Toledo to begin 32-hour work week

This in via email from the mayor's office:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 14, 2009

Exempt Employees Begin 32-Hour Workweek Tomorrow

Beginning tomorrow (Friday, May 15), all exempt employees will begin working a 32-hour workweek. The Mayor's Office will now be open from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Friday. All other departments will operate at normal business hours, ensuring that City services will continue uninterrupted. Each department director has arranged a work schedule that allows employees to work reduced hours or take a full unpaid day off during the week. This reduced workweek begins tomorrow, as it is the beginning of a new payroll period.

So here's my question: If all other departments can have staggered hours of staff to cover the 'normal business hours,' why can't the mayor's office? It would seem, especially in these difficult economic times, that the need to have someone in the mayor's office at the same time all other city departments are open is critical.

Or, if the mayor's office can get away with working a half day on Friday, why not all other offices?

As George Orwell wrote in "1984": All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.

Fire Department billing back on the agenda

Despite having been voted down the last time, the plan to bill for fire department responses has turned up again - just like a bad penny.

Here is the text of the ordinance, including the billing amounts:

ORD.

Establishing and implementing a program to charge the cost of fire service fees within the response area of the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department; and declaring an emergency.

SUMMARY & BACKGROUND:
The Toledo Fire & Rescue Department (TFRD) provides fire suppression, emergency, and rescue services in and around the City of Toledo. The TFRD is equipped with and utilizes certain apparatus, emergency tools, equipment, and materials as a means of saving lives and property. Furthermore, the purchase of said tools, equipment, and materials is a significant expense for the City of Toledo.

The persons or entities requiring emergency services in the City of Toledo, and for whom the referenced apparatus, tools, equipment, and materials have been utilized have resources including insurance coverage that will reimburse the costs associated with the use, loss, damage and wear and tear to said tools, equipment, and materials incurred in connection with the act of rendering emergency services to said persons or entities.

The Toledo City Council deems the establishment and implementation of fire service fees for the City of Toledo is in the best benefit of the citizens of the City of Toledo through which beneficiaries of fire services are required to pay a fair and reasonable share of the cost of loss and wear and tear to apparatus, tools, equipment, and materials used, so that a safe and appropriate level of service can be maintained and made available to the City. NOW, THEREFORE,

Be it ordained by the Council of the City of Toledo:

SECTION 1. The City shall have the authority to establish and implement a program of fire service fees and bill both persons and entities for the reasonable costs that are related to the use, loss, damage, and wear and tear to said apparatus, tools, equipment, and materials necessary to provide the fire services and 911 response rendered to said persons and entities, subject to the conditions and limitations of this ordinance.

SECTION 2. The Mayor, Director of Finance and the Director of the Department of Fire & Rescue may make rules or regulations, and from time-to-time may amend, revoke or add rules and regulations, not consistent with this Section as they may deem necessary or expedient in respect to billing for these fees or the collection thereof. Any rules, regulations, amendments and addition to such rules shall be available for public inspection at each fire station and shall be filed with the Clerk of Council.

SECTION 3. The following fees may be assessed and collected for usage of apparatus, equipment and materials:
APPARATUS/PERSONNEL
Apparatus / Price per Hour**
Engine - Class A $500.00
Aerial $750.00
Tanker/Tender $500.00
Rescue (Light)-Brush Truck $425.00
Rescue (Heavy) - SERT/TRT $600.00
Batt. Chief / Shift Commander $200.00
other Chief Officer $75.00
Support Unit*** $250.00
** The minimum usage charge for any item in this list is one hour, and for any additional hours or portions thereof, the charge will be prorated using 1/4 hour increments.
*** Support Units include but are not limited to Mobile Command Posts, air trailers, Light Trailers, Generator Trucks and Rehab Units.

(charts of other fees)



SECTION 4. The City is authorized if it so deems necessary the establishment of a third-party billing and revenue recovery contract with a professional services company, hereinafter referred to as an “authorized agent”, qualified to bill and recover the uniform charges and with established valid reputation in recovering such charges.

SECTION 5. Fees shall be recovered by the authorized agent for services provided by the fire departments authorized to operate within the City of Toledo. Fire department administrations shall utilize applicable incident report information provided to the authorized agent as the basis for the charge and recovery of Fire Service Fees for each incident the City authorizes.

SECTION 6. The City, or their authorized agent, subject to the conditions and limitations of this ordinance, shall submit an invoice to the person, entity or relevant insurance company covering the particular loss for the emergency services rendered. If it can be reliably determined that there is no insurance coverage for a particular emergency incident which causes the Toledo Fire Department to use, or incur loss, damage, and wear and tear to apparatus, tools, equipment, and materials; the City may recover any such fees from the person or entity that received said emergency services or the person or entity responsible for the debts and obligations of the person or entity that received such emergency services. Recipients of the services of the Toledo Fire Department shall respond freely and cooperatively to fire service inquiries (including those of their authorized agent), regarding their insurance coverage. Recipients of the services of the Toledo Fire Department shall be invoiced directly under the terms of this ordinance if they do not carry insurance sufficient to cover the impact to the City of Toledo’s loss of capital or material.

SECTION 7. All amounts collected as a result of this Ordinance shall be placed into the General Fund of the City of Toledo into an account deemed appropriate by the Finance Director of the City of Toledo.

SECTION 8. It is found and determined that all formal actions of this City Council concerning and relating to the passage of this Ordinance were passed in open meetings of this City Council, and that all deliberations of this City Council and any of its committees that resulted in such formal actions were in compliance with all legal requirements, the Ohio Revised Code and the Toledo Municipal Code.

SECTION 9. That this Ordinance hereby is declared to be an emergency measure and shall be in force and effect from and after its passage. The reason for the emergency lies in the fact that same is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety and property, and for the further reason that this Ordinance must be immediately effective in order to maintain a high level of quality emergency services by the Fire Department.

Call your city council members (419-245-1050) or send them an email ... They work for you!

Blade bias - #8 - UPDATED

UPDATED: Fellow Ohio Blogger Tom Blumer has a post about this on Newsbusters, which includes a response from the reporter the last time The Blade had a problem with identifying party affiliation.

Original post:

The Toledo Free Press is reporting the declining circulation numbers of the Toledo Blade. I cannot help but wonder if their obvious bias is part of their problem.

In this story about the indictment of an aide to former Democrat Attorney General Marc Dann, they fail to mention the Democratic Party affiliation...but they seem to think the party affiliation of the prosecuting attorney is relevant.

"COLUMBUS - Anthony Gutierrez, the man at the center of a sexual harassment scandal that helped drive former Attorney General Marc Dann from office, faces theft and fraud charges for allegedly using his ties with his long-time friend to benefit himself financially.

Franklin Country (sic) Prosecutor Ron O'Brien Thursday announced a 10-count indictment -- six felonies and four first-degree misdemeanors -- against Mr. Gutierrez one year to the day after Mr. Dann left office just 16 months into his term.
Mr. O'Brien, a Republican, said the timing was not scheduled to coincide with the anniversary."

The first - and only mention - of the political affiliation of the disgraced Dann is this sentence - in the very last paragraph of the story - that really doesn't call him a Democrat:

"Mr. Dann resigned last year under pressure from Republicans and fellow Democrats alike in the wake of the harassment scandal."

They never identify Gutierrez as a Democrat.

So why is the political affiliation of the county prosecutor relevant or even needed in the story? And why would you mention that in the second paragraph yet never mention the political party of the indicted individual? Further, why would you wait until the 13th and final paragraph to only 'imply' the political party of Dann?

Bias is the only answer. And it's rampant when it comes to these types of stories in The Blade.

Democracy or tyranny?

"The government of the absolute majority is but the government of the strongest interests; and when not effectively checked, is the most tyrannical and oppressive that can be devised... [To read the Constitution is to realize that] no free system was ever farther removed from he principle that the absolute majority, without check or limitation, ought to govern." ~ John C. Calhoun

Lately I've been hearing all kinds of arguments about majority votes being the 'will of the people' and, therefore, justification for all types of actions that appear contrary to what our founders intended.

Primarily, these discussions are over such issues as tax levies or other taxation for which the public gets a vote. The concept being that if a majority vote to take away part of your income for something, then it must be okay because a vote was held and the majority ruled.

However, such discussions fail to ask a fundamental question, which is whether or not a vote should even be held.

You've heard the adage that democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what's for dinner? A republic is when the sheep has a gun... The fear of our founders was that a majority can impose its will on the minority, leading to tyranny by those in power/control.

Over time, the idea of majority rule has turned into tyranny - especially when the majority can decide that your property (money earned) gets to be taken forcibly from you in order to fund things that the majority want. This is especially true when it comes to certain property taxes for items like zoos or science museums.

These issues get on the ballot and then the majority gets to decide if everyone is going to pay for them - whether or not they're ever used. This is especially onerous when most people who pay for these items through their taxes are not able to take advantage of the limited 'free admission' times and end up paying a second time whenever they want to visit these publicly-funded institutions.

One of the reasons given for supporting such items is because they enhance the community. That may be true, to some people. Others will be of the opinion that they enhance the community so long as they are self-supporting. But then comes the argument that if the 'public' doesn't support them, they won't be able to provide access at reduced rates for people who are too poor to afford them on their own.

This is where the Marxist perspective comes into play: from each according to their means to each according to their needs. If the 'poor' cannot afford these things on their own, then those with money must have their money taken away from them to subsidize these ventures so that the poor can benefit from them as well. This is certainly not what our founders intended.

But, Maggie, don't we have an obligation to help the poor? Didn't our Christian-influenced founders support the idea that we need to help those less fortunate than us?

Of course - but that requirement of the Christian faith (and many others) is a personal one. It is incumbent upon each of us as individuals to do this - not the government. In fact, many teach that it's an abdication of your responsibility if you turn over your obligation to the government. And certainly, no religion teaches that you must force others to abide by your beliefs - or that charity that is mandated through laws or other means is really 'charity.'

But somehow, it has become accepted thinking that a majority gets to decide the confiscation of private property for a purported 'public' means and that those who object to such confiscation are morally bad because they don't want to 'help' those who will benefit from such confiscation.

In my ideal world, such funding votes would have different rules than they do now. If an item was on the ballot for funding, people voting 'yes' would be agreeing to split the needed amount of funding among themselves, while those voting 'no' would not be charged. This way, the vote is not to forcibly confiscate funds from everyone, but only to determine who is agreeing to let the government facilitate their 'donations' to a particular entity.

Of course, under such a rule, I doubt that we'd see so many levies and tax issues appear on the ballot because such a system is just a different method of fundraising - and if the entity was successful at fundraising (either through donations or fees charged) they wouldn't have a need for a levy or tax. Additionally, entities wouldn't be able to rely upon a very small number to support their confiscation of funds from everyone, especially when you consider that they only need a majority of people who actually come out to vote, which rarely reaches 50% eligible voters these days.

Sadly, I don't see the system changing any time soon - if ever. It's too easy to convince a minority that they can benefit at the expense of others, and make them feel okay about doing so by calling it 'democracy.'

Toledoans to get first view of new garbage can sizes

This in via email:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, May 13, 2009

City of Toledo Unveils New Refuse/Recycling Carts

The City of Toledo Division of Solid Waste has partnered with local businesses to assist citizens in selecting the appropriate sized carts for the forthcoming automated refuse and recycling collection. Grey carts will be used for refuse collection, and blue carts for recycling. The carts will be available for viewing from Thursday, May 14 through Monday, June 8.

Citizens are requested to visit one of the following locations to view the cart sizes (96 gallon, 64 gallon or 48 gallon) and make their selection:

· The Andersons (Monroe & Talmadge)
· The Toledo Food Center located at 303 Main Street
· Sunoco Foodmart - 4810 Suder Avenue
· Walmart - 2925 Glendale
· Save A Lot - 3030 Monroe in Swayne Field

The City of Toledo recommends selecting both containers in the 96 gallon size provide the most capacity for refuse and recyclable materials. However, citizens who believe handling or storing the cart will present a problem are urged to visit one of the above locations to select a smaller size. Citizens who do not select a cart size within the viewing time frame will be assigned the default 96 gallon cart. Those unable to visit one of the viewing locations will be able to make their selection online at the City of Toledo's Website (www.toledo.oh.gov). Citizens who do not wish to participate in the City's recycling program are urged to contact the Division of Solid Waste to ensure no recycling cart is delivered to their home.

No word on what happens to the cans that those of us in the pilot areas still have....

Encouraging signs from America's campuses

Quite often I look around and get rather discouraged at what I see happening with our young people. Teaching them moral relativism to the 'superiority' of Marxism while neglecting the basic principles upon which this nation was founded is creating a generation that is more interested in their feelings than in facts, reason, logic or even thinking.

But then I come across something that makes me think all is not lost.

Ashley Herzog has two columns that show reason is not yet dead on America's campuses. In Socialism, College Style, she takes a look at applying the socialist 'spread-the-wealth' concept to grades...much to the surprise of students who willingly embrace the idea when it comes to money but reject it when it actually applies to them and their grades.

She follows up with Part II, applying the concept to the way professors run their classrooms - exposing the hypocrisy of what is taught versus what is practiced.

Then there is Dr. Mike Adams, a criminology professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, who seems to be the lone conservative voice crying in the wilderness of political correctness and socialism in our university systems. His most recent column, however, is what gives me encouragement.

In Revolt in East Lansing, he writes about a group of Michigan State University instructors who have formed The Conservative Faculty and Staff at MSU to "protect and defend the values articulated in the Declaration of Independence here at Michigan State University."

That college professors are beginning to speak out for their ideals and for the free exchange of ideas and concepts in what is supposed to be an open forum and 'safe' place to do so, is just fantastic. I, like Dr. Adams, hope this idea catches like wildfire and spreads to all American campuses.

Maybe it's not so discouraging after all....

Toledo consolidating garages to save money

This press release was sent via email:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 12, 2009

City of Toledo Garage Consolidation Will Save Taxpayers Half-A-Million Dollars

Today Mayor Finkbeiner announced that effective June 5, The City of Toledo Division of Facility and Fleet will consolidate its three Fleet Operations service garages - a move which will annually save Toledo taxpayers approximately $500,000.

Spielbush Garage (1915 Spielbush) will be closed, remaining open only for gas dispensing. All service will be moved to Imlay Garage (3917 Imlay St.), where all Police and Fire safety equipment will be serviced and maintained.

This restructuring will drastically reduce overtime - and save an estimated $500,000 -- by implementing three working shifts, which will give the City of Toledo 24/7 service without emergency overtime costs.

Mayor Finkbeiner released the following statement: "These economically challenging times force us to find new, innovative ways to provide service to our citizen, while reducing costs. This consolidation of our service garages will practically eliminate emergency overtime in Fleet Operations, while improving service to our citizens."

I'm glad they're doing this - I just wonder what took them so long.

And if they're doing this now, it's painfully evident that months ago when they said they'd done everything they could to cut costs, they weren't being exactly truthful.

On the plus side, these savings have not previously been identified in any press release as costs to be eliminated, so this change should directly impact the deficit.

Should 'double dippers' be paid less?

Over the weekend, Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner announced that he was going to reduce the wages of employees who are 'double dippers' by 40%.

In case you've never seen this term before, it refers to public employees who have retired from prior positions and are collecting pensions from their prior employer, but have been hired by a public employer and are getting standard wages.

I am absolutely opposed to elected officials who do this - and we have several in the Toledo region. They ran unopposed, retired from their office, usually for the months of November and December, began collecting their public pensions and then took office again for their new term on January 1. They are then collecting their pensions and their public salaries.

Employees of government jurisdictions are different. Many have worked outside of the public area, though some have worked in government, and have retired. They have then applied for and been appointed to work in government, often in another jurisdiction or in different positions. They earned their pensions from their prior employers and they have decided to continue working.

The perspective from our mayor and from many people is that because these people have other income, they are somehow not worthy or deserving of the same pay as anyone else who might be appointed to that position.

And I don't think this is right.

If you have set a salary for a position, commensurate with experience and skills needed to perform the described tasks of the position, you should pay the person selected that set amount. Whether or not the individual has a pension should never be a consideration.

If we begin down the road of setting salaries based upon the other income of an individual, we have stopped compensating 'fairly' and have, instead, decided to compensate based upon the perceived wealth of the individual.

Would the people clamoring for 'double dippers' to get paid less also advocate for someone with an inheritance to be paid less? After all, they don't really need the full salary since they already have other income/assets. And it's the same argument.

There's a third category of people that often get lumped into the 'double dipper' category: individuals who've worked their entire lives, retired and then sought elective office. These are usually people who didn't have the ability to seek office while working full time and, now that they're retired, can do so. It would seem that, rather than attacking such seasoned individuals for wanting to be paid for the work they do, we would welcome their experience in elective office.

It's easy to find a group of people to attack as 'double dippers' and use then use that name as an excuse to pay them less than others in the same position. But it's promoting class warfare to say that simply because a person has other income or wealth, they should be paid less. This puts government into the position of making a determination of what you need, rather than what you deserve. And that's a very slippery slope, indeed.

Mother's Day

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. ~ Rajneesh

The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness. ~ Honoré de Balzac

A mom forgives us all our faults, not to mention one or two we don't even have. ~ Robert Brault

Mother's love is peace. It need not be acquired, it need not be deserved. ~ Erich Fromm

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. ~ Washington Irving

The tie which links mother and child is of such pure and immaculate strength as to be never violated. ~ Washington Irving

I cannot forget my mother. [S]he is my bridge. When I needed to get across, she steadied herself long enough for me to run across safely. ~ Renita Weems

The best conversations with mothers always take place in silence, when only the heart speaks. ~ Carrie Latet

My mom is a neverending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being. I may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune. ~ Graycie Harmon

The facts behind the process of issuing a subpoena - or why it's all the city's fault

There seems to be quite a bit of confusion over officers not showing up in court and cases being dismissed as a result.

Here are some things people need to know about the process.

Quite some time ago, in order to help cut down on the overtime costs of police officers appearing in court, a new subpoena process was created for the Toledo Municipal Court and the Toledo Police Department to utilize. It was a 'paperless' system, in many ways, and worked quite well.

Of course, it assumes that the police officers needed to testify in court are actually still employed by the city and getting their notifications via the police department.

If a laid-off officer is needed for a court case, it is highly likely they would not get the notification of their subpoena through this process because they're no longer employed. That should have been evident to the prosecutors, who are responsible for issuing the subpoena, who then should have filed the proper paperwork with the Clerk of Court which would have resulted in a new subpoena be issued to the officer at their home address. This is the process for issuing a subpoena to any other citizen and the one that could have been followed for the laid-off officers who are now civilians.

Had a laid-off officer gotten such a subpoena and then failed to appear in court, the court could have, and should have, held them in contempt for failure to appear.

But if the laid-officer did not get such a subpoena and no longer had access to the internal system of notification within the TPD, that officer cannot be held accountable for a failure to appear.

Nor can a judge be held accountable for dismissing a case as a result of such non-appearance. Courts have time constraints to processing cases under federal and state laws, as well as the Rules of Superintendence which govern how Ohio courts operate. If a prosecutor finds himself without a key witness due to the lack of planning on behalf of the city that failed to address the inevitable notification issues, he can ask for a continuance. The first question a judge will ask in response to such a request is: "Until when?"

Of course, a prosecutor will not have an answer for that, so that leaves the prosecutor without a firm date for ensuring the witness's appearance and the defense attorney asking for a dismissal due to a lack of prosecution. A judge will then be faced with little or no ability to do anything but grant the motion for dismissal.

It is not the judge's fault for following the law, nor the defense attorney's fault for doing what is in the best interest of the client. It is, however, the fault of the prosecutor for not making sure that the proper subpoenas for their witnesses are issued.

And the prosecutors work for the city of Toledo, specifically, for the Law Director, then the Safety Director, then the Mayor.

In the end, it's the city's fault that cases are dismissed because officers did not appear. The prosecutors should just issue a regular subpoena and let the now-civilian witnesses show up like everyone else who gets a subpoena, but that would require some advanced planning and thinking about the consequences of decisions that have been made - something the city isn't very good at.

I'd rather have a police officer

The City of Toledo issued the following press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, May 8, 2009

Division of Recreation Sponsors Pitch, Hit & Run Competition

On Saturday, May 9 at Bennett Park (Bennett & Laskey), the City of Toledo Division of Recreation will sponsor Aquafina's Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit & Run youth baseball competition. Beginning at 1 p.m., this national competition -- open to boys and girls ages 14 and under -- gives young athletes the chance to showcase their pitching, hitting, and running abilities. All participants will have a chance to win a trip to the 2009 All-Star Game and be part of the Pitch, Hit & Run national competition. Pre-registration is available at Freedom Enterprises Sports Cards & Collectibles (444 W. Laskey Road, Unit O) from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. or at the City of Toledo Athletic Office (2201 Ottawa Parkway) from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Onsite registration is also available. Proof of age and parental release must be completed prior to competition. No cleats are permitted.

For more information, contact Sherrie Shipman in the Division of Recreation at 419-936-2700.

Despite claims that the city had cut everything they possible could out of the budget, there is still funding for this type of 'recreation.' Even if the major costs of this competition are being covered by donations from private entities, city of Toledo resources and staff are being utilized for the program.

But we laid off police officers!

Can you say 'stuck on stupid'?

Quote of the Day

As Toledoans consider the charter amendment to change the number and composition of city council - as well as debate the merits of a city manager versus strong mayor form of government - here is a quote to keep in mind:

"[I]t is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand....The only foundation of a free Constitution, is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People, in a great Measure, than they have it now, They may change their Rulers, and the forms of Government, but they will not obtain a lasting Liberty." ~ John Adams, letter to Zabdiel Adams, 21 June 1776

Oh to have council members like this

Erick Erickson is a friend of mine. We met at the Sam Adams Alliance Samsphere conference and hit it off - especially with our backgrounds in elective service.

His efforts to focus on conservative principles while serving on the Macon City Council are well-known to many, but not all. His creative way of exposing ridiculousness in leftist issues makes many of us smile.

As an example, there is this story of a recent resolution to make President Barack Obama an honorary member of the Macon city council. Erick approached it with facts and a bit of humor - and was successful in getting the measure tabled.

I only wish we had such aplomb in Toledo.

Quote of the Day

"Anyone may arrange his affairs so that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which best pays the treasury. There is not even a patriotic duty to increase one's taxes. Over and over again the Courts have said that there is nothing sinister in so arranging affairs as to keep taxes as low as possible. Everyone does it, rich and poor alike and all do right, for nobody owes any public duty to pay more than the law demands." ~ Judge Learned Hand (1872-1961), Judge, U. S. Court of Appeals

On the campaign trail #1

* In response to comments made by mayoral candidate and Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop, Mayor Carty Finkbeiner issued the following statement:

"Candidates for public office should never use human tragedy to further their political ambitions or agendas. Mr. Konop should be ashamed of himself."

Of course, never one to take his own advice, Finkbeiner did exactly that when he announced the suicide of a 'very good friend' in a Toledo park. He was trying to make a point about safety even during layoffs of police officers, saying that the mother of the man did not blame the suicide on a lack of police officers to patrol the park. Of course, the tragedy occurred in Maumee, not Toledo, but Carty should be 'ashamed of himself for using human tragedy to further his political ambition and agenda.'

* There's more evidence of bias from The Blade when it comes to headlines in the mayoral race. As I've previously documented, the lack of the candidate's name in the headline is a subtle bias designed to impact name ID and recognition. Here are the latest headlines and word counts for the most recent press conferences:

Konop sees savings in city-county office merger - 289 words (candidate Ben Konop, Democrat)

Bell says city needs business advocate
Mayoral candidate wants to cut red tape, rules - 294 words (candidate Mike Bell, Democrat running as an Independent)

Wilkowski criticizes city for $2.5M paid in severance - 523 words (candidate Keith Wilkowski, Democrat)

Toledo mayoral candidate focuses on livability - 270 words (candidate Jim Moody, Republican)

All stories included photos of the candidates, with photos of Moody, Bell and Konop being upper body shots of them talking and gesturing with their hands. Wilkowski's photo is a head shot with a dark background, so it looks portrait-like. And Wilkowski is smiling.

* I've not covered the city council races yet. It seems like every day there is a new candidate announcing their run for one of the seats. After the petitions are in and certified, I'll cover the candidates who will be on the ballot.

I'm encouraged at how many people are actually pulling petitions and think we may set a record for the number of contenders. I'm not surprised, though, by the number who want to run as an independent. I think the number of candidates indicates that people are not only tired of the current decisions being made by the people who hold those offices, but also tired of the same old party politics that have given us these incumbents.

City using restricted funds to cover everyday expenses

An article in today's paper says the city of Toledo "has been using money from restricted water, sewer, and other accounts to pay police and fire salaries and general fund bills to stay afloat during its current financial crisis," and that Mayor Carty Finkbeiner acknowledged this fact Tuesday.

This is illegal.

Here's what the Ohio Revised Code has to say about such funds (emphasis added):

743.06 Proceeds from water works to be a separate fund.
Money collected for water-works purposes shall be deposited weekly with the treasurer of the municipal corporation, and shall be kept as a separate and distinct fund. When appropriated by the legislative authority of the municipal corporation, such money shall be subject to the order of the director of public service. The director shall sign all orders drawn on the treasurer of the municipal corporation against such fund.

743.05 Disposition of surplus funds.
After payment of the expenses of conducting and managing the water works, any surplus of a municipal corporation may be applied to the repairs, enlargement, or extension of the works or of the reservoirs, the payment of the interest of any loan made for their construction, or for the creation of a sinking fund for the liquidation of the debt. In those municipal corporations in which water works and sewerage systems are conducted as a single unit, under one operating management, a sum not to exceed ten per cent of the gross revenue of the water works for the preceding year may be taken from any surplus remaining after all of the preceding purposes have been cared for and may be used for the payment of the cost of maintenance, operation, and repair of the sewerage system and sewage pumping, treatment, and disposal works and for the enlargement or replacement thereof. Each year a sum equal to five per cent of the gross revenue of the preceding year shall be first retained from paid surplus as a reserve for waterworks purposes.

The amount authorized to be levied and assessed for waterworks purposes shall be applied by the legislative authority to the creation of the sinking find for payment of any indebtedness incurred for the construction and extension of water works and for no other purposes; provided, where such municipal corporation does not operate or maintain a water works or a sewage pumping, treatment, and disposal works, any or all such surplus may be transferred to the general fund of the municipal corporation in the manner provided for in sections 5705.15 and 5705.16 of the Revised Code.

743.08 Investigation by legislative authority.
The legislative authority of a municipal corporation in which water works are situated or are in the process of construction may appoint a committee for the investigation of all books and papers, and all matters pertaining to the management of the water works, at least once a year, and more often, if necessary by reason of the neglect of duty or malfeasance on the part of any officer of such water works. Any such officer found by the committee to be so offending shall be liable to removal from office by the legislative authority.

Let the fireworks begin!

Quotes of the Day

"One of the best ways to get yourself a reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go about repeating the very phrases which our founding fathers used in the great struggle for independence." ~ Charles A. Beard

"The dominant purpose of the First Amendment was to prohibit the widespread practice of government suppression of embarrassing information." ~ Justice William O. Douglas

"I spent three years getting my law degree at Yale Law School. From the moment I enrolled, I was assigned huge, leather-bound editions of legal cases to study and discuss. I read what lawyers and judges, professors and historians said about the Constitution. But never once was I assigned the task of reading the Constitution itself...Over the last decade, however, I have become a student of the Constitution, searching each line for its meaning and intent. Studying the Constitution is like studying the Bible. It is amazing how much more you will learn when you quit studying about it and pick it up to read it for yourself." ~ Pat Robertson

Greetings from the other side of the world

I received an email from Dave Hecht, formerly of NBC 24. He's been out of TV for three or four years and on active duty with the Navy. As he said in his note, "I'm loving it although life is a little hard right now. I'm in Afghanistan, been here for six months and just extended for another four."

If you'd like to follow along with his experiences and support a local sailor, you can do so on his blog, My Afghanistan Journal.

Supreme Court nominees

As President Barack Obama considers whom to appoint to the U.S. Supreme Court, I just wanted to remind you about Judgepedia.org which has a host of great information about the courts, the process and even potential nominees like Sonia Sotomayor.

You can check it often for background information about other judges who may be mentioned as replacements for Associate Justice David Souter.

Where do states get most of their funds?

The answer might surprise you, as most would think that income, property and sales taxes are the primary sources of funding for the states.

However, this USA Today story indicates otherwise:

"In a historic first, Uncle Sam has supplanted sales, property and income taxes as the biggest source of revenue for state and local governments.

The shift shows how deeply the recession is cutting. Federal stimulus money aimed at reviving the economy and a sharp drop in tax collections have altered, at least temporarily, the traditional balance of how states, cities, counties and schools pay for their operations.

The sales tax had been the No. 1 source of state and local revenue since the mid-1970s, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Before that, property taxes were the primary source. That changed in the first three months of 2009."

Getting funds from the feds means that states will not cut back when they need to. In fact, despite making cuts in the budget, Ohio is actually expanding some programs, by increasing eligibility to allow middle- and upper-middle-class families to participate.

What many fail to realize is that, eventually, people in the states will have to pay - in one way or another - for all those federal funds coming our way. Then what?