The Observation Deck

most bizarre ass logic I have ever heard---the truth is not the truth

Classic Pae.

I don't think there's anything new here.

The mayor's administration has claimed, since last year, that writing down the value of the land is the cost of purchasing influence over what gets built on the land. It's part of boilerplate copy that gets cut-and-pasted into e-mail replies.

This is a specious argument for a list of reasons, among them:

• It's difficult to imagine a development with less concern for providing value to the public than the generic, uninspired "One Lakewood Place." The false threat that "if the developer had to pay full price they would just build something designed to make money" is absurd. That's precisely what they plan to do.
• This is also a typical tactic of pushing aside all options except the one you want, and a strawman bad alternative. There are any number of options besides "sell it for a dollar" or else "loss [sic] control of the land." It is hardly the case that as soon as a real-estate transaction closes in Lakewood, the new owner has 100% liberty to build whatever, with zero further oversight from the city.
• For good measure, we see that tactic repeated with the "would you rather have a tax abatement" jibe. As usual, the City of Lakewood is "hot hot hot," except that apparently no one can be enticed to build anything unless served a plateful of sweetener; your only choices are what kind. Nonsense, all of it.

There's also nothing new in the city's Finance Director responding with condescension and contempt when citizens challenge the official narrative. (Though it does grow even more tedious, each year. Anyone who wants to run for mayor in 2019 should let voters know whether he or she supports putting citizens on the receiving end of a Don Rickels act at our own expense.)

There's really nothing new, at all, unfortunately. One Lakewood Place is still: a crony-capitalist deal, which rips off the public to fund a big payout to politically connected favorites. It has plainly been intended as such from the beginning, and steered toward that end through a rigged, sham selection process which—in yet more tiresome gaslighting—the insiders running it had the temerity to call "citizen led."

That's it. Nothing newsy, nothing exciting, nothing sexy. No payout to a stripper, etc. No fanciful dreams to stir the imagination, either. It's just the dull, expensive reality of this deal (voted for 5-2 by city council), and no amount of financial three-card-monte can or will ever change that.

A hospital that had a publicly appraised value of $25,000,000 is being dismantled for donation (at $1.00) to the selected developer.

That is a public subsidy to the developer in the amount of $25,000,000.

The hospital demolition, hospital environmental remediation, and hospital site preparation has a publicly-estimated cost of $7,000,000.

That is a public subsidy to the developer in the amount of $7,000,000.

The city has publicly committed itself to additional public subsidies to the future occupants of One Lakewood Place.

That is a promise of future public subsidies that will benefit the business goals of the developer.

There is no fast recovery of these public subsidies from future taxation; that will take decades.

The city administration continues its delusion that the liquidated and vacant hospital is some sort of economic gift to Lakewood taxpayers.

It is not. This is an epic public policy disaster, money-grab, and land giveaway.

I don't know what documents Ms. Pae reviews, but the public documents and the public statements substantiate my position above.

This is a fiasco wrapped-up in a disaster.

mjkuhns wrote: There's really nothing new, at all, unfortunately. One Lakewood Place is still: a crony-capitalist deal, which rips off the public to fund a big payout to politically connected favorites. It has plainly been intended as such from the beginning, and steered toward that end through a rigged, sham selection process which—in yet more tiresome gaslighting—the insiders running it had the temerity to call "citizen led."

Pae's claim of no "loss of control" is pure idiocy--the control was signed away in December 2015 with the Master-less Agreement.

They had complete control with the Definitive Agreement from the 1990's (if we had true "leadership") but they let the Clinic out of the deal that would have continued $9M of tax, rent and charitable benefits each year for ALL of LAKEWOOD PEOPLE, not just the Democrat insiders club.

The 100% Democrat--corrupt "leadership" did this (It would have been Republican leadership if they were in 100% control too).

Perhaps what is most amazing is that "Marie" Pae continues to make any public statements about the "deal".

Summers, Butler, Pae, O'Leary et al have 100% control over the process that gives away 100% control everthing--there is no need for them to "sell" manure covered chocolate balls.

"Marie" Pae's theme: "Let them eat cake"--(covered with manure).

Their hands and hearts are stained with the blood of their victims--their fate has been sealed.

Move along...nothing new to see here...just chickens inbreeding in their Lakewood coops...

What Is Even More Troubling

Despite the fact that the hospital has been closed since February 2016, the city administration feels compelled to:

1. Continue making public misrepresentations about its material financial conditions in violation of the Third Amended Charter and likely violation of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regulations;

2. Continue the Lakewood Hospital Association conflicts-of-interest votes within city council on the implementation of the Master Agreement;

3. Continue its legal protection of a Build-Lakewood founder who continues harassment and defamation of those who exercise their First Amendment rights to critique local government policies.

These are present problems that demand municipal reform.

Reading Pae's exchange is like sitting down to watch the last 5 minutes of a movie; you know how it ends but you have no idea how you got there.

The short version of the previous 2 hours of the movie is that the Mayor and his friends secretly conspired to close a Hospital, transfer 1,500 high paying medical jobs to Lorain County, sell the $15 million Columbia Road property at a steep discount, donate the assets of the Hospital to the Cleveland Clinic (including cash), transfer most of the remaining cash to 2 private foundations, use whatever cash is left over to demolish the Hospital and prepare the land for development then donate the land to the developer
in exchange for:


LIVING
•200 housing units
•60 townhomes
•garden style housing
•natural light and beautiful views
•health & wellness amenities

The 260 or so housing units are part of the multistory plan which will not be built so the actual number of units is less than 260

OFFICE
•100,000 sq ft
•University
•Banking
•Corporate
•Medical
•Physical Therapy
•Dental


What university? Cleveland State is not interested, Tri-C is not interested, Tri-C is concentrating on its Lorain County and Medina County buildings. Which bank in Lakewood is going to close its branch to open a new branch in Lakewood? Will they do so to take part in the tax payer operating subsidies promised by the City? Dental, medical, physical therapy? All of those services are currently available and all are just getting by. So, the idea is that we subsidize these new business and kick the existing businesses to the curb?

RETAIL
•84,000 sq ft
•Grocer
•Fitness Facility
•Ice Cream
•Coffee Shop
•Dry Cleaner
•Pet Shop
•Restaurants

Same analysis just change the names. Grocer? Ice Cream? Coffee Shop? We gave up $178 million, 1,500 jobs and all of that economic activity for ice cream and a coffee shop? Poor Pet's General Store. It's not enough that they have to compete with big boxes and urban sprawl they will not have to compete with the taxpayer subsidized pet store. Restaurants? We are at the saturation point with new restaurants. Which restaurant will close so that the tax payer subsidized restaurant will succeed?





ADDITIONAL SPACES
•Conference & Banquet Facilities
•Boutique Hotel
•Public Space
•Farmer's Market
•Outdoor Dining
•Holiday Events
•Multi-level Accessible Parking

The 750 space parking garage is a nice touch. The City is on the hook for $2.5 million for parking facilities for the Clinic. This project gives the City an opportunity to hide that expenditure from the people of Lakewood. A small hotel and banquet facility are a nice touch but banquet facilities are closing all across town. Who will use the taxpayer subsidized banquet facility? Farmers market and Holiday events!

Bill Call wrote:

Restaurants? We are at the saturation point with new restaurants. Which restaurant will close so that the tax payer subsidized restaurant will succeed?

Well another one bites the dust.

Burgers2Beer on Detroit at Warren is closed as of today.

Saturated is an understatement.

I would think that blaming Republicans for the demise of the hospital is akin to blaming Obamacare on the Republicans. What I’m reading is a repeat of Nancy Pelosi’s “We have to pass the bill,” she said, “so that you can find out what is in it — away from the fog of the controversy.” Obamacare was a disaster in the most part and a legacy of Obama lies not unlike the City of Lakewood’s and Cleveland Clinic’s. The Cleveland Clinic started a poker "carnival game,” with the cities councils rank amateurs that couldn’t read a holding hand if the lives of citizens of Lakewood depend on it. That and with several political elected and appointed card cheats that made the flim flam man look like a street hustler the hospital was doomed. Blame the Republicans how pathetic can you get.

That being said, the Cleveland Clinic stated that Lakewood is only 5 percent of the population of Cuyahoga County, therefore, 55,000 souls don’t deserve a local hospital. Only a fool would not realize the Clinic wanted out, any business would want out a city with one of the highest property tax rates in the County without providing the service or the scholastic results for the investment. This is truly a Democrat city, high taxes, delusion of its attraction, big inept and inert government and a political blaming game. Without the bordering Lake Erie, Lakewood would be just another Detroit, so location, location, location is delaying the enviable.

Lakewood is a city without local hospital, without doctors, clinics and the school system sucks the life blood of the property owners for mediocre soloistic scores. Crime is starting to run amuck with carjacking, murders, holdups, burglaries, etc. as more landlords go Section 8 housing. Additionally, the majority of Lakewood City’s appointed and hired employees live in a different city, including those critical if a crisis occurs and the majority of the employees Lakewood School District are included.

Ever wonder why the empty nesters are selling their homes and moving out of Lakewood? If you don’t, you’re a fool and what you don’t realize that these people don’t require Lakewood School District to provide a second-rate education but pay property taxes without the burden on their services.

No, Lakewood is not a great place to live, if you have a child that severely injured or a loved one that has heart trauma the extra minutes to a out of city hospital can make the difference between life and death. Does the Mayor or City Council care, not in the least. They never debated, they sit in a small room in back of the city hall as a Committee of the Whole out of scrutiny of the public and decide if they would rather have a McDonalds or Burger King in a land give away to a developer with vested interests so they can have more condos above business to compete with the business offices that once had doctor’s offices and are now being converted into condos. They have delusions of it being a Trump towers opportunity. Someone stated a 10 year pay back, another Democrat the never morgage their home to start a business. It was all about schools revenue and you can bet they don't live in Lakewood.

Stupid is as stupid does is a perfect description of the City of Lakewood. Hire more attorneys and consultants and they will laugh the way to the bank because they will feed you exactly what you expect them to provide. The reason, the council is little more than a barking dog elected inept and inert herd of sheep being lead by a long term vested interest Mayor.

I would think that blaming Republicans for the demise of the hospital is akin to blaming Obamacare on the Republicans. What I’m reading is a repeat of Nancy Pelosi’s “We have to pass the bill,” she said, “so that you can find out what is in it — away from the fog of the controversy.” Obamacare was a disaster in the most part and a legacy of Obama lies not unlike the City of Lakewood’s and Cleveland Clinic’s. The Cleveland Clinic started a poker "carnival game,” with the cities councils rank amateurs that couldn’t read a holding hand if the lives of citizens of Lakewood depend on it. That and with several political elected and appointed card cheats that made the flim flam man look like a street hustler the hospital was doomed. Blame the Republicans how pathetic can you get.

That being said, the Cleveland Clinic stated that Lakewood is only 5 percent of the population of Cuyahoga County, therefore, 55,000 souls don’t deserve a local hospital. Only a fool would not realize the Clinic wanted out, any business would want out a city with one of the highest property tax rates in the County without providing the service or the scholastic results for the investment. This is truly a Democrat city, high taxes, delusion of its attraction, big inept and inert government and a political blaming game. Without the bordering Lake Erie, Lakewood would be just another Detroit, so location, location, location is delaying the enviable.

Lakewood is a city without local hospital, without doctors, clinics and the school system sucks the life blood of the property owners for mediocre soloistic scores. Crime is starting to run amuck with carjacking, murders, holdups, burglaries, etc. as more landlords go Section 8 housing. Additionally, the majority of Lakewood City’s appointed and hired employees live in a different city, including those critical if a crisis occurs and the majority of the employees Lakewood School District are included.

Ever wonder why the empty nesters are selling their homes and moving out of Lakewood? If you don’t, you’re a fool and what you don’t realize that these people don’t require Lakewood School District to provide a second-rate education but pay property taxes without the burden on their services.

No, Lakewood is not a great place to live, if you have a child that severely injured or a loved one that has heart trauma the extra minutes to a out of city hospital can make the difference between life and death. Does the Mayor or City Council care, not in the least. They never debated, they sit in a small room in back of the city hall as a Committee of the Whole out of scrutiny of the public and decide if they would rather have a McDonalds or Burger King in a land give away to a developer with vested interests so they can have more condos above business to compete with the business offices that once had doctor’s offices and are now being converted into condos. They have delusions of it being a Trump towers opportunity. Someone stated a 10 year pay back, another Democrat the never morgage their home to start a business. It was all about schools revenue and you can bet they don't live in Lakewood.

Stupid is as stupid does is a perfect description of the City of Lakewood. Hire more attorneys and consultants and they will laugh the way to the bank because they will feed you exactly what you expect them to provide. The reason, the council is little more than a barking dog elected inept and inert herd of sheep being lead by a long term vested interest Mayor.

Richard Baker wrote:I would think that blaming Republicans for the demise of the hospital is akin to blaming Obamacare on the Republicans. What I’m reading is a repeat of Nancy Pelosi’s “We have to pass the bill,” she said, “so that you can find out what is in it — away from the fog of the controversy.” Obamacare was a disaster in the most part and a legacy of Obama lies not unlike the City of Lakewood’s and Cleveland Clinic’s. The Cleveland Clinic started a poker "carnival game,” with the cities councils rank amateurs that couldn’t read a holding hand if the lives of citizens of Lakewood depend on it. That and with several political elected and appointed card cheats that made the flim flam man look like a street hustler the hospital was doomed. Blame the Republicans how pathetic can you get.

That being said, the Cleveland Clinic stated that Lakewood is only 5 percent of the population of Cuyahoga County, therefore, 55,000 souls don’t deserve a local hospital. Only a fool would not realize the Clinic wanted out, any business would want out a city with one of the highest property tax rates in the County without providing the service or the scholastic results for the investment. This is truly a Democrat city, high taxes, delusion of its attraction, big inept and inert government and a political blaming game. Without the bordering Lake Erie, Lakewood would be just another Detroit, so location, location, location is delaying the enviable.

Lakewood is a city without local hospital, without doctors, clinics and the school system sucks the life blood of the property owners for mediocre soloistic scores. Crime is starting to run amuck with carjacking, murders, holdups, burglaries, etc. as more landlords go Section 8 housing. Additionally, the majority of Lakewood City’s appointed and hired employees live in a different city, including those critical if a crisis occurs and the majority of the employees Lakewood School District are included.

Ever wonder why the empty nesters are selling their homes and moving out of Lakewood? If you don’t, you’re a fool and what you don’t realize that these people don’t require Lakewood School District to provide a second-rate education but pay property taxes without the burden on their services.

No, Lakewood is not a great place to live, if you have a child that severely injured or a loved one that has heart trauma the extra minutes to a out of city hospital can make the difference between life and death. Does the Mayor or City Council care, not in the least. They never debated, they sit in a small room in back of the city hall as a Committee of the Whole out of scrutiny of the public and decide if they would rather have a McDonalds or Burger King in a land give away to a developer with vested interests so they can have more condos above business to compete with the business offices that once had doctor’s offices and are now being converted into condos. They have delusions of it being a Trump towers opportunity. Someone stated a 10 year pay back, another Democrat the never morgage their home to start a business. It was all about schools revenue and you can bet they don't live in Lakewood.

Stupid is as stupid does is a perfect description of the City of Lakewood. Hire more attorneys and consultants and they will laugh the way to the bank because they will feed you exactly what you expect them to provide. The reason, the council is little more than a barking dog elected inept and inert herd of sheep being lead by a long term vested interest Mayor.

Let me be abundantly clear on this point.

As a third generation Democrat, all of my commentary on the Deck has been written as a critique of local officials who are elected on the Democratic Party ticket in Lakewood.

Mark Kindt wrote:
Let me be abundantly clear on this point.

As a third generation Democrat, all of my commentary on the Deck has been written as a critique of local officials who are elected on the Democratic Party ticket in Lakewood.

A City that has turned to non-partisan elections, with a failed Republican Club, a Second Republican Club, that seems like most members have moved, and a Democratic Club run by a handful of people in the past, now also in the middle of upheaval.

The Mayor, life long Republican, until run for Mayor.
Law Director, Life Long Republican

Most of Council, life long (I will do or agree with anyone to stay in office)

D and R seems to have been blurred.

In the 60s you had to be a Republican to get elected. From 1990 on it has been you need to be a Democrat. Tony Sinagra a lifelong Democrat became a Republican to get elected. Summers a lifelong Republican was advised by Tony Sinagra to be a Democrat to get elected. I was there while they spoke taking photos at Lakewood Park.



This is one of the reasons why Tony Sinagra was Mike Summers mentor.

I truly believe trying to explain this, or this move, or what is going on in this city in D and R, is just a red herring, confusing the issue, and a side show.

Fighting to save the Hospital were hard core Republicans, working with Ds. Honesty, Accountability and Transparency is why they came together.

If the Ds were really Ds in this town they would have fought to save hospital and would fight for accountability.

If the Rs were really Rs in this town they would have fought for keeping taxes lower, and financial responsibility.

What we have is a war or people that can least afford it, taxes going up, and spending like drunken sailors, and a complete cover-up of everything at City Hall.

Truly a hybrid combining the worst of both parties.

Back to the topic, LEGACY OF BUILD LAKEWOOD...



A black hole right in the center of the city.

.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:

Mark Kindt wrote:
Let me be abundantly clear on this point.

As a third generation Democrat, all of my commentary on the Deck has been written as a critique of local officials who are elected on the Democratic Party ticket in Lakewood.

Tony Sinagra a lifelong Democrat became a Republican to get elected. Summers a lifelong Republican was advised by Tony Sinagra to be a Democrat to get elected.


This is one of the reasons why Tony Sinagra was Mike Summers mentor.



.

So, since Ex-Con Sinagra was really a Democrat and served as Summers' mentor, we can safely conclude that the past and current corrupt leadership has been controlled by "Democrats".

There is no wiggle room on these facts.

Corruption and Government giveaways are the essence of the Legacy of Build-Lakewood.

BTW, if the Republicans dominated Cuyahoga "Cook" County politics, then the corruption could be blamed on Republicans.

Brian Essi wrote:So, since Ex-Con Sinagra was really a Democrat and served as Summers' mentor, we can safely conclude that the past and current corrupt leadership has been controlled by "Democrats". There is no wiggle room on these facts.

DINO. The gentleman doth protest too much.

Public Policy As A "Reverse Robin Hood" Tale

For the moment, let's assume that the mayor, all the members of council, and all the members of Build-Lakewood are completely non-partisan. Let's simply look at the public policy outcomes.

It is, in essence, a tale of Robin Hood told backward -- "steal from the pool and give to the rich."

Eventually, we will come to understand this. Walking by One Lakewood Place we will see the new upscale townhouses and we will learn their market prices. We will understand that these upscale townhouses were subsidized with municipal assets and municipal funds from the liquidation of an invaluable, award-winning, community hospital.

This invaluable, award-winning, community hospital had a service area that included 145,000 Northeast Ohio residents, including those of low-income and working-class incomes.

What I am describing is publicly apparent from public documents that anyone can find on the web.

Our civic leadership is building upscale townhouses for future residents of Lakewood at the expense of crucial healthcare services formerly provided to residents that actually lived here.