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We have
seen several stories on population decline. Again our die
was cast in the 1960’s when we sold
Toledo
water too cheaply to points north, west and south of
Toledo.
Nor did we engage in a program of aggressive annexation.
And, why are there two separate public school systems in
Toledo?
Neither
Mayor Carty Finkbeiner nor Lucas County Commissioner are
coming up with fix-its for “brain drain.” The “cool city”
strategy won’t work in Toledo just as it doesn’t work in
most places. We might look to Boston where the city fathers
have increased part of their population by catering to
immigrants from South America.
Columbus is
growing because of its aggressive annexation policy – and it
caters to Somalians.
Speaking of
population decline, one better pay close attention to sly
Craig Stough, mayor of Sylvania. If Sylvania and Sylvania
Township ever merge, it would result in a city of 44,000 and
that would be enough for a new water line from a great lake
down through western Michigan to the new city. Then Toledo
loses water revenue and more population and sprawl becomes
more rampant in western Lucas County.
Toledo and
northwest Ohio are going to get hit economically in the near
future with the loss of 850 jobs this fall when the Ford
stamping plant closes in Maumee. Many of those workers are
Toledoans who drive to Maumee daily.
The sell
off of Owens Illinois’s plastic division will hurt Lucas
County and some Toledo businesses. And, spin as much as you
want, Mr. Mayor, but the equity buyers of big companies such
as Manor Care will pare costs by selling off, relocation and
reduction in work force. No way will things remain the same.
We will lose big as we suggested months ago when we heard
that Manor Care was on the block. The same holds true
whenever The Blade is finally sold.
Recently a
report made it appear as if housing in Toledo is on the
increase. No, no, no.
Figures lie
and liars can figure. The increase in housing inside of
Toledo is almost totally in black and low-income
neighborhoods. We need more white folks with middle-class
paychecks.
Maybe it’s
time to stop finding only in the inner city and start
building upscale housing on the west side of the Maumee by
Riverside Park and east of Detwiler Park and north of
Alexis. Maybe we should take part of the parks north of
Alexis and turn it into middle class housing for both whites
and blacks.
One last
observation on population decline and jobs. We actually have
a whole lot of jobs open for Toledoans. We just don’t have
the people qualified to move into health care, finance,
sales and science. We need to push continuing and higher
education.
Regarding
The University of Toledo. We cannot support two new arenas
in Toledo. Not only will we have a state of the art complex
in downtown Toledo, but UT is now going to overhaul Savage
Hall. Mark my words, we will have to finance the new
downtown arena with a continuing levy one day. Study after
study shows that Toledo cannot support both arenas.
By the way,
do the athletic department folks at UT have to pay an
imputed tax on their free cars? And who got and used comp
tickets for ad hoc deals?
Finally,
the golf stripper scandal that has embroiled the Lucas
County Democratic Party … are we surprised?
What about
previous fundraisers? Who was in the golf group that enticed
the strippers to strip? Why did the cries of indignation
start only on the hole where the impromptu stripping
commenced? Why didn’t the hue and cry start at the first
hole when it was clear these were not the usual volunteers
for a golf outing? And, isn’t this really a smokescreen for
Keith Wilkowski’s second run for mayor?
My nose
tells me that most of the offended officeholders smelled
blood and hoped they could depose John Irish with whom they
got into political bed some years ago.
The Blade
has run stories on stripper-gate five days in a row.
Remember, as the Dems stay fractured, the power of The Blade
goes up in terms of getting candidates elected.
John Irish,
in my opinion, should have been kicked off the Charter
Review Commission back in 2000 when he supported a whopping
$60,000 raise for the mayor’s job even while he worked for
Ray Kest, the presumptive next mayor of Toledo in 2001.
Of course,
Ray lost and I won – so we greedily thank you, Johnny boy.
Contact Jack
Ford at
jack@thetruthtoledo.com
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