Troubling Signs in Cleveland

Cleveland City Council and Mayor Frank Jackson have enjoyed a cozy relationship in their first year in office. Some say too comfy for the city’s good.

Some charge Council, under Marty Sweeney, operates on “cruise control.” What the mayor wants, the mayor gets.

Jackson, as former Council President, supported Sweeney as his replacement. Sweeney needs Jackson’s support to retain office.

It appeared last week that the honeymoon had ended when Council got a front-page headline suggesting a rebuke. The article noted Council rejected a Jackson’s desire.

False alarm.

It would be misleading to believe Council leadership and Jackson are at odds.

The legislative action in question involved the power to give exclusive rights to a single taxi company to pick up passengers at Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport.

The final version of the legislative action, however, essentially gave the administration the same power that an originally dismissed measure had.

The final legislation, passed on a 12-8 vote, instead of an exclusive right to choose, gave Airport Director Ricky Smith three choices. The third was effectively the same as the originally dismissed action.

“The devil was in the details,” said on Council member.

Unfortunately, the passed legislation has the potential for favoritism through no bid contracts. It foreshadows creation of the same problems that previously brought corruption charges to Mayor Michael White’s administration.

It tolerates the same climate of preference that produced illegal actions that sent several to jail, including White’s buddy Nate Gray.

It also raises a bright red flag on Jackson’s dumping of the previous airport director John Mok and his replacement with Smith. Mok had a “personality” problem, one city airport worker explained. “Doing his job,” this person said with some sarcasm.

In other words, Mok stepped on the wrong toes and was not as pliable as the new administration wanted. Smith apparently fits the need.

A headline in the PD on Dec. 5 suggested a rebuke to Jackson, “Council rejects bid to have 1 firm run airport taxi service.”

The legislation that passed gave Smith three possibilities, including one that would allow him to bestow a monopoly contract to a taxi company. In other words, it allowed Smith the same power as the original legislation that was set aside.

There was one difference. Under the final legislation, Board of Control approval would be required.

This is the shell game.

Since the Board of Control comprises Jackson’s cabinet, Smith’s decisions would simply be accepted because he’s doing what the mayor wants.

That means Jackson will decide.

The Aviation Committee set aside the original legislation in committee. The full Council passed the substituted legislation later.

“It’s a joke,” said one of the eight council members who voted against the measure.

The eight included two former Council Presidents – Jay Westbrook and Mike Polensek.

Westbrook also had been chair of the Aviation committee. He gave up the position in anticipation of joining Jackson’s administration. For reasons he has never stated, Westbrook spurned the move to the administration. Westbrook was a close ally of Jackson and helped him defeat Jane Campbell last year.

The eight also included Matt Zone, Mike Dolan, Zack Reed, Brian Cummins, Dona Brady and Joe Cimperman.

What we have developing out at the airport is Mike White redux.

It’s very disheartening to see Frank Jackson going that way.

However, the warning signs are clear with the new airport management team and the revelations by the PD of the CMHA land deal in Jackson’s former ward that something’s wrong in Cleveland.

The situation cries out for more media and civic scrutiny. It’s foolhardy to wait five or ten years for another grand jury.

FOUNDATION POWER!

Ohio foundations want Power.

Are these people kidding? They have tens of millions, even hundreds of million of dollars to give away annually.

When they give away that money, they ARE making policy. They are CONTROLLING what many, many do or don’t do, and they are directing agendas for the community.

They have the power. Too much.

However, according to the Plain Dealer:

“Ohio’s foundations and other Grantmakers are no longer content to quietly write checks supporting worthy projects. They also want a voice in shaping public policy.”

Who elected them? Let them run for office if they want more power than they already wield with their tax-evaded lucre.

I just love David Abbott’s comment that “We could if we chose, just write checks to good people doing good things and pat ourselves on the back. But that’s not good enough if you really care about the issue that you’re writing the checks for.”

La di da.

The Cleveland Foundation, the Gund Foundation and others have had their hands in what has been going on in Cleveland for as long (1965) as I’ve been here and presumably much longer.

Has anyone noticed the result?

From Cool Cleveland contributor Roldo Bartimole roldoATadelphia.net
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