Sin Tax Prediction Thread

[Michael Deneen]

It passed by a surprisingly wide 56-44 margin.
Congratulations to Bill Burnett, whose prediction came closest to the actual result.

Here are a few thoughts:

1. Farewell to Joe Bialek, the least creative poster in Deck history. Noone will miss the "Absurdity of absurdities" post that he has been copying and pasting all over the internet. Joe will go down in history with other "one note" Deck legends like Dennis J. Kampe.

2. The "Pro" side ran a much better campaign the final week. They totally hammered the tobacco money that entered the race, and drove home the "beer won't cost 2.99" point.

3. On related note, I think the "anti" side would have been much better served if the pro lobbyists had never gotten involved.

4. I thought it would fail right up until election day. I should learn not to pay too much attention to noisy protest voters...they are usually much fewer in number than they appear.

[Bill Call]

4. I thought it would fail right up until election day. I should learn not to pay too much attention to noisy protest voters...they are usually much fewer in number than they appear.

Noisy protests and yard signs are usually a poor predictor of elections.

The alternative proposal for a ticket tax was a better idea that never really had a chance. The best part of that proposal was for an on going audit and public review of how the money would be spent. The sin tax money will just be a very large slush fund.

The success of this issue is a clear sign that the voters have not yet tired of the subsidy culture.

The Plain Dealer recently published an editorial praising the Port Authority's decision to spend $11 million dollars per year to subsidize a cargo ship that will ship goods from Cleveland to Europe. The ship offered 50% discounts and left half empty.

The subsidy was necessary because no one in the shipping business thought it made any sense. Much like the County's financing a new hotel in downtown Cleveland. The taxpayers are building the hotel because no one in the hotel business thought it made any sense.

Crony capitalism and rule by the oligarchs never works for anyone but the oligarchs.

[Grace O'Malley]

I think that the majority of county residents believed that we had a contractual obligation to the teams and therefore we needed to continue the tax or else the money for upkeep would have to come out if the general fund.

The problem is that, like Bill said, the money is basically a huge slush fund. There is no review or accounting given to the public. Nor was there any debate over alternate funding schemes or even whether agreements could be modified.

It's the typical Cuyahoga County MO.

It's no surprise to me that my children have either left, or plan to leave this area as soon as they can. I'm saddened, but along with the dreary weather, this area is not creative or forward thinking, in spite of all their efforts to tell us they are.

[Gary Rice]

I probably should have played ball instead of the banjo...

That seems to be where the big money is, anyway...

I mean, at least banjos make passable tennis rackets...

Ah well, the people have spoken.

I think the ball game stuff was not for me anyway...

They put me in the outfield in my first and only official try at team baseball....

Fielders know this to be true: No matter who hits the ball out to you, the sun will be right behind it at the very moment everybody is depending on you to make the catch.

That, my friends, is as good a reason as I can think of, as to why I am a musician.

[Paul Schrimpf]

Hopefully we won't descend into self loathing here over a bill that asked nothing more than to maintain status quo. The fact that it mustered 44% is a testament to the debate that did occur. Despite the limited resources, the anti-sin tax folks worked hard and were on camera a lot.

Don't all kids with high ambitions want to leave home, pretty much no matter where they live? The most negative things I hear about this area are from within this area.

[Michael Deneen]

Hopefully we won't descend into self loathing here over a bill that asked nothing more than to maintain status quo. The fact that it mustered 44% is a testament to the debate that did occur. Despite the limited resources, the anti-sin tax folks worked hard and were on camera a lot.

I agree with Paul.
Some folks are reading WAY too much into this vote.
It was simply a vote to retain an existing sin tax....not a referendum on the destiny of the region.

From a Lakewood perspective, it wasn't a bad thing.
The Gateway complex has been good for Lakewood, since the Q and the Indians are attractions that people like to have nearby.