The Observation Deck

City Hall is at it again.
They've given us "Lakewood City News", the water bill, Jen Pae's "Fakewood" Facebook page, Lakewood Citizen, and other government-run propaganda over the past three years.

Today I checked my mailbox to find the latest creation from the Spin Machine......"Lakewood Life".
It's full of hard hitting articles like:

*"A Note from Mayor Summers" (about how great everything is)
*A "financial report" from Spin Meister Jen Pae
*An article about "once in a generation opportunity" for downtown development

This glossy six page mailer is produced and sent by Lakewood City Hall at taxpayers expense.
I wonder how much it cost, and how much time went into producing this thing?
We'll never find out, of course.

It’s like the Cleveland Clinic advertisements we all get in the mail or plastered all over town.

Do we really need that from the dominant provider in the area? Does it add to the cost of care that we all pay? Could that money be used for those who can’t afford medical care?

It certainly would be a better use of it, in my opinion.

So would the city have made better use of whatever monies they spent on that advertisement, I mean self-aggrandizement.

Bridget Conant wrote:So would the city have made better use of whatever monies they spent on that advertisement, I mean self-aggrandizement.

For the record, we did not ban the City's mailing at the Lakewood Observer!

Though the people's paper remains not welcomed at City Hall.

.

Another edition of "Lakewood Life" is out, and they should make a major clarification. (ahem)
In the article about "Furry Friends," it says, "all dog breeds are now permitted in Lakewood." The controversy, and the reason for the new ordinance, are pit bulls, which are not a breed, but a specific kind of mixed breed dog. The ordinance would not exist if not for pit bulls.

It also says: "As of September 30, 2018, all persons keeping dogs in Lakewood must maintain at least $10,000 in liability insurance for injuries caused by their dogs. Most homeowners' or renters' policies already include this coverage, but checking your specific policy and contacting your agent will help you understand your coverage and purchase options."

IMO, as anyone who has encountered a loose dog knows, this is generally a good thing, but consider how this came about. It grew out of concerns about pit bulls and most such policies exclude pit bulls. From a previous online discussion, I understand that State Farm home policies include pit bulls and many Lakewood pit bull owners in that discussion seemed okay switching to State Farm. I also understand that some council members voted against this provision. All the same, this is another exclusion aimed at pit bulls.