Pols answers to generic questions often provide great insight

I don't normally read political articles in the Toledo City Paper - for a variety of reasons - but Lisa Renee at Glass City Jungle had a post that caught my attention:

Curious as to what community members like University of Toledo President Dr. Lloyd Jacobs or Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur or Lucas County Treasurer Wade Kapszukiewicz or several others have to say about the future of Toledo? Are we there yet? in the Toledo City Paper will tell you.

My first reaction was rather cynical: Why would I care what Kaptur and Kapszukiewicz have to say about our future? They're part of the thinking that put us into the economic morass we're in today.

But the inclusion of Dr. Jacobs had me curious. So I headed over to the linked article to see who was asked to participate and what they had to say.

I hope you'll take the time to read all the commentary, though you could predict that Dr. Jacobs and other educators focus on education, the MetroParks director focuses on the MetroParks, the Arts Commission director focuses on art, etc... While their subject matter is predictable, they highlight various programs you may not be aware of.

However, the political perspectives had some surprises, particularly, Kaptur's.

Our challenge in manufacturing is to remain innovative in the auto sector. Frankly, I’d like to produce a Toledo truck or car. When our people created Jeep half a century ago, it became a world symbol. We didn’t import it. We built it. Our generation must remember our roots and build forward.

She'd like to produce a Toledo truck or car? Well, with the government ownership of the company that produces Jeep, I guess she can now say this.

"When our people created Jeep..." Does she mean Toledoans? Union members? Who are 'our people'? And I know that the Jeep was built here, but I would have thought it was 'created' in the engineering and design offices in Detroit.

The company, responding to market demand, created a vehicle whose success is world-reknown. That isn't possible today when this very same company is busy creating cars that conform to political wants and wishes, subsidized by tax dollars in order to ensure the political views. If Kaptur really wants 'our generation' to remember our roots, she needs to educate herself on the success of the free market and stop interfering in that process. That is what will help us 'build forward.'

But that's not all she's got to say:

The Southwyck area might be ideal for an indoor, modern equestrian show ring, drawing competitions from near and far. Lucas County alone has 5,000 horse owners. With Turnpike access, that location can accommodate traffic from across the Midwest and attract dollars to our region.

I couldn't help but immediately recall a person I met during my 2002 campaign for county commissioner. This gentlemen was frustrated over the lack of attention Northtowne Mall was getting versus Southwyck. His anger was clear in our discussion and then he said (paraphrased):

I've got an idea - with all the strip clubs and bars around here, why don't we make Northtowne into a red-light zone or district? We can move all the city's strip clubs and bars and other such establishments into this empty building. We'll build a wall around the perimeter and charge an entrance fee to fund the maintenance of the wall and the security. That way, the mall would at least be producing income and other taxes and we wouldn't have to look at it any more. Plus, tons of neighborhoods will be happy to have 'undesirable' businesses away from them.

Both this man and Kaptur have ideas for other people's property based upon their own interests. But the whole part about it being 'other people's property' seems to be missed by so many politicians in this area.

And while there may actually be some fraction of merit to turning Northtowne into a red-light zone - at least in terms of the economic input to the city and other government tax coffers, the profitability of an equestrian show ring is questionable, at best.

Just because Toledo has 5,000 horse owners doesn't mean that those 5,000 people will compete in equestrian shows - or that they will forgo whatever arrangements they currently have to suddenly utilize Marcy's horse center.

What market research has she done on the profitability of such centers? Has she analyzed this site and any potential center or compared it to the competition that exists across the state line - in rural areas more suitable to housing horses?

When the Lucas County Fair has its one week of activities, neighbors complain about the smell of the animals. While Kaptur is suggesting an indoor facility, does she not realize that smells travel whenever doors are opened and especially in the summer? How will the businesses and residents react to boarding stables across the street?

And don't think that boarding stables won't be needed. Most equestrian centers use the boarding of the horses as a primary source of income. They can't just be a place where people come to compete.

Lest you think this was just a whim, or Marcy talking about remote ideas, she suggested a horse farm in May when the demolition of the old Southwyck buildings began.

She then talks about one of her usual topics - locally grown produce - and says:

Let’s urge local restaraunteurs to turn some of their fantastic ethnic recipes into shelf/freezer ready products. If Betty’s Dressing and the peanut butter blossoms (cookies topped with a Hershey Kiss) were created in our area, what else is possible now?

Yes, you see, because if government doesn't encourage any of these "restaurateurs" (correct spelling), they won't come up with the idea on their own, even though Betty obviously did so without a politician instructing her.

Marcy is correct that there is potential here. But most of that potential is hampered by government through burdensome taxation, over-regulation and a myriad of complicated forms, rules and red-tape. If she really wants to help in this regard, maybe she could start by addressing the bureaucracies that apply to all instead of handing out other people's money as 'tax incentives' to just a few, favored supporters.

I'm glad the City Paper asked this question as it gives us some insight into what our politicians think. In Kaptur's case, she obviously thinks a horse farm and center in the middle of the city is not only a valid idea, but a good one as well. It just goes to show how out of touch she is with the free market, the interests of her constituents and the realities of what it takes to run a successful business under her form of governance.

Just remember this when it comes to voting in November.

Surprise (not!) Stainbrook nominated for BOE

It comes as no surprise to anyone that Jon Stainbrook's faction of the Lucas County Republican Party nominated him to replace Lynn Olman on the Board of Elections.

The Blade has the story - though it is written by Mark Zaborney and not by Tom Troy, the Blade's political writer, who has covered the goings-on so far.

While the reassignment of the story away from the political writer could be just a matter of Troy being off for the weekend, such changes often signal that the publisher of the paper is no longer as interested in the subject as he once was.

Additionally, today's story is lacking some of the editorializing and attempted influence peddling that I wrote about yesterday.

As for the nomination, no one is surprised that Stainbrook got himself nominated for the BOE position. His unsuccessful efforts to discredit both Lynn Olman (whose term expires at the end of February) and Patrick Kriner (who is the subject of a court case filed by Stainbrook over his appointment) were merely thinly-veiled disguises to name himself to one of their positions.

Stainbrook accused Olman of wanting to the keep the position because it has a paycheck and health insurance benefits. The local paper played along with this scenario only publicizing Olman's long-standing rejection of that claim in the articles yesterday and today.

But, as I also wrote yesterday, Stainbrook wanted the position for the very reason he falsely claimed Olman did.

To add insult to injury, Olman's health insurance under the Ohio pension system was without cost to him. But the PERS rules also require that whenever a person takes a paying position where health benefits are offered, the employer policy must be primary. So Olman ended up paying $1,200 per year (the payroll deduction for his coverage from Lucas County) instead of paying nothing had he not accepted the BOE position.

And that doesn't even get to the wages which Olman, a successful insurance agent doesn't need. I wonder if Stainbrook can say the same thing?

So there are now two men selected by Republicans to replace Olman: Stainbrook and Dave Dmytryka.

I'm not sure Stainbrook has ever held a 'real' job. I know he's earned money through his band and some odd jobs along the way, but there is no evidence he's spent any significant time in any organization or company that would give him the leadership experience of hiring and firing, overseeing a budget, supervising a staff, directing the management of an operation, etc...

These are all tasks a member of the BOE must perform.

Dave Dmytryka, on the other hand, is an engineer with a distinguished career. While I don't have his complete resume, I know he worked for Jones and Henry as the manager of their controls department before establishing his own company, Dmytryka Jacobs Engineering. He's earned a Bachelor's and Master's degree and is a registered professional engineer in six states. His firm recently received funding through the state's Third Frontier Program to help hire interns.

It should be noted, too, that when he decided to start his own business, he stayed in Toledo.

Based upon these few details, what's your first impression about who is more qualified?

My personal opinion is that the ruling by the judge Thursday to allow the Jeff Simpson faction of the LCRP to meet spelled the death knell for Stainbrook's reign. As a result of that meeting and the election of officers, Simpson and Paul Hoag will be able to re-submit their list of officers to the BOE which is scheduled to meet Tuesday. There is no time limit on the submission of the officers of the two competing groups and no restriction on submitting the list only one time, so the Simpson group can provide their list with a secretary's signature to the BOE.

The BOE will certify lists from both Simpson and Stainbrook and the state central committee will decide between the two. Considering that our Lucas County representatives to the state central committee participated in electing Simpson and that Hoag is also the state treasurer, most are confident the state central committee will select Simpson as the official and recognized chairman of the LCRP.

*** SIDE NOTES:

There are a couple of tidbits that didn't seem to fit in with other stories, so I'll add them here.

* In researching past Blade articles for the words they used to describe Stainbrook, I came across this article: GOP director's e-mail slams Stainbrook's recruits Blade, The (Toledo, OH) - Thursday, January 10, 2008.

The gist is that the LCRP executive director had done some research on the voting records of some of Stainbrook's central committee candidates and had written some unkind things about them in an email. Here's what Stainbrook had to say about the criticism:

"These are derogatory, defamatory things said about good Republican people," said Jon Stainbrook , who will call for local party Director Joanne Wack to resign today at a press conference tentatively set for 2 p.m. "This is unacceptable behavior."

I couldn't help but be struck by his own 'derogatory, defamatory things' said about 'good Republican people,' especially in light of his court filing that called 'many' of the central committee members "drunk." And that doesn't even get into the things he's said about Olman, Kriner, elected officials, etc...

If the behavior is unacceptable for the party's executive director, it is even more so for the party's chairman. Unfortunately, Stainbrook didn't apply his standard to himself as he didn't resign following his own derogatory and defamatory comments about good Republicans.

* Stainbrook has been touting, as one of his successes, the selection of Karl Rove for the party's 2010 Lincoln Day dinner on January 21. That event is 11 days away and several of us haven't received our invitations to the event. Information on the event is listed on the party's website, but how successful will the event be if invitations haven't yet been mailed?

But then, with my writings on the issue, perhaps it's just me that hasn't been invited....

Adding perspective to the LCRP power struggle

The Blade has an article on the court actions yesterday regarding the dual claims of leadership in the Lucas County Republican Party.

(Background, in chronological order, here, here and here.)

Sometimes, in news reporting, a lack of details that really help put the story in full perspective are due to a lack of space. Other times, the details are omitted through intent, though I'm not going to speculate in this post on the intent for today's article...I think it's clear.

So let's take a look at the story and examine what other points we need to know in order to have an informed opinion on the issue. We'll start with the headline:

Judge allows GOP rebels to put case before county

The headline identifies the non-Jon Stainbrook faction as 'rebels.' Now, this could be due to spacing requirements ... a copy editor trying to find a good word to describe one faction in as few letters as possible. Or it could be an attempt to generate a reaction by the reader - good or bad.

What I find interesting is the way Stainbrook has been referred to in past Blade articles:

* insurgent - January 28, 2008
* activist - January 12, 20, 25, 29; February 7, 17; March 2, 4, 5, 6, 19, 22, 2008
* "The Stainbrook Insurgency" - January 12, 2008
* maverick - February 13, 2008

Now, this is just from the first quarter of 2008 when Stainbrook was trying to take over control of the party - exactly what the Jeff Simpson group has been doing for the last couple of weeks.

The terms used to describe Stainbrook, a self-described friend of Blade publisher John Robinson Block, are rather positive...designed to make you think his efforts are 'noble' or 'just' in some way. That's certainly opposite of 'rebel' which immediately brings to my mind the movie title "Rebel Without A Cause."

The first four paragraphs of the article are pretty straightforward in reporting the events - a ruling against a Temporary Restraining Order requested by Stainbrook and the referral of the issue back to the Board of Elections for the process described in the law.

There are then quotes from the judge, Simpson and Stainbrook. But the Stainbrook quote begins another chapter in his efforts to maintain control of the LCRP.

Mr. Stainbrook said the battle is "far, far from over," and that he will pursue every legal action.

He called on Lucas County Prosecutor Julia Bates to investigate Mr. Kriner, Lynn Olman, and Jeremy Demagall, deputy director of the Lucas County Board of Elections, for setting a Board of Elections meeting based on "sham" documents. He said their actions could be construed as criminal.

They have quotes from Demagall saying he didn't consider the documents, when filed, a 'sham' and Olman saying the claim was 'baseless.' They also explain the state law regarding two competing groups vying for the official designation as the county party which calls for the party's state central committee to decide.

But then comes this:

The makeup of the elections board and the state GOP central committee would seem to favor Mr. Simpson and Mr. Hoag.

The two Republicans on the Board of Elections, Mr. Olman and Mr. Kriner, openly support Mr. Simpson and Mr. Hoag.

All four of the members of the Ohio Republican Party Central Committee from Lucas County participated in a meeting Thursday night at which members of Mr. Simpson and Mr. Hoag's executive committee were selected.

In addition, Mr. Hoag is a state central committee member and state party treasurer.

The words "would seem to favor" are clearly opinion which doesn't belong in a news report. It would have been different if the reporter had found someone to express the opinion and then quoted that individual, providing the backdrop of the support and positions. But the reporter didn't do that - he expressed his opinion.

Now, I happen to agree with the opinion and share it as well, but that's not the point. Opinions of the reporter are not supposed to be part of the news report.

Additionally, the makeup of the BOE is irrelevant - or it should be. The two Republican and two Democratic members of the BOE are supposed to make decisions regarding the issues before them based upon election rules and laws - not upon their personal preferences or interests. From what I've seen of the decisions coming from this board, that's exactly what they do.

But the paper doesn't want you to even consider that - or any evidence that fair, impartial and consistent decisions are being made by the board. They want to imply that the two Republicans can influence or sway the two Democrats to do whatever they want, which is why they put this opinion in the 'news' story.

Another point to consider is that, while they question the decision-making of Olman and Kriner, they never question the motivation of Stainbrook.

The only reason Stainbrook wants Olman and Kriner gone is not because of any wrong-doing on their parts. Stainbrook's accusations against them are well-publicized in the Blade and detailed in ... what else? ... lawsuits. But despite legal wranglings, accusations and thousands of dollars expended by the BOE answering public records requests, Stainbrook has not found anything to support his claims.

So what are Stainbrook's motivations? Some speculate that he wants the BOE position for himself because he wants the income and benefits, including health insurance, that come with the appointment - exactly what Olman is derided for and 'accused' of wanting to keep. From what I've been told by many individuals, Stainbrook promised his supporters employment in the BOE. But in order to bring them in, he has to fire current workers and the only way that will happen is if he or one of his sycophants is on the board.

But the paper doesn't tell you that...

The next thing of interest in the article is this:

In rejecting the temporary restraining order, Judge Zouhary said Mr. Stainbrook did not present a likelihood of succeeding in his suit and that no irreparable harm would occur if the order was not issued - the two tests for such a restraining order.

You have to wonder why such a critical statement is delayed until the 18th paragraph of the story - and the 'inside' page in the print edition. While it is more detailed information about the actual decision and might not belong in the first paragraph, wouldn't you think the reason for the judge's decision was more important and deserving of higher, more prominent placement than Stainbrook's claim of 'criminal' activity and the opinion of the reporter regarding the eventual decision of the state central committee?

And do you find it detrimental to Stainbrook's position that the judge ruled no likelihood of success on the lawsuit? Certainly that is more important to the reader than a further Stainbook complaint.

Supporters of Mr. Simpson and Mr. Hoag claim the duo were elected during a central committee meeting Dec. 21. However, the meeting's official record is in dispute, and the meeting itself was marred by shouting and an alleged shoving incident, with police and fire officials called out in response.

Mr. Stainbrook and his supporters contend the Simpson contingent did not put its motion on the floor legally. The Simpson group claims it properly elected a temporary chairman and then ran the meeting without Ms. Gallagher's oversight.

So far, no legal body has evaluated whether the meeting met the legal guidelines of the party and parliamentary rules.

I'm tired of reading that police and fire officials were called to the meeting in response to the 'unruly' crowd.

According to Stainbrook's own court filing, the fire department was called because one individual believed the space for the meeting was not in compliance with the fire codes, especially with the number of people who attended.

Here's a question any good reporter without bias would have asked Stainbrook: Why, if you scheduled a meeting of the central committee, did you not provide a space to accommodate even half of the people invited?

By Stainbrook's own admission, they were not prepared for the number of people who arrived. Why not? Stainbrook and his central committee chairman Megan Gallagher called the meeting and sent out notices to the over 200 central committee members. Why wouldn't they have a space prepared where at least half of those invited could sit and participate in the meeting they called?

While The Blade and Stainbrook like to imply that the Simpson group necessitated the call to the fire department, it is Stainbrook and Gallagher who are to blame for that phone call by not providing an adequate meeting space for the people they invited.

But then this sentence pops up: "So far, no legal body has evaluated whether the meeting met the legal guidelines of the party and parliamentary rules."

What is the purpose of raising the issue of a 'legal body' to do any evaluation whatsoever? According to state law, and The Blade's own reporting, the proper 'legal body' is the party's state central committee. That body is charged with deciding which group to recognize.

And how are they to perform such a task? Well, they'll examine the proceedings, look at both sides' report of what happened and when, and then determine which group is 'legitimate.' They'll have to examine the parliamentary procedures that were/were not followed. They'll have to examine the bylaws of the party. They might even interview participants or have each side present to them.

So if that is the legal process, what is the purpose of this sentence in the story? Is it to promote Stainbrook's claim that the actions taken by the Simpson group are not legitimate if a court of law doesn't decide them to be so? Is it to cast doubt in the reader's mind about the legitimacy of the 'rebels' actions? Or could it be to set the stage for Stainbrook to claim that, absence such a court ruling, nothing the state central committee does is legitimate? You can decide on your own now that you know what to question.

Mr. DeGidio argued unsuccessfully that the law requiring the rival groups to be certified by the Board of Elections applies only to the biennial organizational meeting of the party's central committee.

This is one of the points Stainbrook's attorney makes in the filing. But if the paper is so keen on the guidelines of the party, did they bother to check the bylaws themselves and report what the bylaws say versus what an attorney might claim? That would certainly be appropriate in this case - to provide information that puts a claim in context.

Here's what the bylaws say about removal of the executive and central committee chairmen in Article V Powers & Duties of the Central Committee:

F. Any officer of the Central Committee and the chairman of the Executive Committee may be removed by a majority vote of all voting members of the Central Committee.

So despite the claim in the filing that this type of activity can only occur at an organizational meeting (held biennially following the partisan primary election of central committee members), the bylaws clearly indicate that election of chairmen can be held whenever the central committee votes to remove said chairmen.

I wonder why no one at the paper has asked Stainbrook or his attorney about this section of the bylaws?

The problem is that The Blade has supported Stainbrook in both his takeover of the party and in all his efforts against fellow Republicans since then. (I should note, however, that such support of him personally did not result in editorial endorsement for his hand-picked candidates.)

Their stories, while containing some balance, are skewed to Stainbrook's favor which is easy to recognize if scrutinized as I've done. It isn't so much what is reported, but what is left out - or never even asked about - that makes the difference in what a reader knows and/or understands. But with this type of analysis, you have more information and can make a better informed decision on your own.

The ruckus in the LCRP continues

I'm not sure whether or not I should comment on the current Federal Court case Jon Stainbrook filed against Jeff Simpson (link to the case filing via The Blade) over who controls the Lucas County Republican Party (background here and here).

You see, for some reason, I'm mentioned in the document.

I've read it and, other than promoting their version of the events, it appears that the Stainbrook group wants to prevent, via court action, the Ohio Republican Party State Central Committee from voting on which of the two groups to recognize as the official LCRP.

In the case of a dispute between two competing groups, state law puts the decision at the state central committee.

What the Filing Says

I could probably pick apart the accuracy and validity of many claims made in the filing, but one of the points of particular interest is #24 under 'FACTUAL BACKGROUND,':

"Many of these people were drunk and disorderly and necessitated the appearance of the Toledo Fire Department and numerous Toledo Police to keep the peace and prevent violence at the meeting."

However, they clearly identify that the Fire Department was called due to concerns about the fire code:

27. While central committeeman Anthony Boellner was checking in with Gallagher and Bensman, he called the fire department and asked that they come to the building because he felt a fire or safety code was being violated.

So this little 'fact' that the Fire Department was called to 'keep the peace and prevent violence' is clearly false - as their own statements prove.

As for the 'drunk' claim, they reference a Toledo Blade article as proof. But that article doesn't even say people were drunk. Instead, it quotes the 'old' (term used only for clarification purposes to distinguish between those elected in 2008 and those claimed to be elected in 2009) Central Committee Chairman Megan Gallagher, who used a simile.

“I am completely shocked and appalled at the behavior of Lynn Olman and company. It was like a drunken brawl,” Ms. Gallagher said.

Saying something was "like a drunken brawl" is not the same as proving in a court of law that "many...were drunk."

Perhaps Stainbrook's attorney should have been a bit more careful about potential libel issues in his filing.

Why is everybody always picking on me?

And how do I fit in? Well, I wasn't at the meeting, but I spoke to several people who were and I wrote a blog post about what I understood had occurred. I also interviewed Jeff Simpson on WSPD when I was filling in for Brian Wilson on the Afternoon Drive.

Here's what the filing says in #80 under "FIRST CLAIM FOR RELIEF, False Designation of Origin":

Maggie Thurber interviewed Simpson on a talk radio show during which he informed the audience that he and Hoag were elected Chairman of the respective Executive and Central Committees. Thurber posted on her blog a completely inaccurate and contrived account of the events that happened at the LCRP meeting. Thurber also posted the Press Release Defendant’s issued in the Plaintiff’s name to make their sham appear legitimate. (Exhibit R attached to TRO memorandum)

Yes, I did. (Though there shouldn't be an 'apostrophe s' after 'Defendant')

I posted the press release - as did many others. In fact, Lisa Renee at Glass City Jungle posted the release and linked to the Toledo Free Press coverage of the event.

I also interviewed Jeff Simpson - as did Brian Wilson when he filled in for Fred LeFebvre and the Morning News, The Blade, Toledo Free Press and the television stations.

But, strangely, none of those are mentioned. Now why, do you think, I am singled out in this regard?

As for the 'completely inaccurate and contrived account'? I wrote what several people told me - which is just as valid as the proceedings described by Stainbrook.

Now, the whole point in this, I think (because it's really hard to tell from the filings), is to show that people who believe themselves to be the proper Chairman of the LCRP and its Central Committee are - gasp! - acting like it. Stainbrook's claim is that by acting in this capacity, they're harming the 'true' chairmen and the party 'brand.'

I suppose I could make some snide remark about how Stainbrook's actions over the last year (suing Republicans, running candidates against tax-lowering incumbents while endorsing tax-hiking ones, endorsing new taxation for citizens, etc...) have done more to harm the brand than any internal dispute over what did or didn't happen at a meeting, but I'll leave you to make those conclusions.

Confusion?

The filing also claims that people are confused by the two claims.

Well, DUH! Of course people are confused. There are two groups claiming to be the 'official' LCRP.

This has either happened in the past, or was believed to be possible, because there is a state law that deals with resolving this. But Stainbrook doesn't want that process to be followed, so he's trying to stop it by filing this case and requesting a Temporary Restraining Order so it doesn't get to the ORP state central committee.

What happened yesterday and selectivity of the news coverage

Yesterday, as a result of closed-door meetings with the judge on the case, the two sides reached a temporary agreement, though the case continues this afternoon.

In the meantime, the 'new' chairmen held a central committee meeting last night to elect officers and recommend a replacement for Lynn Olman on the Lucas County Board of Elections. They named a secretary and voted to recommend for appointment by the Secretary of State, Dave Dmytryka.

According to the paper,

"The move appeared to be aimed at undermining Mr. Stainbrook's claim that Mr. Olman helped instigate the coup attempt to preserve his paying part-time job on the elections board, which also provides pension and health benefits."

While this appears to be an 'opinion' in the news portion of the paper, it's not very accurate to imply that Olman only wants to keep his pay, pension and health benefits. Olman is already eligible for PERS and had been enrolled in that health coverage. Under PERS rules for health insurance, once employed, he had to make the BOE insurance primary and PAY for the coverage ($1200/year) rather than keep his 'free' coverage through his pension.

The Blade also tries to imply a lack of quorum at the meeting. This is worth mentioning because I'm sure it will come up in some Stainbrook filing or complaint in the future. They write:

The 60 people who signed in and voted at last night's central committee meeting appeared to be unanimously in support of Mr. Simpson and Mr. Hoag, but they fell far short of a majority of the 208 members shown on the list of committee members.

While 60 is less than half of the duly elected central committee members, that is irrelevant. The bylaws of the LCRP state:

The Central Committee Chairman shall convene a meeting of the Central Committee a minimum of two (2) times per calendar year. At least five (5) days written notice by U.S. mail of the meeting shall be provided to the members. Twenty-five (25) voting members of the Central Committee shall constitute a quorum.(emphasis added)

Olman copied me on a letter he sent to Simpson prior to last night's meeting:

January 7, 2010

Dear Chairman Simpson,

First of all let me congratulate on being named the new Chairman of the Lucas County Republican Party. It is my hope that you will be able to bring all Lucas County Republicans together for the purpose of electing rather than fighting Republicans.

Much has recently been printed about my desire to remain on the Lucas County Board of Elections. As is often the case this reporter has misstated my motives to fit his story.

In April 2005 Secretary of State Ken Blackwell removed the four Board of Trustee’s at the Lucas County Board of Elections. Shortly after that myself, Patrick Kriner and Democrats Rita Clark and Gary Johnson were appointed by Secretary Blackwell to fill the vacancies. We inherited a Board of Elections that was soon to go on to oversight by the Secretary of State office. The prior Board had been paralyzed by partisan political bickering and infighting. The four newly appointed Board members, along with the Board’s Director and Deputy Director pledged to the restore the public’s confidence in the election process. By all accounts we have succeeded.

As you are aware my current appointment to the Board of Elections concludes February 28, 2010. I will be happy to serve another four year term on the Board of Elections if it is your wish. I enjoy working with what has become one of the most professional election staffs in the entire state. I will also understand and willingly step aside if you see fit to recommend someone else for the Board position. If you, as Chairman of the Lucas County Republican Party should choose to recommend someone other than myself to the new term I would like to make one request. Please choose someone who is 100% Republican and at the same time 100% committed to the integrity of the election process over political partisanship.

There are some out there who would like to see the Lucas County Board of Elections return to some its darkest days of partisan political infighting and dysfunction. There are some who would like to fill the jobs at the Board office with political patrons rather than election professionals dedicated to the integrity of elections. The Lucas County Board of Elections is now one of the most high functioning and professional offices in the State. My request is for you to recommend a person who will pledge to maintain these high standards and election integrity.

Respectfully,

Lynn Olman

Can you say 'class'?

I've known Dave Dmytryka for over 20 years. He and my husband worked together in Sam's first job out of college. He's supported me and we've supported him in campaigns. He is a thoughtful, intelligent, and well-respected conservative. As an engineer, he understands processes and will be an asset to the BOE, especially from a technological standpoint. He is what Olman describes: "100% Republican and at the same time 100% committed to the integrity of the election process over political partisanship." He's an excellent choice and I hope that he will have the opportunity to serve.

But that all depends upon what will happen over the next several days - so stay tuned!

Why do tax dollars pay for job training?

The Department of Labor (DOL) issued a press release announcing $100 million in grants to various entities for green jobs training.

Their announcement was promptly followed by various governors and congressmen touting the money in the individual states and districts, including one from our own Ted Strickland.

The source of the money is stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill (ARRA) - in other words, you and me and our descendents.

From the DOL:

The grants will support job training programs to help dislocated workers and others, including veterans, women, African Americans and Latinos, find jobs in expanding green industries and related occupations. Approximately $28 million of the total funds will support projects in communities impacted by auto industry restructuring.

From Gov. Strickland:

“This assistance will help Ohioans who may be struggling in the current economy to find jobs and long-term careers in our state’s growing green energy fields.”

So who is getting all this money? Unions - and their training centers. Ohio will be covered by several of the training programs, as highlighted below.

* The International Transportation Learning Center is getting $5 million. They are a non-profit with a board of 10 members. Four of the members are union officers, one is a former appointee of President Bill Clinton, one is the director of the center, three are managers of public transportation systems, and one is a former board member of a transit system. According to their own press release:

The grant will provide funding to train 3,640 participants for good jobs in the US public transportation sector...

If you read further, you'll see that the four locations utilizing the money have existing partnerships and training programs already in place. In fact, they claim to have already trained 16,000 individuals with $17 million in grants since 2001.

So here is my question: if they already have training programs available and people have already taken advantage of them, why must my tax dollars pay for any of this? If I want additional or new training, I have to go out and get it myself. Why aren't people who need better (or new) jobs expected to pay for their own training?

And what, exactly, is the demand for new public transit workers? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook 2010-11 Edition, there is average to below average growth expected in this industry through 2018 primarily due to retirements and resignation for job advancement. Additionally, the average growth is in the primary field of school bus drivers.

While the BLS makes a projection that more people will use public transit in the future, that assumption is not supported by current public transit data. In fact, public transportation is reliant upon public funding and many systems are finding the recession has impacted them, just like everyone else. Of course, with taxpayers facing tougher financial conditions, it is unlikely that increased funding for public transport will be forthcoming in the near future.

So, if there are already training programs in place for such public transit workers and if the job growth in this area is average, why must I pay (through my taxes) for someone to get this training? Why can't the people taking the training pay for it themselves, if it's such a great deal? And, if their job prospects are good or average, can't the cost of their training come out of future earnings? Isn't that 'more fair' than expecting others to pay instead?

* The Institute for Career Development (ICD) Inc. will be getting more than $4.6 million to train 2,000 participants (displaced steelworkers) as "wind farm field technicians and maintenance workers, solar panel installers, or geothermal installers. Training in these fields will also prepare workers for employment in fields related to energy generation such as construction, HVAC, and home retrofitting."

The ICD, according to their website:

"...is a unique workforce training program for eligible members of the United Steelworkers.

We have a wide range of classes to meet any interest or skill level. Instruction ranges from basic skills, such as GED preparation, to graduate-level college courses. Steelworkers can also take personal enhancement courses, like photography and foreign languages, and a variety of classes that teach technical skills, such as plumbing, electrical wiring or small engine repair. The most popular course offerings are computer-related, and many Steelworkers earn certifications through the program."

By their own admission, these training programs are funded through a contractual obligation with participating companies. Depending upon the contract, the employers set aside around 15 cents for each hour worked and pay that into the program.

If these training programs are already paid for by the employers, why does the ICD need more than $4.6 million dollars of taxpayer funding?

* The Communications Workers of America (CWA) National Education and
Training Trust is getting just under $4 million to provide "provide 1,000 dislocated workers in auto impacted regions across Ohio with short term training opportunities in advanced manufacturing that are endorsed by manufacturing employers across the state."

According to the CWA website:

This Trust coordinates our apprenticeship and employment center referral projects. Certification and training update programs will also be provided through the Trust. We recently opened our first center in Fremont, California; and we expect to open the Cleveland, Ohio center this fall. Other CWA training sites will be considered based on the interest of employers and local representatives, provided methods can be put in place to fund our efforts.

From what I learned on their website, their training is offered to members and their families. They have links to employer contracts so members can determine if their particular training program is paid for or reimbursed by their employer and they have scholarships available for certain courses.

So why are tax dollars paying for "short term training opportunities in
advanced manufacturing" if there is already funding in place for the training? And, again, why can't the people who are benefitting from the training cover the costs, either up front or after they are employed?

* The International Training Institute for the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Industry is getting $5 million to train 1,200 sheet metal workers careers "in energy efficient building construction, retrofitting, and manufacturing through a series of customized training courses that address the skills gap of the targeted workforce."

According to their website, the ITI trains its members in all aspects of the job. If preparing for 'green' industries is so critical, why aren't they already doing it? Why do they need customized training courses for 1,200 members? Why not just, as a matter of service to members, incorporate the 'green training' into the existing courses and make sure that all sheet metal and a/c workers are prepared?

Apparently, they do.

On their partner page of their website is this listing:

The National Energy Management Institute (NEMI) is a not for profit organization sponsored by the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association (SMWIA) and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA). The mission of NEMI is to identify emerging markets and employment opportunities and to develop programs to capitalize on them. (emphasis added)

So what, exactly, will the $5 million purchase that isn't already available to members at their own expense?

* The Ohio Electrical Labor Management Cooperative Committee is getting $4.8 million to "provide training for 1,288 participants who will earn nationally recognized certificates from the National Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (NJATC), as well as college credit through the University System of Ohio. The project will develop an operational manual to provide a step by step implementation model of the scope of work encompassed by the project."

I couldn't find a website or information on the Committee, but the Columbus Dispatch described it as "jointly run by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the National Electrical Contractors Association."

(I put in a call to both the Governor's office and the DOL for more information and will update this post upon receipt.)

In May, NECA hosted politicians at open houses in their local training centers.

The Open House events showcased the "Green Jobs" curriculum recently published by the National Joint Apprenticeship Training Program (NJATC). The curriculum was developed to meet a growing demand for improved energy efficiency and conservation and projects incorporating renewable energy sources into their electrical systems.

NECA, together with the IBEW and the NJATC, has been extremely active in preparing its workforce to install solar photovoltaic panels, wind power turbines, and fuel cells to the same high standards as its traditional electrical work. The “Green Jobs” curriculum also includes building automation as an integral aspect of energy efficiency and conservation.
...
Nationwide, there are more than 300 JATCs co-sponsored by NECA chapters and IBEW local unions. Most now offer training in renewable energy technology, energy efficiency and conservation.

"This was an excellent opportunity for Congressional leaders to see first-hand how NECA and the IBEW are already training workers to do green energy jobs," Ferry said. "There's a clear national mandate on building green, and I believe that energy solutions are what really make buildings more environmentally-friendly and cheaper to operate."

So, again, the question remains: why are tax dollars are funding this training instead of the recipients?

Some of these programs are available only to union members and the union training centers will be the beneficiaries of the funds. I'm certain there were no political considerations in this decision.

But more than anything, I'm outraged that government - and unions - seem to believe it's better for everyone in the country if certain favored groups get their job training paid for by others. There are plenty of people who are motivated to enhance their skills to make them more attractive in the job market. Fortunately, most of them have made the decision and sacrificed in order to achieve this goal. They - and their children - are now being taxed so others can have for 'free' what they've worked so hard to attain.

While I'd still have a problem with the federal government spending money for job training, I'd find it a bit more palatable if these were loans to individuals and not grants. Loans, at least, need to be repaid (for the most part though some government loan programs now have 'forgiveness' clauses).

What most fail to understand, however, is that if the government didn't tax us so much at every level and opportunity, we'd all have the personal funds to pay for these things ourselves and not 'need' the government to do it for us.

But that would make us independent - and that's the opposite of what the politicians want.

In Case You Missed It

"In Case You Missed It" is a new category I'm adding to the blog. It will consist of interesting things I've come across that I think you should read and/or know. I'll do this periodically and hope you'll enjoy the the highlights and take the time to read the entire articles linked.

Presidential Property - Tim Higgins at Just Blowing Smoke takes a look at the concept of personal property and the interference of the government when it comes to contracts and salary. He makes a really good argument for why government has no authority in the matter, not that anyone in D.C. is listening...

Not News: 4Q09 Treasury Collections Down 11% from Previous Year - Tom Blumer at BizzyBlog, known for paying attention to fiscal matters, details how revenue projections from the Congressional Budget Office are off and won't likely be met. This is critical! Congress spends based upon their projections, but it looks like the CBO is taking lessons from Toledo budget predictions - creating estimates of income that clearly are not based in reality, nor reflective of the collections so far.

Employee Compensation in State and Local Governments - Cato Institute takes a look at the costs of employee compensation in state and local governments and how those costs are not really going down, despite reduced revenues. Many continue to assert that government workers have better benefits to compensate for a lower wages than what they could earn in the private sector. But the figures from Cato proves this to be a myth.

The average Average Compensation for 2009 (in Dollars per Hour Worked) is $26.01 for state and local employees but only $19.39 for the private sector. Even when you break down the nation by regions to account for significantly varying wages across the states, you find that government employment often pays around 26% more than private employment does.

I hope you'll take the time to read the entire bulletin.

The Patriot Post:

"The multiplication of public offices, increase of expense beyond income, growth and entailment of a public debt, are indications soliciting the employment of the pruning knife." ~ Thomas Jefferson

Will township residents be double-taxed for 911 dispatching?

Most people who live in a township or pay attention to the local media will know that Lucas County is trying to get townships to pay for the cost of road patrols and dispatching from the Sheriff's Department.

This is in spite of voter rejection of recent levies in several townships to cover these costs.

One of the sticking points in the discussions deals with the 911 Levy as approved over several elections by voters.

Originally, this levy was supposed to cover the cost of dispatching. From an October 20, 1996 Blade article, "LEVY PUTS 911 SYSTEM - DESIGNED TO SAVE LIVES - AT RISK 911":

But the $5 million system - which was set up to answer calls with the speed of a computer - is on trial.

Weary of higher taxes and moved by union opposition, voters turned down a 0.9-mill levy in March.

Now, they will decide whether to approve a 0.7-mill tax to keep it alive for the next five years.

The tax would raise $4 million a year to run the system and make improvements.

Those include ``breaking up'' the downtown 911 station into six smaller centers to be scattered across the county to speed response times.

``We're talking about taking 911 to the next level - and bringing it into the next century,'' said Sandy Isenberg, president of the Lucas County commissioners.

But so far, there's no contingency plan to keep the phones ringing at 911 if the levy fails.

If it goes down, there wouldn't be any money to pay the 911 operators and their supervisors past Dec. 31.

``No one's going to be here to answer the phone,'' said Doug Kemp, data manager for 911 .

It is clear from this report that call-takers and dispatchers are covered by the cost of the levy.

From the same article:

Here's a snapshot of what the new levy would do:

* It would bring 911 calls closer to home.

As it now exists, if a frantic Sylvania mother dials 911 for help because her child has fallen down the steps, the call goes to the 911 center at 2144 Monroe St., in Toledo.

Then, the message is sent via computer to a dispatch center in Sylvania. From there, a rescue vehicle is sent to the scene.

Under the new plan, the call would go directly to Sylvania, eliminating the middleman in Toledo, and allowing the local operator to immediately send an ambulance. System officials hope to shave the response time by up to 45 seconds.

``In life-threatening situations, seconds can mean everything,'' said Tom Bodi, director of the 911 system.

This obviously describes dispatching as part of the services provided by the levy.

The 1996 levy included funds for upgrading the equipment, as county officials currently claim as the purpose of the levy. But news reports also show that the funding of the entire system was at risk, including dispatching, if the levy failed.

But just in case there was any doubt, a February 23, 1997 Blade article, "9-1-1 SPELLS QUICK HELP," further clarifies what the system does:

When a call comes in to 911 , an operator obtains necessary information from the caller, decides the priority of the call, then transfers the call by computer to the appropriate emergency dispatch system. Once the local dispatcher receives the emergency request - which takes just seconds after 911 operators obtain the needed information - a police, fire, or rescue crew is sent to respond to the call.

But changes to the system resulted in localized call centers run by the various municipalities. However, as reported in May of 1997, "Each community is to receive about $21,000 annually to help pay for operator salaries...", meaning that levy monies were still paying for dispatching.

In September, 1997, when the suburban call centers went on line, The Blade reported:

The decentralization of the main dispatch center is paid for by a five-year, 0.7-mill levy approved in November.

The levy raises about $4 million annually.

Subsequent reports in the paper over the next two years referenced the point that the suburbs took over paying 911 dispatchers in their own communities. But those news stories fail to mention that the county continued to subsidize those salaries with levy money. It's also important to note that the Lucas County Sheriff dispatchers, which service the townships, were NOT part of the decentralization.

In 1999, the Lucas County Commissioners decided to upgrade and expand the Emergency Services Center on Monroe Street to "put Toledo police call takers and Toledo fire department and Lucas County dispatchers under one roof on the same floor."

In 2000, officials began discussions of the levy's renewal scheduled for 2001. Because of a provision in state law, this renewal was treated as a 'new' levy, taxed at the current property values and generating a bit more money as a result. News reports from 2001 show that the levy would be used to operate and maintain the 911 system. The additional funding would go toward a countywide communications system for public safety personnel. That levy was approved by voters.

In 2006, the levy was up for renewal, but officials wanted a replacement levy - the same millage charged against current property values, resulting in more money for the county. As explained at the time, the funds would continue to support the maintenance and operation of the 911 system and pay for enhanced inter-agency communications among first responders. That levy was also approved by the voters.

So what does this really mean? Over the years, the levies have been advertised as funding the call-takers and dispatchers as well as the maintenance and operation of the system. Even when the county decentralized the dispatching to the suburban cities, they subsidized the salaries of the workers. However, the townships continued to receive dispatching through the Sheriff's dispatchers, funded by levy dollars.

But with time comes increased costs in wages and benefits, along with everything else. Through the years, the funding did not keep up with the costs. New equipment, necessary for today's needs, was purchased and had to be maintained. Which is why the county finds itself in a position of asking - rather, demanding - funds from the townships to pay for costs the levy no longer covers because of decisions made by those same county politicians.

The elected officials have known for years that the increased personnel costs they approved with their votes on union contracts would mean less money for other purposes. With a finite set of money from the levy, the scenario of needing additional money is a no-brainer and easy to predict.

So now the county wants even more funds from certain jurisdictions to cover increased costs the county is responsible for. The Commissioners and Sheriff know that a levy request for such things probably wouldn't go over well. Increasing a levy to cover increased personnel costs when many who would pay the levy haven't seen pay increases or might not even have a job anymore is, well...dumb.

So rather than go after all county residents, they've decided to go after the townships, extorting cash for promised safety.

The townships are right to raise the question of what, exactly, the levy was supposed to pay for versus what it's actually covering. They've got valid reasons to believe dispatching is a service they're already paying for and the township trustees owe it to their taxpayers to ensure they are not double-taxed.

Too bad the Commissioners and Sheriff don't realize the same thing, especially knowing that township residents are their constituents as well.

Finkbeiner should be judged by the promises he made

If you read the headline of Sunday's Toledo Blade article on out-going mayor Carty Finkbeiner, you'd think that even his critics gave him praise on his terms of office.

After all, that's what the headline says: Finkbeiner's legacy: Even critics admit he made Toledo better.

The problem is, the only 'critic' they found was fellow Democrat Frank Szollosi, who didn't get mentioned until the 35th (yes, 35th!) paragraph. And, even then, gave no praise. The article states in paragraph 34:

Even his critics agree the city is, in some ways, a better place after his 12 years in office - the first eight of which were with Mr. Finkbeiner as Toledo's first modern strong mayor.

But they don't provide the name or quotes of any 'critic' who actually says this.

So is this editorializing? Wishful thinking? An attempt to 'spin' Carty's actions? Or is it bad editing, leaving out details/quotes the reporter included? You can decide on your own, especially in light of the more wide-spread reputation the paper is developing for disguising their opinions as news stories.

What is a more accurate reflection of Carty's term are his original campaign promises. Here are his promises from his campaign website (in italics), saved just for today, along with my comments on whether or not he actually achieved them:

"I will outline our mission and agenda:
Our mission
The Finkbeiner administration will unite and promote, in every way possible, a clean, green, and safe city with vibrant colors everywhere – a city that inspires our citizens to improve our neighborhoods, educate our children and create jobs that offer a future in their hometown.
To accomplish our mission, we will:
1. Work with the University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, Medical University of Ohio and Owens Community College to develop a “technology corridor,” creating the jobs of the future.

* FAIL - Carty's administration did 'work' with these entities but there is no technology corridor as of his last day in office. These institutions of higher learning are working together more effectively without the mayor.

2. Develop the marina-housingrestaurant-entertainment project on the east side of the river that voters approved in September, 2001. The Marina District project will act as a complement to The Docks, which we built in 1995.

* FAIL: While the taxpayers did fund a road and street lights and some basic infrastructure, there is no vertical development and no private funding available for the housing/restaurant/entertainment portion of the Marina District. In fact, after 9 years, there is no one capable of putting forth the private sector support needed to actually bring this plan to fruition. While Larry Dillin still hopes to have some financing for his part of the contract, we haven't seen it yet. One has to wonder if all the efforts and expenditures of employee time and tax dollars have been worth what we have to show today: a road to nowehere with really nice street lamps...and that's about it.

3. Seek private-sector developers to build a new sports arena in the city.

* MASSIVE FAIL: The city gave up the arena to the County and there was no effort by the County Commissioners to find a private developer for the new sports arena. In fact, every suggestion I made toward that end was soundly rejected by my two fellow commissioners at the time, Pete Gerken and Tina Skeldon Wozniak. They didn't want a privately-run arena. They wanted one owned by the County, despite the fact that they/we had no money for such a project. In the end, the total cost of the new arena project was over $105 million, despite a budget estimate of around $80 million ... and identified funding on only $80 million. Of course, there still is no 'name' to the arena and no estimated $14 million in naming rights income, not to mention the other revenue sources that haven't panned out. But never mind the financial facts, isn't it pretty????

4. Meet with the ownership of Southwyck Mall to forge a compact leading to a revitalized mall in 365 days.

* MASSIVE FAIL: After realizing what just about everyone else already knew, that the owners of Southwyck had no interest in revitalizing the mall, Carty embarked upon a plan to take over the property so he could have his way. That, too, failed, and all we have now is an empty space following the demolition of the mall buildings.

5. Meet with the ownership and property owners in the Westgate-Cricket West district to define the future redevelopment of this area.

* I cannot rate this promise as I do not know if Carty actually met with any of the owners of the properties in this area. What I do know of his actions regarding the planned redevelopment of Westgate would give him a FAIL rating. He, along with Gerken and Wozniak, aggressively fought the plans of the property owner to revitalize the private property with new stores and options for consumers. Together, these three politicians almost cost us the new Costco that went up. Fortunately, between the plan commission and then District 5 Representative Ellen Grachek, their efforts to derail the project failed.

6. Nurture small-business development, and establish a 25-person business advisory council, consisting of our best and brightest small-business leaders, to advise the administration on how it can help business develop in our region and eliminate government obstacles. This advisory council will review council legislation passed during the last 25 years, and we will rescind any laws that have hampered job creation.

* FAIL: While Carty did create this council, he didn't allow it to do anything. In fact, one of the first acts Carty embarked upon was the takeover of the ambulance services for basic life support transport from the small, private companies. His business advisory council asked him to postpone the effort until they had a chance to review the plan, but Carty said no. About a year after the establishment of the council, I contacted several individuals the city said were serving as part of the group. Two of them didn't even know they'd be named to the council and two said they'd only received notice of two meetings. Oh - and just to solidify my 'fail' rating, City Council did not rescind any laws relating to 'job creation.'

7. Work with Ann Arbor and Detroit public and private leaders to create an automotive R&D corridor linking our cities. The purpose – job creation.

* FAIL: There is no automotive R&D corridor linking these cities and, with the financial mess the Detroit automakers find themselves in, I doubt they had time to even consider such a plan.

8. Fill the vacancies and voids in the Central Business District with new entrepreneurs and businesses, using tax breaks and incentives..

* PARTIAL SUCCESS: There are some new businesses in the downtown area, but not enough ... and I doubt it is enough to overcome the ones that left, or to replace the employees who were laid off or whose positions were eliminated.

9. Encourage and promote a regional government to include, city, county and suburban governments all under one roof, in as many ways as possible.

* FAIL: I think Carty forgot about this one since he hasn't talked about a regional government since his first year in office. However, his failure on this is a good thing, from my perspective, because I'm opposed to a regional government as described by the Democrats in this town.

10. Establish a grass-roots neighborhood program, in which every neighborhood has representation in City Hall and will be involved in decisions impacting them. This will be modeled after the Dayton program.

* FAIL: I don't think this even got to the planning stages.

11. Develop a “neighborhood pride” program to encourage home ownership, civic pride and urban beautification. This program will include neighborhood competition to honor outstanding efforts to improve properties.

* PARTIAL SUCCESS: Carty did establish a 'neighborhood pride' and beautification program. He used various federal programs to encourage home ownership. Of course, we don't know how many of those individuals in new homes were part of the massive foreclosure problem as a result. And while he had a program, this gets a 'partial' rating because there is no evidence the program achieved the stated goals - or that it will remain once Carty is out of office.

12. Restore the urban beautification program on main streets and in city parks while expanding these efforts into neighborhoods. We will raise $250,000 annually from the private sector to accomplish this.

* PARTIAL SUCCESS: Carty did endeavor to restore the urban beautification program and received a ton of criticism for making this a priority (with limited budget dollars) over such essentials as police and roads. As for the promise to raise $250,000 annually from the private sector? That was a MASSIVE FAIL. I don't think he got to that much total for the entire term.

13. Revitalize the urban-blight program, and return the demolition program for blighted housing to 300 demolitions annually.

* SUCCESS: I believe he did his target goal of 300 demolitions annually.

14. Commit to hiring more police officers, so Toledo will no longer have the fewest police per 1,000 residents of any major city in Ohio.

* MASSIVE FAIL: He actually laid off police officers.

15. Will actively and personally work to restore the Erie Street Market as a centerpiece of downtown revitalization.

* FAIL: Oh, he worked at it - to no avail. The place is a money pit and still isn't breaking even, costing taxpayers and creating a continual drain on general fund dollars while we go without roads and police.

16. Implement a city Gateway project that will utilize the resources of the city as well as the private sector to improve the appearance of the main entrances to the city.

* PARTIAL SUCCESS: He did work to spruce up some of the entrances, but ignored other ones. My impression that his idea of 'entrance' was an entrance to the central core of the downtown area, not the major entrances into the city proper.

17. Increase emphasis on repairing potholes more swiftly and permanently.

* PARTIAL SUCCESS: He may have had an increased emphasis, but if it he did, it wasn't enough.

18. Commit to prioritize city Capital Improvement dollars to resurface city streets, with a target of 40 miles per year.

* SUCCESS: He made the resurfacing a priority in the CIP budget and did achieve his targeted 40 miles.

19. Commit to return every phone call to citizens within 24 business hours, and respond to specific concerns within 7 business days.

* FAIL: From my personal experience, I know that he did not return every phone call within 24 business hours and I waited much longer than 7 business days for some 'specific concerns' I raised. This was a either a bad promise to make or one that sounded good in the heat of a campaign because he did not put the effort forth to ensure he would keep it.

20. Establish monthly “Meet the Mayor” nights that will rotate locations throughout the city.

* PARTIAL SUCCESS: He did get off to a good start with this, but as the meetings got contentious, he stopped having them.

21. Establish a City Hall mentoring program that will pair city officials with young people seeking such guidance.

* PARTIAL SUCCESS: He did start this, but who knows what happened with it or how successful it was.

22. Establish privately funded, summer youth-development programs in city parks.

* FAIL: Never happened.

23. Develop a summer-job program for high school students, working with the Chamber of Commerce.
24. Seek commitments from our local companies to hire college students as “interns” during the summer months.

* PARTIAL SUCCESS: These two went together. I believe there was some type of program begun, with commitments from a few businesses, but it did not continue.

25. Develop job training and retraining programs for the unemployed and underemployed while working with corporations, labor unions and our universities.

* FAIL: The city did not do this, though The Source, the county/Workforce Investment Board (federal mandated program) one-stop shop, does have such programs in place and operating on a continual basis. Carty never should have made such a promise because the federally-mandated program was already in place. He should have just promised to support those efforts and be part of a 'regional' approach to job training.

26. Work with public and private school leaders to assure that new and/or improved academic campuses become the stimulus that creates family oriented neighborhood living opportunities around the academic setting.

* SUCCESS: Carty did work with the existing New Schools New Neighborhoods program which focuses on creating a core of services/opportunities in and around the new schools that are being built.

27. Encourage adaptive reuse of vacated school properties into neighborhood community centers.

* PARTIAL SUCCESS: He may have 'encouraged' this, but there was no success in achieving it.

28. Monitor the levy requests of TPS to assess that the taxpayer is getting his money’s worth from their product.

* FAIL: If he 'monitored' this, he never shared his analysis with the taxpayers so we would know if we were getting our money's worth. Of course, perhaps his failure in this is a good thing, because it's not the job of the mayor to perform this task.

29. Work with county officials, local civic leaders and regional organizations to seek ways to share resources, reduce costs and improve economic conditions in Northwest Ohio to the benefit of all.

* FAIL: The only 'sharing' Carty wanted was for the other organizations and municipalities to 'share' their income taxes with Toledo. Despite opportunities to improve economic conditions to the benefit of all, Carty was interested only in the benefits to the City of Toledo. He even tried to steal Bass Pro from a neighboring jurisdiction because he wanted it in Toledo and not just in Northwest Ohio.

30. Pursue further discussions on establishing a regional water/sewer authority to serve our area while ensuring Toledo residents a reasonable return on their infrastructure investments.

* FAIL: This went nowhere.

31. Will appoint a health and fitness honorary chairperson to promote a “healthier lifestyle” in Toledo.

* I have no idea if he appointed an 'honorary chairperson' or not. Obviously, the effort didn't garner much attention and Toledoans ignored it, if it existed.

32. Establish a courageous and boldcommittee to define how utility rates can be reduced in Northwest Ohio.

* BOLD FAIL: (sorry, couldn't resist)

33. Restore the minority health commission to improve the life expectancy and general health of those impacted.

* Another one I couldn't find information on. If he did restore the health commission, it worked without publicity and unknown impact. But again, this isn't the role of the mayor.

34. Seek “loaned leaders” from the business and union sectors to seek ways to reduce city costs and implement modern systems to promote increased productivity.

* FAIL: City costs were reduced through furloughs, layoffs and the elimination of funding for certain city departments - not because of suggestions made by 'loaned leaders' but because of the economy and the declining tax revenues of the city. I'm certain that 'loaned leaders' would have found even more ways to reduce the costs of government if convened and allowed to actually made and implement recommendations.

Conclusion
Toledo needs a leader who not only hears, but listens to, the voices echoing throughout the city. Toledo needs a leader who not only sees problems of joblessness and lost vision, but sees solutions involving the creation of jobs and growth. Toledo needs a leader who will awaken this city to the great dreams that helped turn this once-stagnant swamp into a jewel set along both shores of the Maumee River. And Toledo needs a pro-jobs, progrowth, pro-Toledo citizenry. It is a time for citizen/heroes. It is a time for each and every Toledoan to take up the cause of building a better, stronger Toledo. With every Toledoan’s help in this endeavor, I seek to be your Mayor – your leader."

So we come up with 19 promises NOT kept, 9 that were only partially kept and many of those without success in achieving an outcome, 3 promises kept and 2 unknown.

That's not good in terms of grades - in fact, eliminating the two unknowns, his partial success and success rate is only 37.5% ... about a third of the promises he made he actually kept in some way or another.

And this doesn't even get into the huge budget deficit he leaves, the zero balance in the city's rainy day fund, or the increased taxes we're all paying thanks to his 'leadership.'

But judging him by what he said he was going to do is much better than trying to spin his term and claim that unidentified critics say he made Toledo better.

Ice Boating!!!!!!

It looks like we'll be putting the boats on the ice today - or at least getting them ready to go on the ice...

So I doubt there will be a blog post today or tomorrow if we do get on the ice.

Wow - yesterday a day of watching Looney Tunes followed by a weekend of ice boating...what could be a better start to a new year???

Enjoy, everyone!

Happy 2010!

May the best of days of your 2009 be the worst of days in 2010!

"I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed." ~ Booker T. Washington

Once in a Blue Moon New Year's Eve

I was surprised to learn that several of my friends were not familiar with the modern-day definition of a 'blue moon' which will be ... tonight - New Year's Eve!

So I did some searching and came up with this article by Dr. Tony Phillips at www.science.nasa.gov. It's a nice explanation of the historical use of the phrase 'once in a blue moon.' I hope you enjoy it - and your 'once in a blue moon New Year's Eve!'

Happy New Year!

Party planners take note. For the first time in almost twenty years, there's going to be a Blue Moon on New Year's Eve.

"I remember the last time this happened," says professor Philip Hiscock of the Dept. of Folklore at the Memorial University of Newfoundland. "December 1990 ended with a Blue Moon, and many New Year's Eve parties were themed by the event. It was a lot of fun."

Don't expect the Moon to actually turn blue, though. "The 'Blue Moon' is a creature of folklore," he explains. "It's the second full Moon in a calendar month."

Most months have only one full Moon. The 29.5-day cadence of the lunar cycle matches up almost perfectly with the 28- to 31-day length of calendar months. Indeed, the word "month" comes from "Moon." Occasionally, however, the one-to-one correspondence breaks down when two full Moons squeeze into a single month. Dec. 2009 is such a month. The first full Moon appeared on Dec. 2nd; the second, a "Blue Moon," will come on Dec. 31st.

This definition of Blue Moon is relatively new.

If you told a person in Shakespeare's day that something happens "once in a Blue Moon" they would attach no astronomical meaning to the statement. Blue moon simply meant rare or absurd, like making a date for the Twelfth of Never. "But meaning is a slippery substance," says Hiscock. "The phrase 'Blue Moon' has been around for more than 400 years, and during that time its meaning has shifted."

The modern definition sprang up in the 1940s. In those days, the Farmer's Almanac of Maine offered a definition of Blue Moon so convoluted that even professional astronomers struggled to understand it. It involved factors such as the ecclesiastical dates of Easter and Lent, and the timing of seasons according to the dynamical mean sun. Aiming to explain blue moons to the layman, Sky & Telescope published an article in 1946 entitled "Once in a Blue Moon." The author James Hugh Pruett cited the 1937 Maine almanac and opined that the "second [full moon] in a month, so I interpret it, is called Blue Moon."

That was not correct, but at least it could be understood. And thus the modern Blue Moon was born.

Blue moon has other connotations, too. In music, it's often a symbol of melancholy. According to one Elvis tune, it means "without a love of my own." On the bright side, he croons in another song, a simple kiss can turn a Blue Moon pure gold.

The modern astronomical Blue Moon occurs in some month every 2.5 years, on average. A Blue Moon falling precisely on Dec. 31st, however, is much more unusual. The last time it happened was in 1990, and the next time won't be until 2028.

So cue up that old Elvis record and "enjoy the extra moonlight on New Year's Eve," says Hiscock. "It only happens once in a Blue Moon."

What's an 'American-made' vehicle?

I just had to laugh when I read that Lucas County Commissioner and former UAW member Pete Gerken is in hot water over the lease of an Ohio-made Acura TL.

The car was a Christmas gift to his wife and, according to the report, was her choice. But that's just 'an excuse,' according to one UAW member, to get Gerken off the hot seat.

First of all, none of those union people who are so outraged can provide a definition of 'American made' when it comes to cars. I once had a conversation with a UAW leader that went something like this (note the ownership of the various brands was different back then):

ME: Would I be in trouble with the union if I bought a car made entirely at the Honda plant in Marysville? It's an Ohio-made car, so wouldn't that be good to support manufacturing in our state?

UAW leader: No - the plant is owned by Honda and the money goes back to them in Japan - it doesn't stay here in the states.

ME: Well, then. What if I bought a Volvo? They're made in the U.S. and Canada and the brand is owned by Ford - so the money would stay with an American company.

UAW leader: No - it's a foreign vehicle...Vovlo is German.

ME: But I can buy a Jeep made in Toledo by a German company who takes the money back to Germany - that's okay?

UAW leader: Yep - now you've got it.

This really happened! I was dumbfounded - there was no logic whatsoever to the thought process, except, perhaps, that some of the plants are union and some are not, but even that didn't explain the opposition to a Volvo made by UAW members.

The problem is with the thinking - or lack thereof. The UAW has never provided their definition of 'American made' - which makes it very easy for them to pick and choose what they want to support or criticize when it comes to car purchases.

Cars.com actually has an "American-Made Index":

"...rates vehicles built and bought in the U.S. Factors include sales, where the car's parts are made and whether the car is assembled in the U.S. Models that have been discontinued are disqualified, as are those with a domestic-parts content rating below 75 percent."

This seems like a fair way to judge whether or not a car is 'American.'

The #1 rank goes to Toyota Camry - what a surprise!

Only five of the top 10 vehicles are what most people would think of as 'American' because of the name of the company that makes them. According to Cars.com, that's a record low for the Detroit automakers.

Funny, but the Jeep products don't make the list.

In the news article, Bruce Baumhower, president of United Auto Workers Local 12, makes the point very well:

"My wife has always wanted a [Chrysler] PT Cruiser, which is made in Mexico, so there will never be a PT Cruiser in my family."

Rather than purchase a vehicle made by his employer (or the employer of his union members), Baumhower supported the purchase of Jeep products, even when the profits from the sale of those items was going to the German company, Daimler. But if you thought you were 'buying American' by purchasing the Chrysler PT Cruiser, you're wrong, even if it means you're sabotaging the sales of your employer.

How is anyone supposed to know what's 'acceptable' these days? In a global market where companies have plants all over the world, employ workers in markets where they hope to sell their cars, and where everyone is dependent upon trade with everyone else, how is a concerned buyer supposed to make a good decision?

Is it better to purchase a Japanese car made in Ohio by fellow Ohioans or to purchase a Detroit automaker vehicle made in Mexico by your employer? Which is 'better'????

Or is the decision supposed to hinge upon the unionization status of the workers? If so, then why would a unionized plan in Mexico making PT Cruisers be off limits?

What? You didn't know that Mexico had unions? Confederacion de Trabajadores Mexicanos, CTM, is Mexico's largest union and it represents the workers at the PT Cruiser facility in Toluca.

Maybe it's just UAW union plants that count.

This whole thing is just another way for unions to control their members and the politicians. Do you think Gerken will suffer any consequences for this purchase? The UAW did give him tens of thousands of dollars for his first campaign for commissioner. Will he get as much financial support for his next one? Or will the union decide that a Democrat is still better than any Republican opponent, even a Democrat with a Honda in the garage?

***SIDE NOTE:

I couldn't let this story go by with commenting on the decision to even publish a story about what kind of car some politician's wife drives. Does anyone else find it 'selective' that The Blade thinks this is worthy of a 742-word story but they didn't even mention the Commissioners vote to impose Project Labor Agreements for Lucas County bidders?

PLAs will increase the costs of government, force unionization on private employers and their workers and, interestingly, were opposed by The Blade the last time they were tried in Lucas County. Yet the paper never even mentioned the issue, despite covering the meetings at which they were discussed on voted upon.

Yet the paper thinks this is worthy of a front-page story on their second section.

END SIDE NOTE***

New twist on scam emails - claiming to be U.S. military

We've all seen the emails - spam, that is - from the person we've never heard of who suddenly wants to give us millions of dollars, just because.

They usually start out with some sort of sob story about how the sender is dying and can't trust anyone in their own family; or the 'legal representative' (rarely says attorney or lawyer) who wants to send you money on behalf of some client. You've never heard of them but somehow they've decided you are the person to benefit.

We know they're scams and, other than the entertainment factor of seeing how they're trying to convince you to turn over all your personal identifying information and bank account numbers, we usually delete them, perhaps blocking the email address.

I expect, with a public email that I use for my blog and on air, that I'll get my share of these messages, along with a host of others. But the most recent twist on these scams really set me off.

I've now received three emails, all claiming to be from members of our U.S. Military, stationed somewhere overseas. They claim to have come across some cash that they want to ship home - but they need help. The first one claimed to be a Marine who wanted my help because he'd found gold and could convert it there in Iraq, but still needed someone in the U.S.

While I'm certain that no group of humans, including our military, is perfect, I hold our military in high respect and don't believe the vast majority of them, having come across someone else's treasure, would steal it - and then enlist my help to bring it home..

That some scammers believe this shakedown approach would be successful says a lot about what they think we think about our U.S. forces. Do they really think we'd believe that our soldiers and sailors, airmen and guard would behave in such a deceptive manner? And, if so, what gave them this impression?

Perhaps they think we'd believe the subterfuge because we put our faith in those who willingly offer themselves for our protection. But the scam's efforts to turn that trust into a way to take advantage of us sorely underestimates what the American people believe and expect from these brave individuals who serve in the armed forces.

I don't believe anyone reading the scam email will believe it's really a member of the U.S. military. In fact, knowing how most people think of our military, using this approach is more likely to ensure the email gets delated. And that's a good thing, because the recipients won't get caught up in the con game.

It's also good because it proves that, regardless of what others may think, we have the utmost confidence in the men and women sworn to protect our Constitution and our lives. They have earned our trust and respect.

Is a residential neighborhood the right place for an intermodal facility?

Over the last year, there was a lot of talk about an inter modal facility in Toledo. One of the locations identified for expansion is Airline Junction near the University of Toledo's Scott Park Campus.


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As you can see, this area is surrounded by residential homes and really doesn't have room to expand. It's about a 2-mile stretch, consisting of rail and truck operations.

As explained in an economic impact analysis by the University of Toledo, the plan is to double the number of lifts at this facility from roughly 28,000 to around 60,000.

While there are sufficient industrial sites suitable for support companies within a 5-mile radius of the junction, I cannot help but wonder what the neighbors will think of a doubling of the activity so close to a residential section of our city.

For comparison, there is a large inter modal facility in Memphis, TN:


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Friends and family in Memphis told me that the major road running parallel to the facility is only traveled on weekdays when absolutely necessary due to the amount of truck traffic. Because of the lights and intersections, the fully-loaded trucks are very slow and never quite get up to the speed limit until they actually reach the highways, making driving alongside them rather frustrating.

Fortunately, this area in Memphis is industrial with no pedestrian or bike traffic to compete with the heavy trucks.

But that's not the case in Toledo.

Within about 2,000 feet of Airline Junction are five schools, including Libby High School, St. Charles School, and two elementary schools: Burroughs and Arlington. There are four parks/playgrounds within that distance as well.

I'm all in favor of pursuing inter modal transportation within the Toledo area. During my campaign for, and time in office as a county commissioner, I advocated for a focus on transportation.

And while I realize Airline Junction is an existing facility with some potential for growth, I think we need to plan better and take into account all factors, including the impact any expansion will have on the established residential neighbors and the roads used by an increased number of trucks.

My wish is that emphasis on expanding inter modal transportation would focus on our existing ports (water and air) where there is plenty of room for expansion without negatively impacting the residential life cherished by Toledoans.

But if the only place willing to put forth private money (in addition to all the tax dollars going to support it) is within a residential neighborhood, I hope the politicians will think ahead about how to deal with the impact - and not do what they usually do, which is wait until after the fact when they start getting phone calls from their constituents.

Futility, thy name is 'security'

After a failed attempt to blow up an airplane on approach to Detroit Metro, the Department of Homeland Security decided to ramp up security measures at airports across the nation, telling travelers to arrive four hours ahead of time.

The problem is that increased screening of Americans isn't going to address the problem.

Every time the government sees a potential way to do harm to people on an airplane, they institute some new restriction or screening measure. Of course, people who really want to do harm will quickly find out about the new procedure/process and promptly begin to develop another method to get around it.

We're not allowed to bring more than three ounces of liquids on a plane. That didn't stop the idiot on Christmas Day from finding a way to get more than that amount on board - he just figured out a way around the screening.

The issue is not - and never has been - the materials. It's the behavior.

Anyone who has paid attention to security matters when traveling since 2001 will know that one-way tickets, paid with cash, and no luggage are huge warnings that should set off alarms all across the airport. Add to those tell-tale signs the fact that the man's father warned the U.S. about his son's radical ideas and you can see that the problem isn't the 'rules' but how the government failed to do anything with key facts that should have at least led to further questioning of an individual prior to getting on a plane, or having his name on a no-fly list.

Instead, we're all going to be subject to further intrusion in our lives, long delays in travel and the erosion of our liberties so the government can look like it's doing something to help keep us safe. Of course, no government can ever 'keep us safe' when they're more interested in little old ladies and how much shampoo they've got than in actually evaluating intelligence data that is pertinent to the safety issue.

Our government creates new laws or rules for travel and then goes about enforcing them. (The most recent ones are that you can't have a coat or blanket in your lap or go to the restroom one hour before landing.) That's a much different process than preventing terrorist attacks. Law enforcement focuses on catching a criminal after a crime has been committed. Stopping terrorism depends upon noticing, and then stopping, harmful intentions before they occur.

The travel security measures all look for the 'bomb' ... not the 'bomber.'

The Israelis have it right when it comes to screening for potential terrorists: they look for behavior, not supplies. They look for 'threats,' not 'risk.'

For instance, knives, scissors and other sharp objects are prohibited from carry-on luggage. If I happened to be traveling with said items, I would be a risk. But I'm not a threat. I have no intention of hurting myself or others or of committing an act of terrorism. So while those items would be 'safe' in my possession, they wouldn't be if in the possession of a terrorist.

Ah, but detecting who is and isn't a terrorist is much harder work than just forbidding everyone from carrying scissors on board a plane. And that's why terrorists will continue to find a way around the rules created to avert 'risk' and why we'll continue to have attempts from people who pose a 'threat.'

Our approach is futile. It won't stop terrorism, but does infringe upon everyone in the process. It reminds me of Benjamin Franklin's famous quote:

"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security."