where Mayor Jackson thinks he will finding this extra $10 million a year, we could see it will not go very far. If a city participating in the JED wishes to undertake a waterline project that is not selected, they will be responsible for any funding.

With this, it can easily be said that Cleveland Water Dept is operating as an unregulated public utility affecting users throughout four counties. Being the only provider of water, depending on location, many communities have no choice but to use CWD. The only power any community being served by CWD – is the power of suggestion. They are all subject to the whims of one man – Mayor Frank Jackson and the financial needs of Cleveland.

During a RPCC meeting in 2007 we were wrangling with our party platform in which the county reform came up. In these discussions I questioned the sincerity of the county reform and asked why the restructuring of CWD was not on the table. My questions went unanswered then and again in 2008. To be fair, I have also asked my local democrat elected officials the same and also recieved no response.

SO if any of the elected officials of this area are truly sincere in making change – why is the one single entity, CWD, having a monopoly over service, operating as an unregulated utility and affecting the most residents of Cuyahoga County not being the first thing discussed when they talk about county reform.

CWD should be disbanded and put under the authority of a Regional Water Commission broken down into Service Districts. This commission should be comprised equally of elected officials, City Service Directors, City Engineers and community stakeholders (residents) from areas that are being served.

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!