The Observation Deck

So what else is new? This has been brought up ad nauseum.

The Cleveland Clinic is not paying its fair share. It gets MILLIONS in tax breaks that were given with the expectation that it would provide a similar benefit in charity care for the poor and uninsured. Yet it utterly fails to do so.

Year after year, Cuyahoga County taxpayers give up MILLIONS in tax revenue yet the Clinic thumbs their nose at the very people they serve.


https://m.clevescene.com/scene-and-hear ... ave-missed

They had nearly 2,000 employees/dependents on Medicaid pre-Obamacare. I can’t imagine what the number is today.
https://www.policymattersohio.org/wp-co ... 8_0731.pdf

Dan OMalley wrote:They had nearly 2,000 employees/dependents on Medicaid pre-Obamacare. I can’t imagine what the number is today.
https://www.policymattersohio.org/wp-co ... 8_0731.pdf

They are as bad as Wal-Mart!

Wonder if they’d enjoy being known as the “Walmart of Health Care!”

I am still surprised at the number of good people who remained silent while the Cleveland Clinic, Mayor Summers, the Hospital board and others plotted the destruction of Lakewood Hospital.

In 2012 Lakewood Hospital provided $8.2million in charity care on $140 million in revenue. That's almost 6% revenue. The Hospital still had operating income of $6.4 million after paying for that charity care.

One Interesting item that often gets lost in the discussion is the issue of administrative fees charged by the Clinic:

2007 - $10.8 million , 8% of revenue

2013 - $24.4 million , 18% of revenue

When I asked Ken Haber about those fees he answered angrily, "It's not of my business what the Clinic charges in administrative fees". That answer answers many questions.

The City lost:

1,200 jobs
$2 million or so in rent and income taxes
$8 million in charity care
$70 million in cash and investments donated to two private foundations
Millions in economic activity generated by those jobs and more.

Oh, lets not forget the Columbia Road property sold to the Clinic at a 50% discount.

What did the City gain?

Why did so many good people remain silent?

Bill

Thank you for seeing through the smoke and mirrors.

There is one issue in Lakewood, well 2 if you count the bathroom, and it is not CCF.

It is the people that are backing or running for office their sold the City of Lakewood out, behind our backs.

They not only sold the city out, they lied, intimidated, cover-up and wasted almost $500,000 fighting public record request that would have allowed some lighyt on just how bad the deal was, making the City of Lakewood $285 million dollars better off, and more healthy.

The people running and backing a couple people, published fake papers full of lies, they tried to sue the Observer out of existence, and hired criminals to not just intimidate residents and voters but to start various FB groups to spread their lies and create havoc.

It started off with, "This is a great deal for Lakewood, wait till you see the drawings." to "We are looking for ideas now that we tore it down." While their friends made off with the non-profit dollars to their own privately controlled foundation. Many taking jobs on the board. Paying jobs? We will never know, What got built, nothing. Their plan was to give one of their own the land for $1.00 and hope. After all they did not care, they got the non-profit cash already.

What many do not know is how many times that one non-profit tried to empty the account of the smaller one. You know the one the Clinic fought for, just to make sure more than $1.00 came back to the city. Well the other non-profits wants those crumbs too.

IF Lakewoodites take their eye off the left hand in this election, surely they will screw us with the right hand again.

When you can trick 50,000 people into giving up hundreds of millions their land and future, they are never done til it is all gone.

Lakewood used to be very sharp, good at critical thinking. now mostly rubes getting played.

This season, get sharp, look at the donors, look at the names of the people that screwed us in secret meetings.

We do not need big boy pants as they whine, we need thinking caps and serious resolve to free this community from the schemers forever.

Back to the start, to me CCF is the least of our worries, though they should pay more.

.

Bill Call wrote:I am still surprised at the number of good people who remained silent while the Cleveland Clinic, Mayor Summers, the Hospital board and others plotted the destruction of Lakewood Hospital.
...
Why did so many good people remain silent?

You keep calling them good people, long after they revealed themselves for who they are. So many remain today in positions of civic and non-profit leadership, just humming as they work.

cmager wrote:

Bill Call wrote:I am still surprised at the number of good people who remained silent while the Cleveland Clinic, Mayor Summers, the Hospital board and others plotted the destruction of Lakewood Hospital.
...
Why did so many good people remain silent?

You keep calling them good people, long after they revealed themselves for who they are. So many remain today in positions of civic and non-profit leadership, just humming as they work.

Let's call them by names we are all familiar with: Cuyahoga County Democrats

cmager wrote:

Bill Call wrote:I am still surprised at the number of good people who remained silent while the Cleveland Clinic, Mayor Summers, the Hospital board and others plotted the destruction of Lakewood Hospital.
...
Why did so many good people remain silent?

You keep calling them good people, long after they revealed themselves for who they are. So many remain today in positions of civic and non-profit leadership, just humming as they work.

I'm just being polite but you make a good point.

Our Council members fall all over themselves trying to appear to be the most "progressive".

Is it progressive to destroy a community hospital?
Is it progressive to transfer tens of million of dollars of City money to private foundations?
Is it progressive to eliminate $8 million per year in charity care?
Is it progressive to lose 1,200 jobs and millions in economic activity?
Is it progressive to encourage the movement of millions in economic activity to Lorain County and beyond? What about urban sprawl?
Is it progressive to support the construction of Cuyahoga County Community College's Lorain County campus?

If that's progressive give me 19th Century liberalism.

There was an alternative:

Keep and expand and improve a community hospital.

Build a Tri-C campus at the site of the building now occupied by the Lakewood North apartments. Such a campus would have provided a first class education at a site that was attached to a first class hospital.

Imagine a 1,200 jobs and 1,000 students in downtown Lakewood near public transportation in a location that is easily accessible by foot and bike. Apparently that is not progressive.

So the City will spend $10 million on demolition and site improvements, spend $2 million to renovate the Curtis Building, give $6 million in real estate to a developer and provide $30 million in tax increment financing for 200 luxury apartments and a parking garage. That's progressive?

There are a lot of well educated, smart people on Council so why can't any of them explain why the Hospital Fiasco was such a great idea?

Brian Essi wrote:

cmager wrote:

Bill Call wrote:I am still surprised at the number of good people who remained silent while the Cleveland Clinic, Mayor Summers, the Hospital board and others plotted the destruction of Lakewood Hospital.
...
Why did so many good people remain silent?

You keep calling them good people, long after they revealed themselves for who they are. So many remain today in positions of civic and non-profit leadership, just humming as they work.

Let's call them by names we are all familiar with: Cuyahoga County Democrats

Mr. Essi, your brush is either too narrow or too broad, or poorly aimed.
You are correct that Dems see a good grift when they see it. But the former mayor is hardly a Democrat. Nor are the lawyers and the beneficiary hospitals and foundations, and any more of the local non-profit and businesspeople who got spun up into this "let us eat cake" thing.

cmager wrote:

Brian Essi wrote:

cmager wrote:

Bill Call wrote:I am still surprised at the number of good people who remained silent while the Cleveland Clinic, Mayor Summers, the Hospital board and others plotted the destruction of Lakewood Hospital.
...
Why did so many good people remain silent?

You keep calling them good people, long after they revealed themselves for who they are. So many remain today in positions of civic and non-profit leadership, just humming as they work.

Let's call them by names we are all familiar with: Cuyahoga County Democrats

Mr. Essi, your brush is either too narrow or too broad, or poorly aimed.
You are correct that Dems see a good grift when they see it. But the former mayor is hardly a Democrat. Nor are the lawyers and the beneficiary hospitals and foundations, and any more of the local non-profit and businesspeople who got spun up into this "let us eat cake" thing.

Bill

While I would agree that Mayor Summers was more Republican than Democrat, changing to vote against Kucinich in a primary and keeping it when Ex-Mayor Tony Sinagra a life long Democrat that turned Republican to get elected in a then heavily Republican community said "keep it."

However two of the lead lawyers from the residents side were HARDCORE Republicans and to my knowledge still are. The Dems just sat back and watch their friends dismantle the Hospital and the City of Lakewood. To be honest I am still kind of awe struck, just how week the Lakewood Democratic Club was, and Republicans would show up at meeting after meeting running their scam. Democrats serving them coffee and cake.

The Cuyahoga County Democratic machine is old, powerful, viscous and self serving.

And I agree with both of you that the very people that sold this city out for their own personal good, are still in office, running for office, and still in leadership all throughout Lakewood. A death grip on this city still trying to get everything they can.

But who can blame them. A city that was dedicated to critical thought, education, and fun stood by and cheered on the very thugs robbing them blind. I mean let's be honest, It is not hard to understand the bottom line. "We are selling $278 million in assets to our friends for $1.00." Now we can complicate it, like, don't worry the ex-Mayor that started this nightmare will be paid to build there! OR don't worry the people lying to you, pushing this through with ZERO facts with get $65 million for doing it to you. Don;t worry they will watch it for you and spend it for you.

Lakewood time to wake up.

.

A Very Minor Observation

I just drove by the former hospital site hole-in-the-ground and came to the realization that while Mr. Summers was garnering environmental awards, no one ever bothered to seed the site with grass seed.

Go see for your self. Despite all the rain, this is basically a desert landscape.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:

cmager wrote:

Brian Essi wrote:

cmager wrote:

Bill Call wrote:I am still surprised at the number of good people who remained silent while the Cleveland Clinic, Mayor Summers, the Hospital board and others plotted the destruction of Lakewood Hospital.
...
Why did so many good people remain silent?

You keep calling them good people, long after they revealed themselves for who they are. So many remain today in positions of civic and non-profit leadership, just humming as they work.

Let's call them by names we are all familiar with: Cuyahoga County Democrats

Mr. Essi, your brush is either too narrow or too broad, or poorly aimed.
You are correct that Dems see a good grift when they see it. But the former mayor is hardly a Democrat. Nor are the lawyers and the beneficiary hospitals and foundations, and any more of the local non-profit and businesspeople who got spun up into this "let us eat cake" thing.

Bill

While I would agree that Mayor Summers was more Republican than Democrat, changing to vote against Kucinich in a primary and keeping it when Ex-Mayor Tony Sinagra a life long Democrat that turned Republican to get elected in a then heavily Republican community said "keep it."

However two of the lead lawyers from the residents side were HARDCORE Republicans and to my knowledge still are. The Dems just sat back and watch their friends dismantle the Hospital and the City of Lakewood. To be honest I am still kind of awe struck, just how week the Lakewood Democratic Club was, and Republicans would show up at meeting after meeting running their scam. Democrats serving them coffee and cake.

The Cuyahoga County Democratic machine is old, powerful, viscous and self serving.

And I agree with both of you that the very people that sold this city out for their own personal good, are still in office, running for office, and still in leadership all throughout Lakewood. A death grip on this city still trying to get everything they can.

But who can blame them. A city that was dedicated to critical thought, education, and fun stood by and cheered on the very thugs robbing them blind. I mean let's be honest, It is not hard to understand the bottom line. "We are selling $278 million in assets to our friends for $1.00." Now we can complicate it, like, don't worry the ex-Mayor that started this nightmare will be paid to build there! OR don't worry the people lying to you, pushing this through with ZERO facts with get $65 million for doing it to you. Don;t worry they will watch it for you and spend it for you.

Lakewood time to wake up.

.

Jim,

What still shocks me to this day is the unwillingness of members of city council to “fight” for residents. Especially from so called progressive democrats. Look, it’s abundantly clear that Mayor Summers, Ed Fitzgerald and the “democrats” on council conspired to liquidate our largest public asset. No state investigation, no letter to the feds, nothing from Lakewood City Council. The non-profit foundation was created to escape public scrutiny laws.The loss of Lakewood Hospital is the largest public corruption scandal in the last 100 years.

Marcy Kapturs office “its a local issue” but when a plant closes in Toledo that has potential job loss, Kaptur holds a press conference and fights for those workers. Where was Marcy Kaptur when it came to Lakewood? Skindell fought against the closure but where was the Lakewood democratic club? Wasn’t healthcare the #1 issue to voters in the democratic primary?

What’s the bottom line? Healthcare spending is continuing to grow and that includes hospitals. Lakewood should solicit bids for the hospital site from other national health systems. Lakewood deserves a hospital and a vibrant economy. You’re not going to get that with subsidized housing, retail establishments, and other fairy tale plans from corrupt developers.

Nadhal

Nadhal Eadeh wrote: Jim,

What still shocks me to this day is the unwillingness of members of city council to “fight” for residents. Especially from so called progressive democrats. Look, it’s abundantly clear that Mayor Summers, Ed Fitzgerald and the “democrats” on council conspired to liquidate our largest public asset. No state investigation, no letter to the feds, nothing from Lakewood City Council. The non-profit foundation was created to escape public scrutiny laws.The loss of Lakewood Hospital is the largest public corruption scandal in the last 100 years.

Marcy Kapturs office “its a local issue” but when a plant closes in Toledo that has potential job loss, Kaptur holds a press conference and fights for those workers. Where was Marcy Kaptur when it came to Lakewood? Skindell fought against the closure but where was the Lakewood democratic club? Wasn’t healthcare the #1 issue to voters in the democratic primary?

What’s the bottom line? Healthcare spending is continuing to grow and that includes hospitals. Lakewood should solicit bids for the hospital site from other national health systems. Lakewood deserves a hospital and a vibrant economy. You’re not going to get that with subsidized housing, retail establishments, and other fairy tale plans from corrupt developers.

Nadhal

Nadhal

Well 3.5 councilman would never get elected again if they talked about it. Considering two of them were on the Board and in Council, that should give us all an idea just how bad it was.

The rest still do not understand just how bad FitzGerald/Summers screwed the city. Most still do not understand every report and projection they read were proven to be bullshit. Every claim Summers and the various groups and facebook pages put out, were proven to be lies. I find it amazing that people would even consider voting for people that wasted nearly a half million of their dollars keeping the truth from them. Why would anyone but Trump morons want politicans that lie cheat and steal? Makes zero sense to me.

Just the other day I saw posts from two media sources, that both claimed Summers and team had it together. Only because they were in on it and covering their asses.

It should be very clear this election, if anyone was involved in the largest loss and cover up in Lakewood's History, they have to go.

ANYONE taking money from the 20-30 architects of the scam, should not be elected either.

We have too much to lose.

.

[url[/url]"What still shocks me to this day is the unwillingness of members of city council to “fight” for residents. Especially from so called progressive democrats."

As I observe the current council campaign involving one of those "progressives", I'm wondering the same thing. They take stsnds on the "big" issues, but wouldn't and won't deal with the biggest issue in recent Lakewood history.

All these years later and we're still talking about it. All these years later and we still have a big pit in the heart of Lakewood. To move forward, we need accountability from the last administration. Individual poliitical futures be damned, and they might just be.