Appointment to fill the City Council Seat

No doubt, Steve Steele is a bright, articulate candidate for City Council. But his primary role over the next few months is to get elected to office and appointing Steve to fill the City Council seat vacated by Mark Sobczak will only acerbate the Council proceedings and decisions. It will become a political campaign, whether or not intentional.

I ask you once again, think beyond party politics and political paradigms, appoint a statesman with no political ambitions.

Steve will have plenty of time, talent and resources to run his campaign for election. Toledo needs efforts and attentions directed to resolving the issues facing our embattled city and City Council, Toledo does not need this appointment bo becoma a campaign to be elected to office.

Karen Shanahan
3633 Denise Drive, Toledo 43614
kesjr@att.ent
419 380 0244

Parking Tickets while Parking at Home, another embarrasment for Toledo

Shame on the Mayor, this is ridiculous, is the city administration this desperate? We hit the national news again:

Added just this afternoon
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/31390180/ns/us_news-weird_news/

http://www.autoinsane.com/2009/06/16/news/government-policy/city-of-toledo-ohio-issues-parking-tickets-to-drivers-parked-in-their-own-driveways/
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/06/toledo_residents_find_25_parki.html
http://forum.thedailyshow.com/tds/board/message?board.id=story_suggestions&message.id=9574
http://www.torontosun.com/news/weird/2009/06/16/9812656.html
http://www.cantonrep.com/ohio/x702343198/Toledo-residents-ticketed-for-parking-in-their-own-driveway
http://blogs.kansascity.com/crime_scene/2009/06/toledo-tickets-citizens-for-parking-in-their-own-driveways.html
http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/20090616/UPDATES01/90616001
http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/122858/group/home/
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090616/ap_on_re_us/us_odd_ohio_driveway_tickets
http://www.startribune.com/nation/48147072.html?elr=KArks:DCiU1OiP:DiiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU7DYaGEP7vDEh7P:DiUX
http://www.kfsm.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-odd-ohio-driveway-tickets,0,7207199.story
http://privatopia.blogspot.com/2009/06/holy-toledo-city-acting-like-hoa.html
http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/06/16/park-in-your-own-driveway-youre-a-criminal/
http://www.wtte28.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.oh/33babf9c-www.wtte28.com.shtml
http://www.dailymail.com/ap/ApTopStories/200906160125
http://snackfeed.com/videos/detail/a3891efc-abdf-102c-8790-00304897c9c6/Ticket-for-parking-in-driveway_s=s (from CNN Most Popular)
http://blog.taragana.com/n/ohio-residents-ticketed-for-parking-in-own-driveways-under-toledo-law-about-unpaved-surfaces-82796/
http://www.rocketnews.com/2009/06/ohio-residents-ticketed-for-driveway-parking-source-the-globe-and-mail/
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wdsu.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wmtw.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wmur.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wyff4.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wisn.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wxow.com/Global/story.asp?S=10538958
http://www.wqow.com/Global/story.asp?S=10538958&nav=menu1364_2
http://www.wxii12.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wbtv.com/global/story.asp?s=10538958
http://www.kitv.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wgal.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.4029tv.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://www.wapt.com/news/19764866/detail.html
http://digg.com/world_news/Ohioans_ticketed_for_parking_in_own_driveways

and let’s not forget this
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1968071/posts

Paradigm Shift for Council

Toledo City Council has many issues to contend with: rising unemployment, lagging economic development, budget deficits, increasing crime, decreased city services, employee layoffs and potholes. Now, unleashed in the midst of all these issues, is the search for a replacement to Council for Mark Sobczak, who resigned. If the process plays out in usual political fashion, we will again witness the partisanship and divisions within the parties and the end result will be a flawed, biased appointment of a person to fill the seat. It plays out like a three ring circus, which creates great press the media enjoys; but is harmful to effective government. Will the best person be appointed, or the best-connected person?

I challenge the Republican and Democratic chairmen and Council to effect a paradigm shift and consider the best interests of Toledo rather than the interests of the political parties. Appoint a statesman to the position, a person who has no desire or inclination to run for office

Seek a person who is experienced and can provide leadership without bias to the Party, reach out to the Community, appoint a Business Leader of our Community or a Donna Owens or a Tom Crothers or a Tom Pounds or a John McHugh, experienced but not politically motivated to seek office. Select a statesman who affects policy rather than policy affected by politics. Once this appointment is made, appoint this experienced Statesman President of Council, again, avoid politics, consider the needs of Toledo.

How refreshing it would be to have our political leaders take the high road of a paradigm shift, being more concerned with the welfare of Toledo and dismissing “politics as usual”.

Negotiations in Good Faith? NOT

If the average yearly income of a police officer is $50,000, the 10% PERZ pick up that they employee should pay but the city picks up would equal $5,000. In the last "negotiation" that Mr. Reinbolt supposedly signed off on, it is reported that the union agreed to pay their 10% for one year ($5000 x 1100 employees which includes the fire department $5,500,000). Looks good, reasonable and responsible on the part of the Union to accept such concessions... until the 26 extra days with pay is factored into the numbers. So you realize, 26 days X $192 per day pay = $5000, a wash, no savings. What would we gain? Where are the concessions?

Also consider this,
26 days extra days off with pay
21 days vacation
13 holidays
14 days sick leave (which accumulates)
and we have 14 weeks off per police officer with several years service,$50,000 per year annual salary (plus overtime) and no contribution to health benefits. How can we sustain a police force with part time police at full time pay?

To support this pay and benefit package, City Council is to demand of the residents that we pay more taxes and fees to support this type of contract. Unbelievable and inconceivable.

WE CAN NO LONGER SUPPORT SUCH OUTLANDISH CONTRACTS!

A Thought on the Toledo Deficit

Throughout the process of trying to balance the budget, the Administration has continued to demand increased revenue with little or no conviction, to cut costs. Numerous times, the Mayor has gone back to Council demanding increased taxes and fees to supplement the budget. He has threatened to layoff police officers and after issuing pink slips, gone back to Council demanding more revenue. We are now 4 full months into a year in which it was well recognized there was a budget deficit. We are now at crunch time and to save the 150 police from being laid off, the Mayor again has gone to Council demanding more revenue.

We sit poised, waiting for their decision at the meeting this evening. What will they do, allow the layoffs? Increase the refuse fee? Cut the reciprocity?

Is there a grand scheme in all this? Well, here is a theory worth considering.

1. Whether Carty runs again or not, he intends to be a force in the political scene of Toledo.
2. He has always had the support of the fire and police unions. To stay politically powerful, he needs their continued support.
3. The only way to balance the budget is to increase revenue or cut spending. To cut spending effectively, he must negotiate down the contracts with the police and fire and do away with the extremely generous packages which he gave them previously.
4. If he cuts their benefits, he would lose their support.

How can he maintain the police and fire support and still balance the budget?
1. Give the pretense of negotiating contracts
2. Give the pretense of cutting costs
3. Delay the process to the last possible moment to increase the fear
4. Plan to layoff a ridiculous number of police to scare the electorate
5. Plan to layoff a ridiculous number of police to force Council to increase revenue to ensure this does not happen

Would the Mayor do this? Sadly, I believe he has.

Lucas County and Regionalism

There is much talk of regionalism, the advantages, the need, the importance for growth. Those who so often profess the need for regionalism could create true regionalism in Lucas County.

Due to the imbalance of population in Lucas County, it is virtually impossible for the surrounding communities to elect a County Commissioner; our three Commissioners always end up being Toledoans.

With true regionalism, the outlying communities would have a Commissioner represent them in Lucas County and by so doing; we would see a growth of new ideas and opportunities.

It’s time to begin the process in sincerity by Districting Lucas County in a way to give regional representation to the county. I suggest the following:

· County Commissioner pay be reduced to $60,000 per year
· Lucas County be split into 4 districts as noted on map:
· Districts 1, 3, and 4 each have 1 Commissioner
· District 2 (Toledo) would have 2 Commissioners

By implementing Districts for Lucas County, we will open the door and invite true regionalism. We need representatives from our successful Lucas County communities.

Letter to Gov. Strickland, Charter Schools, #2

I emailed you on April 14th, regarding Charter Schools. Our grandson received horrible treatment by teachers in the Toledo Public School system and no one cared. As a result, he was enrolled in a Charter School, Wildwood Environmental Academy and has excelled. My question was this: why is he worth less to the state of Ohio than a child enrolled in public school? I did not receive a reply to this question.

I now have a second question, have you visited any of the Charter Schools to see first hand why parents choose to enroll their children in an alternative educational program? I would like to invite you to visit Wildwood and see how much they accomplish with so little funding. Our Grandson will attend Knight Academy next fall. It is operated by St. Francis DiSalle. I extend an invitation for you to visit the school he will attend next year. This would be an eye opener for you and your staff if you were will to visit with an open mind. Please advise when you would like to visit, I will contact the schools and make the arrangements for you.

I await your replay and acceptance of this offer. In Toledo, your biased opinions are affecting 3000 children.