Just a reminder, other businesses decided to pull out of the project when the city tried to block Wall Mart, and everything was put on hold. Target, Best Buy, Staples, Applebees, Olive Garden, Outback and many more would not commit without having the Wall Mart there. The loss in tax revenue and to the schools would be almost 5 million dollars annually. The revitalization of the East Bank seemed to stall for this as well. You need a big store where people live to keep the revenue downtown! Where is the question here?

I think there is a need for expanding and improving downtown. You will get the business from people who work there as well. Being a suburbanite, I love the idea of meeting my wife for lunch and shopping on the way home. The attempted block of Wall Mart was a dumb as Mayor Campbell inviting Clone Research companies from overseas to Cleveland to show them what a great place this was, only to hear, "Thanks for the free food, the flight, the rooms, and the entertainment, but Cloning is illegal here."

Get a clue, people! Invite business, and you invite city dwellers, more improvements, better schools, and more revenue. Fight business coming to Cleveland, and we will remain 215 out of 276 growing large city economies in the country! The growth index for Cleveland is an embarrassing 29.93 out of a possible 100. Believe me, if I have to fight to open a business in Cleveland, I'll surrender, and go to Florida where I know I will be welcomed, assisted, and befriended by the people, the government, and other businesses. Florida holds 6 of the top 20 spots including the top 2!!! Don't tell me "It's the weather!"

After Hanoi Jane Campbell added Cleveland to the list of cities against the war in Iraq, why question the military offices pulling out? You say "I hate you," they respond with "Good-bye." This is not something that Cleveland can fight, she made our position clear, and I'm sure that the military understood that they were not welcome. See a trend here? We are lucky Wall Mart didn't just run away after Cleveland said "We don't want you in our city." What does this attitude cause? 14.1% unemployment! I can understand her downplaying the bad, she has nothing good to talk about.

Our jobs, our way of life, and our very livelihood depend on a business friendly city. Get us out of the mess that poor policy and, (I hate to put it this way,) Democrat run offices have put us in! This city needs changes, and all I can do is pray that they are made before Cleveland truly does become "The Mistake on the Lake!" from Cool Cleveland reader Alex Forbes aef2nd@yahoo.com (:divend:)