Out with the old poll, no more polls (updated)

Well our first unofficial poll kind of had mixed reviews. It didn't end up being quite what I had expected as far as being able to gauge where the regular readers of the blog stood on the Toledo City Council race but? Here are the results before it's replaced with a new poll:

Joe McNamara 21% with 44 votes
Lourdes Santiago 20% with 40 votes
Dave Schulz 38% with 77 votes
Bob Vasquez 12% with 25 votes
Undecided 4% with 8 votes
I don't live in Toledo 6% with 12 votes

One complaint that is a valid one was that since only one vote per ip address can be registered that if more than one person using the same computer wanted to vote it wasn't possible and some work places where there are more than one person who reads the blog were limited.

This new poll is set up so that is not an issue. So the new poll question is:

Focusing only on the contested races for the Lucas County which judicial candidate have you seen the most information on?

Candidates are listed in alphabetical order and the poll will be up for one week. I gave each candidate one vote to test out the software.

:-)

Sigh...Well it's obvious we can't do polls. I tried to make it so that people who were working in the same office would be able to vote but we had one person who decided to submit multiple votes within a one minute period from the same ip address. The whole purpose of this poll was to see who had name recognition so I'd see who I might want to give a little more focus to from an informational standpoint.

Dave Schulz Press Conference on Joe McNamara Signs

Press Release from Dave Schulz for Toledo City Council campaign from Press Conference earlier today:

Dave Schulz To Hold Press Conference Suggesting A Way To Stem Brain Drain

Will suggest a way Joe Mcnamara can help solve the Brain Drain problem

City Council candidate Dave Schulz will hold a press conference on Thursday September 14th at 11:30 a.m. in front of Clear Images, 121 11th St in Downtown Toledo.

Recently, Joe Mcnamara suggested ways to stem brain drain in Toledo. Dave Schulz will suggest to city council candidate Joe Mcnamara how he can best help stem the brain drain in Toledo.

THE SUGGESTION:

Buy Local!!!

Mr. Mcnamara did not purchase his campaign signs from a local young businessman who operates Clear Images in Downtown Toledo. He purchased them from www.americascampaignstore.com in Indiana.


Clear Images is part of a group of companies that promote their products as being “Made In Ohio”. Schulz noted, "Not only did he buy his signs out of town but out of state." (go to their website www.designgraphics.net to get a gif of Made In Ohio if you think it fits)

“This is a slap in the face of the hard working men and women of Toledo. Mr. Mcnamara’s use of an out of state printer while not even attempting to buy from a locally owned union shop is outrageous and hypocritical.”, Schulz stated.

Instead of stemming the brain drain, Mcnamara is contributing to it. Candidate Schulz purchased his signs from Clear Images like most local candidates have done – except for Mr. Mcnamara.

Schulz contends that all candidates for local office should be aware of local businesses who manufacture campaign items and should attempt to buy from them and negotiate better pricing if need be.

Schulz will discuss the issue at the above location.

Mark Dansack challenges Mark Wagoner...

This press release just in from the Mark Dansack for 46th District House of Representatives Campaign:

Mark Dansack challenges opponent to stay implementation of the Taft Corruption Bailout Act (Senate Bill 7) until a full investigation into the irregularities at the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation is conducted.

Monclova Township Democrat Mark Dansack, a candidate for the 46th District House of Representatives in Ohio, has issued a challenge to his opponent, Mark Wagoner, to introduce legislation which would stay the implementation of Senate Bill 7 until the full details of all irregularities within the operation of the Bureau are known.

“It’s not bad enough that we have seen the Noe “Coingate” fiasco and the MDL investment losses of over $200 million, but now we are finding out that GOP reforms instituted as a cost-cutting measure in the late 1990’s have actually increased the bureau’s total operating costs at more than twice the rate of inflation - since these reforms were instituted”


As a result, according to figures quoted by both the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Toledo Blade, the BWC has actually spent roughly $1.6 Billion more under the managed-care initiative than it would have had costs been held in check.

“This gross mismanagement of public funds by these self-described fiscal conservatives speaks volumes about what is wrong in Ohio and has been for the past decade and a half. When the scandal erupted, the only proposal from the General Assembly was to place (through Senate Bill 7) more burden on the injured workers that the system was intended to help.”

Dansack continued, “I call on Representative Wagoner to stand up for working men and women in Ohio and put his full effort into delaying implementation of what should be called the Taft Corruption Bailout Act.”

Dansack works as a legal aid for Gallon, Takacs, Boissoneault & Schaffer and deals daily with injured workers, physicians, managed care organizations, and the Bureau of Workers Compensation.

“It is becoming increasingly more difficult to get these injured workers the care that they need and representatives from the GOP are hanging their hats on their cost-saving measures that they have implemented. I challenge Mr. Wagoner to join with me in agreeing that the measure passed in March, 2006 is no longer valid, as it fails to take into account additional information that has been made available illustrating major problems with the administration of the Bureau”.

It is Dansack’s opinion that the remedies proposed in Senate Bill 7 are analogous to an auto mechanic attempting to overhaul a broken down engine by adding a quart of oil and some washer fluid, or a physician attempting to administer a cure for an unspecified disease without first completing a full examination of the patient. “Look, we wouldn’t trust a mechanic or a physician who wouldn’t take the time necessary to figure out what’s wrong, and we shouldn’t trust state government with this corruption bailout plan which clearly attempts to balance the Bureau’s budget on the backs of the very injured workers it is supposed to protect”.

According to the Toledo Blade, in the mid-1990s, bureau officials said the new managed-care program would lead to savings of 15 percent to 30 percent of the bureau's medical costs and provide better services to injured workers. Instead, the costs have steadily risen, and managed-care firms made hundreds of millions off the agency. “In another occurrence of the frequent buck-passing we have seen at the state level, Mark Rickel, Governor Taft’s press secretary, squarely placed the blame on James Conrad, who resigned in 2005 as the scandal broke. I ask Mr. Rickel the following questions: Who appointed Mr. Conrad and why is Governor Taft so unwilling to accept any responsibility for any of his decisions?”

“My view is that we ought to scrap the entire language of Senate Bill 7, as it clearly is deficient in terms of even coming close to solving the colossal problems we’ve seen at the BWC in Ohio. Let’s let the new Governor and new legislature work on an initiative for a fair and equitable solution to reforming the system to a system that adequately protects injured workers, while also ensuring that proper oversight is undertaken to make sure that the waste of public funds is eliminated. The injured workers in Ohio and businesses who pay premiums into the system deserve nothing less.”

Dansack, 44, is married to Heather, and they are the parents of two young daughters, Caitlin and Sophia. Prior to joining Gallon, Takacs, Boissoneault & Schaffer in 2003, Dansack worked in manufacturing with General Mills, Inc. in Toledo. Dansack holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, both earned at the University of Toledo.

More information about Mr. Dansack’s campaign can be obtained at dansackdistrict46.blogspot.com

Ben Konop Press Release on plan for Senior Citizens

This just in from the Ben Konop for Lucas County Commissioner Campaign:

Konop To Unveil Three-Part Senior Safety Proposal

Democratic candidate promoting new ideas to increase senior independence and well- being.

Continuing his campaign based on new ideas and a fresh vision for Lucas County, Democratic Candidate for Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop will today unveil a three-pronged approach to addressing senior safety issues.

Konop will discuss his initiatives with seniors throughout the community today, Thursday, September 14th. Konop will be appearing at a senior pancake breakfast at 8:30 AM at West Park Place, 3501 Executive Parkway, at an 11:15 AM Senior lunch at the Eleanor Kahle Senior Center, 1315 Hillcrest Avenue, and at a 4:15 PM Bingo game at the Margaret Hunt Senior Center, located at 2121 Garden Lake Parkway. Media is invited to attend any event.


At each stop Konop will outline his proposals which include a free 911 cellular-phone program, a HOW-R-YOU? program including regular automated calls to seniors, and the creation of a senior citizens’ police academy.

“These initiatives, modeled after successful programs throughout the state and the country, will help seniors live more independently and safely here in our community,” stated Konop. “At a minimal cost to taxpayers, we can implement programs that help those who deserve it the most: Our county’s senior citizens.”

This is the latest in a string of substantive policy initiatives from Konop designed to move Lucas County forward into the 21st Century. “As the campaign goes on, the difference between me and my Republican opponent is becoming clear,” added Konop. “My Republican opponent represents the Tom Noe and Bob Taft politics of the past, while our campaign is about real change and a new direction for Lucas County,” stated Konop.

The full text of the initiatives follows.


Paid for by Konop for Lucas County, Tony Pizza, Chair
100 S. Huron St. Suite 7C, Toledo, OH 43602

BEN KONOP FOR SENIOR SAFETY

3 WAYS WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB FOR SENIORS IN LUCAS COUNTY

1) FREE 911 CELL PHONE PROGRAM FOR SENIORS

HOW THIS WORKS: Drop-off points are set up throughout the community, so citizens can donate used cellular phones. The used cell phones, regardless of service, are still equipped to dial “911” in case of an emergency. These cell phones are distributed by the county at no cost to all seniors who wish to participate in the program.

2) HOW-R-YOU? A PROGRAM TO PROMOTE SENIOR INDEPENDENCE

HOW THIS WORKS: A computer generated telephone call is made to senior subscribers, checking on their well-being once a day. Once the subscriber answers this telephone call, a pre-recorded message is played to the recipient. The subscriber is then instructed, through this message, to press a certain telephone key to indicate that they are alright. Once this is accomplished the computer program ends their call, and begins to dial the next listed subscriber.
If for some reason the subscriber does not answer the telephone, or does not press the predefined key, the computer program initiates an alert to the Sheriff’s Office Communication Operator who then attempts a “live” telephone call to the subscriber. The Communication Operator then checks on the well-being of the subscriber. If no contact is made to the subscriber, the Communication Operator then dispatches a law enforcement officer to the subscriber’s residence to physically check on the well-being of the subscriber.

3) SENIOR CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY

HOW THIS WORKS: This 7 week course will be taught to seniors by retired police officers at community buildings throughout the county. Topics include identity theft prevention, self defense and home protection. Students receive a certificate at the conclusion of the 7 week program.

VOTE FOR DEMOCRAT BEN KONOP FOR LUCAS COUNTY COMMISSIONER…IT’S TIME TO STAND UP FOR SENIORS!

The read more button thingy

I'm trying something new to make the blog as user friendly as possible, especially on days where there are more posts and press releases for you to navigate the site and click on the "read more" for the posts you are interested in. It will also make the site a bit quicker to get thru if you are watching or participating in one of the threads with comments.

Any thoughts or comments on this is appreciated.

:-)

Lourdes Santiago Press Release on Police Staffing Numbers

From the Lourdes Santiago for Toledo Council campaign:

Santiago Vows to Fight for More Police in Budget Process

TOLEDO, Ohio – As proud family members and city officials looked on, twenty-nine new recruits were sworn in Wednesday as Toledo’s newest class of police officers. Shortly before the swearing-in ceremony began, Councilwoman Lourdes Santiago called for additional funding for the Toledo Police Department in next year’s budget to substantially increase the 2007 class of new officers.

“It is essential that we do everything in our power to make families and businesses feel safe when they settle in to our neighborhoods,” Santiago said. “It is only through the cooperation of city officials, police officers, and community members that we can hope to make our city more secure. Today marks the first step,” she continued.


Councilwoman Santiago, who is currently running to retain her at-large seat on City Council, discussed part her campaign plan that calls for more new officer positions to be included in the upcoming year’s city budget. Santiago pledged to “do everything in [her] power” to secure funds for additional officers in upcoming budget negotiations.

According to information obtained from the Toledo Police Department, the department requested that 30 officer positions be established for 2006. All but one of those positions has been filled as of today’s swearing-in ceremony. In next year’s budget, a total of 20 new officer positions are being requested – a decrease that is said to reflect changes in retirement projections for 2007.

Santiago noted that Cincinnati, a city comparable to Toledo in population and demographics, has roughly 350 more uniformed personnel than the Toledo Police Department1. “According to recent statistics, there are several categories of crime in which Toledo currently outranks Cincinnati, such as aggravated assault and burglary2. With more police on patrol to deter criminals and more detectives investigating crimes that have already been committed, we will be able to lower those numbers significantly,” Santiago said.

Councilwoman Santiago noted that she would be meeting with Chief Navarre in the coming weeks leading up to budget negotiations to discuss the department’s needs, in order to find a number that would be effective for the goals mentioned while remaining affordable for the city’s current revenue projections.

Santiago’s full campaign platform, titled “Strong Neighborhoods for a Strong Toledo,” is available to the public on her Web site, www.santiagoforcouncil.com.

References:

1. Cincinnati police figures (1,043 uniformed personnel) obtained from Cincinnati Police Department Office of Personnel, 9/13/06. Toledo police figures (692 sworn personnel) obtained from Toledo Police Chief Michael Navarre’s Office, 9/13/06.

2. 2004 crime figures obtained from AreaConnect, “Actual Reported Population and Crimes.” Available on the Web here

More on the proposed salary increase for top Toledo administrators...

I read the information as presented in the title linked Toledo Blade article:

Toledo's police chief gets $92,000, compared with an average of $116,437 for the cities of Dayton, Akron, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Columbus.

The lowest pay, after Toledo's, is Akron, at $104,229, according to the administration's information.

City finance directors average $121,829 in other cities, compared to $83,999 for Toledo's finance director, John Sherburne, according to the information.

Then I started searching...


According to Salary.com the median salary for a Sheriff/Chief of Police is: $88,574

That of course is much lower than what was quoted in the Toledo Blade article so, I after I spent about an hour searching for additional information. I was able to discover that many smaller cities pay less but not much information as to cities of comparable size. I then contacted Brian Schwartz and asked him if it would be possible for me to get the salary information from the other larger Ohio cities. Brian was kind enough to fax the information to me, which I appreciate because I wanted to be accurate and fair in looking at this issue. There are two groups of data - one is based on the highest salary possible the other is based on what is currently being paid. Focusing on what is currently being paid first in Toledo, then the lowest then the highest then the median.

Finance Director - $83,999 $115,440 (Dayton) $132,000 (Cinci) $121,829 (median)
Human Resource Director - $86,000 $105,851 (Akron) $125,843 (Dayton) $113,266.50 (median)
Law Director - $86,000 $115,773 (Akron) $137,987 (Columbus) $121,035 (median)
Public Service Director - $92,000 108,992 (Cleveland) $140,000 (Columbus) 120,808 (median)
Fire Chief - $91,499 $104,229 (Akron) $136,644 (Columbus) $112,270 (median)
Police Chief - $92,000 $104,229 (Akron) $142,313 (Columbus) $110,344 (median)

Some additional information that was included also states that the proposed ordinance would make changes to the benefit packages that would result in a savings of $340,000. It also states there is an additional savings of $246,750 in the City budget by not filling the Public Safety Director and the Economic Director.

For those who would rather see an Economic Director, that position is listed at a cost of $110,000 to $123,375 depending on a benefit details. It's also pointed out that the Mayor's salary was increased 81%, President of City Council 39% and City Council 48.6%.

Of course there are 75 positions that are involved, so there are still some questions as to where the additional money would come from since it's assumed it would cost more than $586,750 to implement these changes. There's also the additional concern of allowing the Mayor to be able to go beyond any salary cap without having to go before City Council. I'm not aware of any situation other than the one reported in 2004 when it was reported Toledo City Council stalled on the issue of increasing the pay cap for the Economic Director. My personal opinion on that is there should be some form of checks and balances within the system and there is a mechanism in place if there is an issue of offering a salary that is over the cap. Not just for the current Mayor but for any Mayor.

To sum this up, there is valid documentation that the pay scales for the positions listed are below what other large Ohio cities are paying. How much the City can afford and where that money would come from and is it supported for the Mayor to be able to exceed a salary cap at his or her discretion, will I'm sure be discussed more as this comes before the Council's Human Resources Committee and of course here as this progresses.

Cordray Press Release - Creating Financial Oversight...

This just in from the Richard Cordray for Treasurer Campaign:

STATE TREASURY CANDIDATE PLEDGES TO CREATE FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT “TRAPS” FOR NOE-LIKE TRANSACTIONS

(Cincinnati)--Franklin County Treasurer Richard Cordray, the Democratic candidate for Ohio Treasurer, said that office should be a watchdog for “oddities and irregularities,” and pledged to set up internal processes to do so if elected.

At a meeting here for government finance officials from throughout the state, Cordray said that although the state treasurer doesn’t have a regulatory role, like the attorney general or auditor, the treasurer’s staff handles paperwork and processes that gives them an implicit responsibility to flag transactions that appear “unusual, questionable, or downright screwy,” like the coin investments handled by Tom Noe for the Bureau of Workers Compensation.


“Several warning lights should have flashed when the first transaction for $25 million came through the treasurer’s office in 1998,” Cordray said. “Although the treasurer is not responsible nor empowered to make investment decisions for the BWC or any of the public pension funds in Ohio, it is certainly highly unusual for payments to be made without being secured, as was the case with the Noe coin venture.

“The state treasury should be like a bank, in that irregular transactions automatically trigger a review. If elected, I will immediately conduct an operational review of internal controls and take steps to strengthen them. We will implement a robust system of checks and balances that set off warning signals of transactions that are anywhere from just plain wrong to outright weird.”

Cordray noted that in the Franklin County Treasurer’s office, investments are made using the best practice of delivery versus payment basis, and that some form of collateral is held to protect and secure the investment.

Additionally, Franklin County Treasurer’s office requires that all staff members who handle investments follow an ethics policy, which he would also employ in the state treasurer’s office, Cordray said.

“When the paperwork for the first unsecured $25 million deposit for Tom Noe came through the treasurer’s office to be processed, the only other elected officeholder in the position to question what the administration was doing and to call a time-out was the state treasurer,” Cordray said. “If elected state treasurer, I will halt and question any transaction that is clearly not by the book. At the very least this will give all parties an opportunity to publically provide answers and defend decisions to the satisfaction of the taxpayers.”

As the local officials entrusted with taking care of the day-to-day business of financial management of schools, county and city services, members of the Ohio Government Financial Officers Association understand better than most the importance of stringent standards and controls when handling public funds, Cordray said.

Cordray said local financial officers like those in the audience are the individuals who ultimately protect the public’s trust.

“You are the professionals who catch the first whiff of corruption, giving us time to get rid of something going bad before it contaminates the entire process. Yours is the kind of sensibility that should be in place in the state treasurer’s office, and if elected, I will work to make that happen.”

Cordray was endorsed by the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants earlier this month.

Richard Cordray was also featured here on Glass City Jungle, and appeared on Nookular Option...

Joe McNamara Press Release on "double dipping"

This "scoop" in from the Joe McNamara Campaign for Toledo City Council:

McNamara Calls on Council to Reject Pay Raises for “Double Dippers”

Toledo City Council candidate Joe McNamara will hold a press conference today, Wednesday, September 13 at 3 PM in front of the Igloo ice cream stand at Monroe & Douglas calling on City Council to reject pay raises for managers who “double dip,” collecting both a salary and state retirement pension.

:-)

Blog it Toledo, Mark Bula and more...

This week's Blog it Toledo is now online and it hightlights some of my favorite places to stop by with a new one, Progress Ohio that I recommend checking out.

I was happy to see Autumn Lee's article about Mark Bula, I am a huge fan of Mark and what he is doing for the residents of Sylvania. Mark was also kind enough to be the first person to do a one on one interview with me back in June. It's thanks to him that the whole idea of the "Sitting Down with" series happened, so I'm glad our local media is writing about Mark.

One of my Blog it Blogs was focusing on Key Fairies and Tomato Fairies, but Traci Curth has an online exclusive article that focuses on a Fairy she's not to happy with some of the hype that is surrounding it. Michael Miller has some thoughts on Jeff Heitz that is also a suggested "must read" in my opinion.

As always many more excellent and informational articles await you in this weekly edition of the Toledo Free Press so make sure to pick up your copy and visit online.

:-)

I also once again missed submitting a post for the Carnival of Ohio Politics but it's a great one this week so don't forget to stop by.

Dave Schulz Press Release on Government Transparency and Accessibility

From the Dave Schulz for Toledo City Council campaign:

Candidate will urge use of latest technology and other ways to make city government more transparent and accessible

City Council candidate Dave Schulz will hold a press conference on Wednesday September 13th at 4:00 p.m. in front of the Government Center in Downtown Toledo.

Dave will be joined by two individuals who have shown great gusto for pushing for more transparency in government; Chris Myers, former school board candidate and private citizen Kate Boyd. They have taken it upon themselves to record video and audio of important city council and TPS meetings so that the public becomes more informed by posting them at www.toledopolitican.com They cannot do this indefinitely and Schulz will discuss ways for city council to bring greater transparency to their proceedings.

Schulz will unveil his “transparency” plans for Toledo City Council which he will push once elected to Toledo City Council. They include:

Internet broadcasting and archiving of council and committee meetings
Internet switchboards on website to allow quick routing to appropriate email address
Transparency of posting as many city documents on the Internet as possible
Timely alerting of public of events and meetings through subscribable e-mail lists, postings on city Web site, and RSS feeds
Online campaign finance reports of all elected officials
Online Ohio Ethics reports

The plan also includes other non-technological fixes and adjustments in order to make government accessible to more people. These include:

More nightly meetings so working people can attend
Explore feasibility of an occasional council meeting in community setting outside of Government Center
Public comment at regular council meetings
Explore expansion of tv broadcasting of meetings

Schulz will also point to a continuing battle that Myers and Boyd have with TPS over broadcasting their proceedings via the internet. He will urge the board to use technology to embrace Toledo Public School residents and encourage every board member to embrace using the latest technology to communicate with Toledo residents.

Schulz said, "I am about open, accessible government, plain and simple. Increasing citizen participation in government encourages better decisions and accountability. The whole community benefits from these efforts."

So...Tom Noe gets 27 month sentence on federal charges

According to WTOL:

TOLEDO -- Tom Noe, the prominent GOP fundraiser at the center of an Ohio political scandal, will spend 27 months in federal prison for arranging a contribution scheme to raise money for the Bush/Cheney re-election campaign in 2004. Federal judge David Katz sentenced Noe in a federal courtroom in Toledo Tuesday afternoon to 27 months on each of 3 counts, and ordered the sentences to be served concurrently. Katz also imposed a $136,200 fine.

Federal prosecutors had asked that Noe get 5 years in prison, because they say he has made other illegal contributions to candidates in Ohio. Noe's attorney argued he should receive only community service, because he says Noe has been publicly humiliated and probation and community service are a more appropriate punishment.

Noe still faces other charges in Lucas County that he will go on trial in October for, yet I can't help feeling some of the same thoughts I had when Bob McCloskey was sentenced, ironically he was also given a 27 month sentence.

While I don't believe either man should have gotten a pass on what led to their convictions, I also believe if we don't change the system all we are doing is making a few examples here and there of those who get caught while the deeper issue of how this happened in the first place still exists.

Let's flash back thanks to this Washington Post article:

When four longtime supporters of George W. Bush in 1998 developed a name and a structure for the elite cadre that the then-Texas governor would rely on in his campaign for president, the goal was simple. They wanted to escape the restraints of the public financing system that Congress had hoped would mitigate the influence of money in electing a president. Their way to do it was to create a network of people who could get at least 100 friends, associates or employees to give the maximum individual donation allowed by law to a presidential candidate: $1,000.

The Pioneers have evolved from an initial group of family, friends and associates willing to bet on putting another Bush in the White House into an extraordinarily organized and disciplined machine. It is now twice as big as it was in 2000 and fueled by the desire of corporate CEOs, Wall Street financial leaders, Washington lobbyists and Republican officials to outdo each other in demonstrating their support for Bush and his administration's pro-business policies.

As long as this type of system still exists there are going to be future problems.

Missteps with Minority voters and the decisions they face..

La Prensa has an interesting AP article written by Erin Texeria, that is entitled, "Republican gains with minority voters offset by missteps" but also highlights some recent problems with the Democratic Party and minority voters as well.



The main "Missteps" from the article then any additional information in blue:

Reports surfaced last week that Sen. Conrad Burns, a Montana Republican, called his house painter a ``nice little Guatemalan man'' during a June speech. Burns, whose re-election campaign is pressing for tighter immigration controls, also suggested that the man might be an illegal immigrant. It turns out the worker is legal.

More:

“The other day, the little fella who does our maintenance work around the house, he’s from Guatemala, and I said, ‘Could I see your green card?”’ Burns said at a June meeting recorded by Democrats. “And Hugo says, ‘No.’ I said, ‘Oh gosh.”’ (Burn's staffer says the story was anecdotal). Burns is also known for his recent August comment in which he stated, the United States is up against a faceless enemy of terrorists who "drive taxi cabs in the daytime and kill at night."

George Allen, a Republican senator from Virginia, twice referred to an opponent's volunteer using a term considered by some to be a racial slur. ``Let's give a welcome to Macaca here,'' Allen said. ``Welcome to America and the real world of Virginia.''

More:

"This fellow here over here with the yellow shirt, Macaca, or whatever his name is. He's with my opponent. He's following us around everywhere. And it's just great. We're going to places all over Virginia, and he's having it on film and its great to have you here and you show it to your opponent because he's never been there and probably will never come."

Former Democratic congressman and civil rights leader Andrew Young, who is black, said this month that Asian, Jewish and Arab shopkeepers in black neighborhoods sold shoddy goods to blacks and drove away their businesses.

More:

"Well, I think they should; they (big stores) ran the mom-and-pop stores out of my neighborhood," he told the Sentinel. "But you see those are the people (owners of mom-and-pop stores) who have been overcharging us--selling us stale bread, and bad meat and wilted vegetables. And they sold out and moved to Florida. I think they've ripped off our communities enough. First it was Jews, then it was Koreans and now it's Arabs, very few black people own these stores."

And, amid protests, the Democratic party this month pulled an advertisement from its Web site that compared Latino immigrants to terrorists.

More:

The ad opens with the words "Security Under Bush and GOP?" It features scenes of a masked man with a bazooka, scenes from terrorist attacks and police inspecting a subway train. It also shows Osama bin Laden, Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and a docked ship as it claims "4 times as many terrorist attacks in 2005."

Then comes footage of a person climbing over a corrugated metal border fence and another preparing to climb it as the words "millions more illegal immigrants" form on-screen. In the following scene, viewers see the words "North Korea has quadrupled its nuclear arsenal" with footage of a tank and North Korea President Kim Jong Il.

Of course it can be said that these statements are a reflection on the individuals rather than the party. However the above incidents clearly point that both the Republican and Democratic party could do a better job when it comes to inclusion and sensitivity. Even locally we have a situation where there are those in the Hispanic community who feel as if they being divided when it comes to the Toledo City Council race. It was assumed by many that Bob Vasquez would be the candidate that was supported until Lourdes Santiago was selected by the Lucas County Democratic Party. Some in the Hispanic community are forced with the decison of do those who supported Bob now support Lourdes or do those who supported him in the last election still continue to support him. Then the concerns about the whole endorsement process that goes far beyond minorities or one individual candidate, but relates to all of us which, is a topic for another day...

As the original article that inspired this post states:

Outreach to minorities can ring hollow if it's not backed by strong policies, said Louis DeSipio, a professor of political science and Chicano/Latino studies at the University of California, Irvine.

Which to me can be easily summed up as we have a lot of people willing to talk the talk, but less willing to walk the walk...

Toledo City Paper on Homeland Security expenditures...

There is a really great indepth article entitled "Monkey Brained?" by Veronique de Rugy that I highly recommend reading.

It raises some interesting questions as to if money that is supposed to be for Homeland Security needs is being used wisely and where it is really needed. From reading the article it would appear that these funds have become more about pork and less about making anyone actually safer. A few examples from the article:

$7.9 million for investigations of missing and exploited children; $102,000 to promote public awareness of the child pornography tip line; $203,000 for Project Alert, a drug use prevention program for schools; $15.8 million to enforce laws against forced child labor; $500,000 to continue steel tariff training, a program "to ensure Customs and Border Protection (CBP) enforcement of U.S. trade laws benefits from the expertise of the steel industry in classifying steel goods"; and $15 billion for bridge alterations in Mobile, Ala.; LaCrosse, Wis.; Chelsea, Mass.; Galveston, Tx.; Morris, Ill.; and Burlington, Iowa.

$58,000 on a rescue vehicle capable of boring through concrete to search for victims in collapsed buildings in Colchester, Vt.

On Christmas 2004, the department handed out $153 million to programs offering food and shelter for the poor, a significant increase from the previous year’s budget. In September 2004, the Senate attached $2.9 billion to the fiscal year 2005 homeland security bill for disaster aid to farm states affected by droughts, floods, and freezes.

An additional article written by Rick Claypool focuses on how Lucas County spends money for Homeland Security needs.

New Joe McNamara ad starts tomorrow...

But, you can view it here first:





It's entitled, "Service To ALL Of Toledo" and it will be aired starting tomorrow during the 6:00 p.m. news on WTOL and WTVG.

Latest Sherrod satire site, made me say "Far Out"...

I realize that this cartoon type production entitled Far Out Brown is supposed to scare people into believing that Sherrod Brown is some type of an extreme hippy. I have a feeling that this type of cartoon web parody thing is going to increase in use in the future. This particular one was paid for by the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

I'm not sure how many people are going to base their decision between Sherrod Brown and Mike DeWine based on a cartoon. I realize many people are doing this sort of thing on their own, the recent cartoon that featured Ohio Republicans and Tom Noe as one example. The attempt to bring up visions of the John Kerry Swiftboating with the image of John Kerry on the TV screen in the room where you can have Sherrod "Chill" is kind of hard to miss. As with most campaign ads, the information listed is used in what can only be viewed as "cherry picking" but that's nothing new. I think we can all agree almost anyone who has been in office can have individual votes presented in a positive or a negative manner and their opponents will try to use that to their advantage as well as the candidate will do the same presenting their record in the best possible light to that particular audience and vice versa. That's why it's so important to take most of this stuff with a grain of salt, the ability to check facts and a sense of humor comes in handy...

While I enjoy some of the cartoon satire as much as the next person, I do really have to wonder though about the waste of dollars in what is sure to become the cartoon wars, especially now that it has moved on beyond individuals doing this sort of thing for "fun" and is being used by organizations that seek political donations. I'm also old enough that to me saying someone is "Far Out" means they are cool, awesome, neat, groovy and a few other lingoisms of that time period.

I don't often post about my other daughters but, a picture I think is pretty "Far Out", of Megan and Erin, yesterday brushing up on how they will celebrate if Sherrod and Ted win:



Now you'll have to excuse me...I'm going to look for a VW Bus and some love beads...

:-)

Lourdes Santiago on Conklin and Company...

Lourdes Santiago was on this morning's Conklin and Company. Lee Conklin started the segment with asking her about her latest press release/conference on "Green Initiatives", and asked if the earlier press release/press conference done by Ben Konop on his plan that featured replacing some county vehicles with hybrids was planned or a coincidence.

She stated it was not planned, that it was a matter of both she and Ben being very progressive when it comes to the need for alternative energy. Lourdes continued with mentioning some of the companies in our area that are focusing on alternative energy such as First Solar in Perrysburg, the new bio-diesel plant that is being built and The Anderson's ethanol focus which shows that the technology is here in our area and it's time we embraced it more. She thinks bio-diesel is a viable option since there is no need to do any retrofitting to have a Jeep, as one example, run on bio-diesel fuel. That any costs that did occur would be made up for in the savings from what the City currently spends on it's over 10,000 vehicles. Ms. Santiago would also like to see solar panels utilized at the Barney Quilter Center as well as other energy saving technology being implemented as another example of the ideas she as chair of the Environment, Utilities & Public Service Committee would like to see implemented.

Lourdes stated the reason why this was important to do now was that the budget process is going to begin and "now is an appropriate time to factor those initiatives in." The City currently spends about 3 million dollars a year for fuel costs and Fleets and Facilities should be looked at.

Then the conversation turned to the actual City Council race, Lee stated the other candidates she was running against, (that's when he made the "Upstart Joe McNamara" reference) and Lourdes stated that "City Council is not the place to cut your teeth. City Council needs experience and expertise." She says she would still be learning the ropes had she not been a part of the City administration before, that someone new "by the time they learn they have been bamboozled or led astray."

Then the last segment of the show with Sandy Isenberg and Jim Tankersley. When the topic turned to the City Council race, Sandy stated having the three Democrats could very well split the vote giving Dave Schulz a win. Jim didn't comment on that aspect, but pointed out that Lourdes was complimenting Ben Konop earlier but that to him it was a double standard to make experience being necessary for Toledo City Council an issue when Ben is running for Lucas County Commissioner and has no prior government experience. Sandy was of course not "allowed" to comment on that aspect of the discussion.

I agree with Lourdes on the need for the City to start using alternative energy, but I disagree with her on the experience issue. I supported Taylor Balderas as being appointed and had I been in district 3 at the time? I would have voted for her, because I think Taylor had a huge potential to bring a new perspective to City Government. I fully understand that every candidate must play up what they feel are their strengths, however, I don't think the lack of government experience is always a negative. It can be a positive...

Joe McNamara Press Conference on “No Crony Left Behind”

"Upstart" Joe McNamara (according to Lee Conklin of WTVG on this morning's Conklin and Company) has just sent out this Press Release:

McNamara Blasts Mayor’s Executive Pay Raise Ordinance as “No Crony Left Behind”

Democrat Joe McNamara will hold a press conference today, Sunday, September 10, 2006, at 2 PM in front of the Public Safety Building in downtown Toledo to call on City Council to reject the “No Crony Left Behind” ordinance from Mayor Carty Finkbeiner that dramatically raises executive pay.

“The mayor hollers about overtime for police officers and fire fighters but he wants massive pay raises for his executives,” notes McNamara. “It’s an outrage. I call it ‘No Crony Left Behind.’”

UPDATE Monday:

Tom Troy of the Toledo Blade, has more on yesterday's press conference including reaction from the City and three of the other City Council candidates.

:-)

Forget the funnel cakes...pass the Pastichio!

If you haven't been down to the Greek Festival - Tomorrow is the last day and it's Family Day so admission is only a dollar. The music is great, the atmosphere family friendly and the food? Always excellent. If you've never been there or if you want more information visit the title link.

My husband made me promise that if we went I would not spend more than five minutes with each person talking politics, which was a challenge but I succeeded. Joe McNamara was there, I know Jim Nusbaum was because I saw people wearing his stickers but he might have been gone by the time we got there. I also heard Lourdes Santiago was there earlier too. Judge Linda Jennings was serving up the Pastichio. Ben Konop was there, he and his parents and a few Konop supporters had some extra room at their table so we sat with them to eat mass quanitites of Greek food. My personal favorite is the Pastichio then the Cheese pies or Tiropita to be precise. George Sarantou who is the one of the many people who work very hard to make the Greek Festival such a success was there and I had a chance to say hello to him before we left. I think I also spotted Harry Barlos...

I'm thinking of visiting again tomorrow...maybe I'll actually have room to try the Baklava Sundae....

:-)

Ordinance to raise salaries of top Toledo officials submitted

We did know this was coming, it was mentioned several times including when our Mayor hired Brian Schwartz. I think everyone agrees with Toledo City Councilperson Phil Copeland who stated:

"Everybody deserves a raise, if they're doing a good job. If they've done a good job, they should be rewarded for it, they should be paid for it, just like anybody else," Mr. Copeland said. "They got bills to pay, just like anybody else."

I think the questions surrounding this issue will be based on can the City afford this right now and if Toledo is behind other large Ohio Cities as far as the amount of pay they offer how much are they behind. I don't think you can base this on what other cities pay that have different cost of living factors.

So, I took a quick search around the internet to see if I could discover what other Ohio cities are paying.

The title linked Blade article states:

Department directors, who have a pay range of $60,500 to $92,500, would be adjusted to a range of $88,048 to $123,254.

One recent internet job listing has this among the other openings:

Troy, OH (pop. 23,000) Director of Public Service and Safety. Salary +/- $108,000 DOQ

Dublin, Ohio has a very professional looking 12 page recruitment document for a Director of Land Use and Long Range Planning, but it doesn't include their salary range.

So, it will be interesting to see what information comes out as a part of this process, who supports the increases, who is opposed to the salary increases and what the final outcomes ends up being.