Gloria Ferris

Last time I posted about the public hearing,  I covered–the pony show, Christopher Kennedy’s presentation and the barking dogs-the public show. And now, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the three act road show of Jimmy, Pete, and Timmy. Thanks to the commenter on the previous post for clarifying that Chris Kennedy did indeed enter the auditorium again and sat through the rest of the show. After the public comment portion of the hearing, each commissioner spoke to the issue.  Peter Lawson Jones in his usual senatorial tones spoke eloquently to the alternatives that could pay for a new convention center, how the public at large should not pay for a facility that would benefit private enterprise but those benefiting should shoulder the cost.

Jimmy the artful magician was up next. With one sentence, he made PLJ’s alternatives disappear.  In essence, he said that all of those alternatives had been looked at, they were not available and that the state didn’t care about us, the federal government didn’t care about us, and if anyone was going to save us it had to be ourselves. “Poof!”  All the alternatives gone in an instance.  And then, he conjured up the usual education and jobs illusion and again, there was no substance. He ended with we need this convention center to get this deal.  We need this money for this convention center to make this deal.

But we hadn’t seen anything yet. Taxin’ Tim Hagan, and he called himself that. not me, started throwing knives.  The first knife he threw was about “Taxin’ Tim” and how he was proud of that title.  That he had put Metroparks levies, arts and culture levies, and human service levies on the ballot and each time the people of Cuyahoga County had responded favorably. The man not only could throw knives but he too is a master illusionist. He simply erased the fact that he was talking about ballot issues that needed a public vote.   And then, he began lobbing knives at those of us in the audience who felt that the public had a right to vote on this issue. I thought at one point he called us unAmerican, but others don’t remember it that way, so maybe it was an inference that I felt rather than heard. He then, reprimanded the three Cleveland Councilmen who had the courage to stand up and say that the tax was regressive and would probably hurt their constituents more than others.  They also had the courage to say that there were rumblings of dissatisfaction in the city.  His answer was how dare they not be a partner with the County on this very important project that would benefit their constituents more than anyone.  He never got around to explaining just why or how that would be. 

And then, there was the obligatory shell game.  The resolution was read stating that the 1/4% sales tax would be deposited in the general fund.  It is my understanding that the general fund covers operating expenses, so how was this additional revenue going into the coffers going to pay for the Convention Center that was the answer to getting the Medical Mart? Of course, now there was no public participation, so no one could ask the question except maybe Peter Lawson Jones, but wait why hadn’t he mentioned this general fund language in his remarks?  And now, I understood the booming assertions of Jimmy Dimora we will use this money for the convention center. we will use this money for the convention center. It turns out that if the funds were earmarked, there would be no choice but to “put it on the ballot”.

Although we all suspected that the “public hearing” was only done because the commissioners felt they “had to”, they sure did pull the wool over my eyes. To me, a hearing has the converse word listening on the other side, but because of the ”urgency” of the situation which never was fully explained these public hearings were back to back and a vote was taken immediately after the last hearing.  No deliberation, no discussion among the three, just a vote.  Someone told me that was the way it had to be but no one ever told me why. Obviously, no need to “listen” to the public, thecommissioners have heard it time and time again, and they simply don’t need the public input.  After all, we elected them to represent us and therefore, we should let them do it.  Exactly, represent us but I ask you how do you represent someone if you are not willing to sit down and discuss things with those very people you represent-hearing constitutes listening, and in this county that just isn’t part of the dialogue.  And how do you represent people when you are so out of touch with the very people you are elected to represent-businesspeople and trade unions are only a part of your constituentcy and there certainly no indication in this sideshow that all sides had been looked at and weighed.  If so, there would have been a lot more substance in all three commissioners’ remarks.

But then, to the finale, the vote was taken. Nothing breathtaking or unusual there.  Although up to the last minute many felt that Jimmy and Timmy might do the “right” thing and put it to a vote, now wouldn’t that have been a showstopper?  But no the ending was predictable except for one thing, Peter Lawson Jones voted “no” and then disappeared. 

Disclaimer:  Apologies to all of my friends who are professional magicians. Don’t worry these guys are strictly amateurs. There illusions are easily seen.   

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 8th, 2007 at 10:10 am and is filed under Cleveland, Put It On The Ballot, developing community, growing an economy, politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.