Ed Fitzgerald Throws Lakewood Overboard

[Bill Call]

According to this Plain Dealer article our new County Executive has promised downtown developers casino revenue that was supposed to be used for local development.

http://www.cleveland.com/cuyahoga-count ... venue.html

It looks like a clever attempt to convert County development dollars into campaign contributions for his run for governor.

There is not one single study that shows Northeast Ohio gaining population over the next 10 years. Even though the region will continue to lose people Ed Fitzgerald is intent on using precious resources to subsidize downtown apartments. Even though existing downtown office buildings are in foreclosure and sitting half empty Ed Fitzgerald is intent on building new taxpayer subsidized office buildings. To add insult to injury Ed Fitzgerald has also signed on to a plan to offer operating subsidies to the Cleveland Browns Stadium and Progressive Field.

Is this what you voted for?

[J Hrlec]

According to this Plain Dealer article our new County Executive has promised downtown developers casino revenue that was supposed to be used for local development.

http://www.cleveland.com/cuyahoga-count ... venue.html

It looks like a clever attempt to convert County development dollars into campaign contributions for his run for governor.

There is not one single study that shows Northeast Ohio gaining population over the next 10 years. Even though the region will continue to lose people Ed Fitzgerald is intent on using precious resources to subsidize downtown apartments. Even though existing downtown office buildings are in foreclosure and sitting half empty Ed Fitzgerald is intent on building new taxpayer subsidized office buildings. To add insult to injury Ed Fitzgerald has also signed on to a plan to offer operating subsidies to the Cleveland Browns Stadium and Progressive Field.

Is this what you voted for?

Bill,

What would you propose to do with any revenue generated by the Downtown casino?

Thanks.

[Kristine Pagsuyoin]

The downtown neighborhoods are already slated to get money from the casino to further development. The plan would be, from my understanding, to take all the money that the county is entitled to and funnel it toward developing the downtown neighborhood. No money would be given to other Cleveland neighborhoods or to the other cities within the county. I have heard officials in support of this plan say that investing all the casino money into downtown would have a larger impact benefiting the entire county--that a million here or there to other neighborhoods or cities is not as effective. I don't know....would our city benefit from casino money even if it is only a million or so dollars? The inner suburbs are struggling. It is my understanding that money for infrastructure and new development is never slated for first suburbs. State funding has been cut and local municipalities need to pick up the difference. I thought casino money was going to benefit all and be part of the solution to financial difficulties in this state.

The County Council has to vote on this (or have they?). It is a question I want to ask our County Councilman, Dale Miller. I want to know his position--if he thinks money ought to go to everyone within the county. By the way, he'll be at the Lakewood Family Collaborative meeting on Thursday.

http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/read/2012/06/26/q-a-with-councilman-dale-miller

[J Hrlec]

The downtown neighborhoods are already slated to get money from the casino to further development. The plan would be, from my understanding, to take all the money that the county is entitled to and funnel it toward developing the downtown neighborhood. No money would be given to other Cleveland neighborhoods or to the other cities within the county. I have heard officials in support of this plan say that investing all the casino money into downtown would have a larger impact benefiting the entire county--that a million here or there to other neighborhoods or cities is not as effective. I don't know....would our city benefit from casino money even if it is only a million or so dollars? The inner suburbs are struggling. It is my understanding that money for infrastructure and new development is never slated for first suburbs. State funding has been cut and local municipalities need to pick up the difference. I thought casino money was going to benefit all and be part of the solution to financial difficulties in this state.

The County Council has to vote on this (or have they?). It is a question I want to ask our County Councilman, Dale Miller. I want to know his position--if he thinks money ought to go to everyone within the county. By the way, he'll be at the Lakewood Family Collaborative meeting on Thursday.

http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/read/2012/06/26/q-a-with-councilman-dale-miller

Good points, thanks for the info.

[Myra Beckrest]

I'm pretty ignorant about politics, so please pardon my stupidity on the subject. With that being said, why all the money for JUST downtown? How about the struggling neighborhoods in Cleveland that are in serious need of help?

As someone who attends St. Colman Church on w. 65th (although now that St James is reopening I'll be returning) I see the blight everywhere in that neighborhood. Sure, it's great to see the redevelopment of 65th and Detroit, but that's just one block.

It would seem that they are forgetting that Cleveland isn't just Downtown and Westpark. Ever drive on the east side of Cleveland around the Harvard area? Yeah.. have fun with that. Not a pretty site.
Even if the money isn't spread out to the suburbs, they should at least be focusing on community redevelopment projects that benefit more than just the business owners downtown. Afterall, those businesses are the ones with tax abatements and we are the ones paying the bill.

Just my two cents.

[Bill Call]

Bill,

What would you propose to do with any revenue generated by the Downtown casino?

Thanks.

For as long as I can remember development policy in Northeast Ohio has been based on two contradictory and self-defeating ideas.

The first was to spend billions of tax dollars on wider freeways and more freeways while spending next to nothing on infrastructure in existing communities. Tax payer funded institutions like CSU, Tri-C and the Cleveland Clinic used that new infrastructure to expand their facilities and services to the new exurbs. Since the region is losing population that accelerated the decline of existing communities.

The second was the downtown Disneyland development model. Remember the 100,000 Gateway jobs? . The Browns Stadium and Progressive Field both need tax payer money to subsidize their operations. Playhouse Square and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame need taxpayer subsidies to survive. During the NBA strike the County had to pay the operating expenses of the Q . No one asks the key question: If those institutions are such economic powerhouses why do they need subsidies to survive?

During that Building Disneyland period the City lost 250,000 people, jobs fled the downtown area and vacancies rates soared. Real world evidence points to the failure of that model but our new County government wants to double down.

A better idea is to spend that money along the borders of Cleveland and the inner suburbs. An expanded inner change at 117th might be a start. Use the money to buy 10,000 acres or so of abandoned warehouses, factories and homes and offer the land for the relocation of businesses from outside Cuyahoga County.
One idea floating around County officies, aka Never Never Land, is to split the money into 10,000 $1,000 scholarships. In Never Never Land that’s called “thinking outside the box”.

[J Hrlec]

Bill,

What would you propose to do with any revenue generated by the Downtown casino?

Thanks.

For as long as I can remember development policy in Northeast Ohio has been based on two contradictory and self-defeating ideas.

The first was to spend billions of tax dollars on wider freeways and more freeways while spending next to nothing on infrastructure in existing communities. Tax payer funded institutions like CSU, Tri-C and the Cleveland Clinic used that new infrastructure to expand their facilities and services to the new exurbs. Since the region is losing population that accelerated the decline of existing communities.

The second was the downtown Disneyland development model. Remember the 100,000 Gateway jobs? . The Browns Stadium and Progressive Field both need tax payer money to subsidize their operations. Playhouse Square and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame need taxpayer subsidies to survive. During the NBA strike the County had to pay the operating expenses of the Q . No one asks the key question: If those institutions are such economic powerhouses why do they need subsidies to survive?

During that Building Disneyland period the City lost 250,000 people, jobs fled the downtown area and vacancies rates soared. Real world evidence points to the failure of that model but our new County government wants to double down.

A better idea is to spend that money along the borders of Cleveland and the inner suburbs. An expanded inner change at 117th might be a start. Use the money to buy 10,000 acres or so of abandoned warehouses, factories and homes and offer the land for the relocation of businesses from outside Cuyahoga County.
One idea floating around County officies, aka Never Never Land, is to split the money into 10,000 $1,000 scholarships. In Never Never Land that’s called “thinking outside the box”.

Thanks for the input.

[Bill Call]

As someone who attends St. Colman Church on w. 65th (although now that St James is reopening I'll be returning) I see the blight everywhere in that neighborhood. Sure, it's great to see the redevelopment of 65th and Detroit, but that's just one block.

Development dollars spent on subsidies for restaurants and football stadiums just move money from one side of town to the other. The theory is that spending money at Jammy Buggars is bad but spending money at the taxpayer funded downtown restaurants is good.

The Fitzgerald Plan envisions operating subsidies for taxpayer funded businesses. People who support that type of economic development policy ignore the real world affect of that policy: Increased job loss and the rotting out of the inner ring.

Since the failure of that policy is all around us and since the people who continue to advance the policy aren't stupid we have to wonder why they continue to support that policy.

What is their real agenda?

You will grow old and die before the Plain Dealer investigates that simple question: Why double down on a failed policy?