The Observation Deck

To my knowledge the Plain Dealer has NEVER opposed a tax increase for any reason. Property tax, income tax, sales tax or tax on taxes, the Plain Dealer has always supported MORE.

Until now.

http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index. ... _heig.html

The Plain Dealer has finally found tax it does not like. A recent editorial asked the voters to reject the operating levy for Shaker Heights Library. The money would be used for operations and repairs. Why would the PD be opposed to that?

Regionalization.

Apparently the existence of an independent library system in Shaker Heights is a detriment to the region. The Plain Dealer is supporting efforts to starve the Shaker Library system to force it to merge with the Cuyahoga County Library system.

Lakewood is next.

I am not opposed to regionalization in theory. The problem is that no one has every demonstrated that merging Seven Hills with Euclid or merging Rocky River Schools with Cleveland schools or merging Lakewood Library with Cuyahoga County library will result in lower costs or better services.

One interesting item in the editorial was the statement that Cleveland Public Library should remain independent; it's too important.

Hey, just look at how consolidation into a larger system has worked out for the Plain Dealer itself.

(Latest example.)

Well, now that the planners are successfully on their way to the demolition of our long-standing hospital, why not the library?

Given the mentality of the leadership in Lakewood, I'm sure someone has that building on their radar screen for redevelopment.

A new boutique hotel, perhaps?

I can almost recite the script from the PR flacks from memory -- "Well, you know readership is changing....."

If a hospital is not sacred to a community, neither will a library be.

Don't tell the brainiacs at City Hall, but I think a better case can be made for demolishing just about anything in town before the hospital.