The Observation Deck

Fellow Lakewoodites,

To continue to move Lakewood forward, I am strongly urging Lakewood residents to support Congressman Ted Strickland for Governor and Lee Fisher for Lt. Governor.

A number of factors cause me to urge Lakewood residents to support their candidacies.

Congressman Strickland called my office a couple of months ago and requested a personal meeting with me. He and I talked for more than an hour about a variety of subjects, including the proposed Blackwell T.E.L.
amendment, finances and democratic politics.

I was impressed by his level headed, thoughtful approach to issues facing the state. He expressed genuine concern for those working Ohioans who are caught between rising health care costs, higher utility bills and a tight job market.

His sensitivity to issues facing urban areas and inner ring suburbs such as Lakewood will make him a valuable asset to our City in Columbus.

As Lee Fisher's Deputy Director of the Cleveland office of the Ohio Attorney General from 1990-1995, I am very familiar with Lee's high standards and record of fighting for Ohio families.

Our legislators Michael Skindell and Dale Miller will have a great deal more input in state matters with a Strickland/Fisher team in Columbus...which is good for Lakewood.

I appreciate under a Strickland/Fisher leadership team that the office of the Mayor will be consulted on a regular basis regarding a variety of issues facing our City, something that doesn't happen now.

Lakewood is experiencing strong housing appreciation and the last two years have been the busiest construction years in the City's history.

To continue to move Lakewood ahead, strong community leadership requires my urging your support for the Strickland/Fisher ticket.

The Strickland/Fisher campaign will be opening an office at Marlowe and Detroit shortly and Ann Hill, Strickland/Fisher Cuyahoga Coordinator asked if anyone would like to volunteer on the campaign, please contact her at 696-2006.

I remember not long ago when many were ready to seal Lakewood in a coffin and bury it, after the West End Developoment proposal (eminent domain) failed. They moaned how a large portion of Lakewood's housing stock was built in the 1920s or earlier. I remember being offended by a video playing continuously at Geigers that I interpreted as doom and gloom.

Mayor George said that Lakewood could benefit from multiple smaller development projects. Many of these smaller projects may have been in motion, but they weren't done deals yet. Many people laughed. Well, who's laughing now??? I picture Mayor George with a big smile on his face, just like he had on the former recycling billboard.

Now to stay on topic, I don't like Fisher or Strickland. I am no fanboy of Mayor George, either. However, I think the mayor deserves some credit for some of the exciting developments that are occurring in Lakewood under his watch. I prowl the streets of Lakewood often. Yes, there are always at least some empty storefronts. Yes, I think Lakewood needs much stricter enforcement in some areas. However, I also see A LOT of small businesses investing in Lakewood, whether it is a mens hair salon on western Detroit or the new proposed condos on Sloane. Most of these businesses would not be investing in Lakewood if they did not have confidence in Lakewood. It's not just the YMCA, the library, and Rockport.

Doug

Vote NO on the Lakewood Windmill Levy

Doug,

Careful who you credit with those projects you write about:

Rockport Development- initiated by Madeline Cain
YMCA- initiated by the Y under Cain, funded by the COMMUNITY
Schools- initiated by the Board of Ed, funded by the COMMUNITY
Library- initiated by the Library Board, funded by the COMMUNITY
Rosewood- the developer came to us

Let's not mistake these ideas as coming from City Hall or this administration. We have taken strides to support them, but no politician is responsible for them. Plus, as Frank Jackson says, "If we are project-driven we are politically driven."

Its too bad the neighborhoods and parks decay while the flashy gold teeth on Detroit rise from the dust.

PS- Blackwell/Raga '06-- Contact me if you want to help.

Thomas J. George wrote:I appreciate under a Strickland/Fisher leadership team that the office of the Mayor will be consulted on a regular basis regarding a variety of issues facing our City, something that doesn't happen now.

hook, line and sinker...sinker being the optimum word

Ryan Patrick Demro wrote:PS- Blackwell/Raga '06

couldn't have said it better myself

i'm kate parker, and i approve this message

Ryan Patrick Demro wrote:Its too bad the neighborhoods and parks decay while the flashy gold teeth on Detroit rise from the dust.

Mr. Demro, perhaps you could elaborate on this.

Councilman Demro

You do leave me with an interesting dilemma. I remember ex-Mayor Cain saying that the strip mall planned for the end of Detroit was our last chance, and NO ONE would come to Lakewood if we said no to tanning spas and tattoo parlors or something like that.

Was she lying? Was she putting out tall tales just to scare us into voting for what the current planning department has said would leave us over $7,000,000 in debt right now?

At the same time, wasn't Tom George a member of that council? Wasn't it Tom George that at no point said anything but, "I think Lakewood has a bright future."

I remember back to a ground breaking at Rosewood Place, where all members of council grabbed shovels, smiled and mugged for the cameras. I was very proud of Lakewood that day. It appeared to me that council and city hall were one that day. Tom Barrett gave a short speech that gave me much hope. I thought if a Boston "chowder boy" could come to Lakewood and understand it immediately that we did have a chance, and our future was bright.

When anything happens in this city at the city level, and when new developments start, and old businesses stay I give credit to the city on the whole.

But I am a pimp for Lakewood, what can I say.

As far as the Governor race, I will save that for the proper section. But I think Blackwell has given me no hope for where he would take the state. these are hard times and we cannot afford a mistake this time around. I will not make and endorsement, but we really need to think the next couple election cycles through.

Thanks for the kind words the other night, a council meeting does not go by when I do not think of the boy that came to my porch one afternoon, wanting to seek public office, and how much you have progressed since that day. Thanks for your time and effort, the same goes to all of council.

peace


.

Thomas J. George wrote:Fellow Lakewoodites,

To continue to move Lakewood forward, I am strongly urging Lakewood residents to support Congressman Ted Strickland for Governor and Lee Fisher for Lt. Governor.

Was there ever any doubt that the Mayor would endorse Strickland/Fisher? Let's see, Mayor George is a Democrat as are Strickland/Fisher.

This is far from earth shattering news.

Either way, I'm glad to know which way our Mayor stands.

Bryan Schwegler wrote:Was there ever any doubt that the Mayor would endorse Strickland/Fisher? Let's see, Mayor George is a Democrat as are Strickland/Fisher.

This is far from earth shattering news.

Either way, I'm glad to know which way our Mayor stands.

Bryan,

Yeah, last year he was thinking of voting Republican, because he was a fan of Jim Petro's. His thinking was that perhaps NEO would get a better share of the economic pie than those downstate. In my opinion, not a bad theory to base your vote on.

So there might have been some question as to who he would support, this doesn't surprise me either. We shall all see on November 8th

Tim-- I assume you are being tongue in cheek by suggesting that Tom George would have considered supporting Jim Petro for governor. While I'm sure Tom has a high regard for Petro and he is from our county Tom is a Democrat through and through. And he (and I) are proud to have an extremely well qualified candidate in Ted Strickland for governor.

I think the Mayor's post was to serve as a reminder to Observers of the importance to Lakewood of this year's statewide elections. And through Tom's 30 plus years of local and state government involvement he feels that Lakewood and Ohio will best be served by Ted Strickland as governor and our own Lee Fisher for Lt. Governor.

Stan

Stan Austin wrote:Tim-- I assume you are being tongue in cheek by suggesting that Tom George would have considered supporting Jim Petro for governor. While I'm sure Tom has a high regard for Petro and he is from our county Tom is a Democrat through and through. And he (and I) are proud to have an extremely well qualified candidate in Ted Strickland for governor.
Stan

If a tongue was planted in anyone cheek, it was the Mayor's as he stated that very clearly to me prior to a Council meeting. So there is no third party elaboration on that issue.

Besides that would have been a bold move on his part to say to the Citizens of Lakewood, that I as Mayor am setting aside my party affiliation to work with a Candidate who in his (George's) view will help make Lakewood better.

I am sure the Lakewood Democrat Club would have beaten him up over it, but it sure would have been interesting.

Now I will make a tongue in cheek remark, Stan maybe if you moved up a few rows in the Council Chambers you might over hear comments such that instead sitting in the back rows!

Like I said, we will see the results on November 8th.

Observers,

For the record, I grew up on Overlook Rd. and was first elected to the Democratic Central Committee in precinct 1 B in 1972.

Upon graduation from college in 1974, Tim Hagan hired me as his staff assistant to run Senator Howard Metzenbaum's west side campaign office.

I was hired by Commissioner Edward Feighan and by Governor Richard Celeste to work in their administrations.

In 1990 was hired by Lee Fisher to serve as Deputy Director of the Cleveland office of the Attorney General.

I have been a member of the Democratic Executive Committee for twenty years and involved in numerous other local, state and national campaigns.

As a Democrat, I have proudly been elected to five terms of office in Lakewood..four as a Councilman and one as Mayor.

I stand behind my list of accomplishments as they relate to the Democratic Party and Democratic candidates.

Yet I am dismayed by the increasingly bitter partisanship that I have witnessed both locally and nationally over the past few years...partisanship that often has taken priority over good public policy.

I believe should Jim Petro had won the Republican primary and gone on the be elected Govenor, he could have been an improvement over the current governor.

Anyone who would intrepret those sentiments as an endorsement for Petro for governor is mistaken.

TJG