In the past two years Quicken Arena and Dan Gilbert have evaded $7.5 million in property taxes. I think if Gilbert has any real concern for Cleveland he’d pay those taxes, most of which comes from Cleveland school children.

Every year Gilbert has owned the Cavs and has use of the mostly publicly financed basketball arena he has been the recipient of a no tax deal worked out by former Mayor Mike White and County Commissioner Tim Hagan. (Every January, Cleveland and Cuyahoga County taxpayers pay some $8.5 million for bonds that go just for the extra cost of the arena.)

Add up $7.5 every two years and in a decade that’s $37.5 million. In 20 years it will be $75 million.

We are not talking chump change. That’s how the wealthy get super wealthy.

Gilbert, a billionaire, is the main backer of Issue 3, which would give him a monopoly position in a casino in Cleveland, and with others, in Cincinnati, Toledo, and Columbus.

That’s quite a gift to a billionaire.

Someone who is asking the public to give him a monopoly money-maker casino should show so real civic responsibility.

Paying his taxes could be a minimum sign that he would be a proper person to receive a state constitutionally voted reward.

Could this be the dullest, most meaningless mayoral election of all time? Well, it is what it is, ain’t it?

If I were running against Jackson I’d say strongly and often, “What it IS should not BE.”

General election opponent Bill Patmon – who has no money and not enough name recognition city-wide – did attack Jackson for this anemic attitude of acceptance.

You’d think we have a monk, not a mayor.

“The message that the current administration does not care is clear. But the attitude, ‘it is what it is,’ is neither acceptable nor wise in a time when this city, and every other city for that matter, critically counts on its tax base for survival” Patmon told the Plain Dealer. He hit the right tone.

The problem also is that the news media have been turned off on the election. For Patmon that’s a disaster since he has no money to push any agenda into focus.

Patmon, of course, is correct. Mayor Jackson’s oath of acceptance is not good enough, not nearly good enough.

A city with no spirit isn’t going to be helped by some Buddhist-like mind-set. It’s not a brew that offers much hope.

Mayor Jackson seems to be in a go-along mode.

Some positive signs of easing of unemployment in Ohio are reported by analyst George Zeller today. However, job losses continue.

Columbus – something we usually don’t expect – has been having a harder time with new unemployment problems than northeast Ohio and other parts of the state, according to Zeller.

The rate of job losses, however, has slowed for Ohio and the U. S. during July, August and September if anyone is looking for some sunlight in the darkened economic skies.

He says “Stunningly, the report finds that the very high current level of unemployment claims is not concentrated primarily in Cuyahoga County or Northeastern Ohio. Ohio’s most elevated levels of new unemployment claims in comparison to the last year when the state experienced job growth in 1999 are now currently taking place in metro Columbus. Cincinnati has the second most elevated levels in the new data…”

But maybe the unfortunate part is that this area has been hit so hard in the past that we can’t lose much more.

Here is Zeller’s entire report.

You don’t understand the power and cost of small, supposedly inconsequential taxes on “little people” in contrast to taxes that hit the “big people” unless and until you total up the cost. Then only blindness hides the truth.

The latest “little taxes” – on various sales – show that Cuyahoga County has taken $178.9 million out of the pockets of mostly ordinary people. It is to pay for what our corporatist leaders want. At little cost to them, of course.

The quarter-percent sales tax increase voted without the public for the medical mart hit $71.3 million at the end of September. The exact figure: $71,339,247.06. That’s only since January 2008 and during a recession. It’s a 40 year tax! Hold on tight!

The small cigarette tax for arts and culture raised $50.4 million as of the end of September. The exact figure: $50,436,967.24. The tax started in February 2007.

The Browns Stadium sin taxes – wine, beer, alcohol and cigarettes – have taken $57.1 million. The exact figure: $57,147,458.95. The tax started in August 2005.

The latter two taxes – arts & Browns - were actually by public vote.

However, what alternative was given by our corporate-controlled politicians for funding the arts and sports? Did anyone have a choice of taxes? Hell, no.

Mayor Frank Jackson answers the Pee Dee on criticism of his scholarship program.

Jackson tells Terry Egger, Pee Dee publisher, that he has both his “head and heart” in the right place – together.

Here’s the letter:

October 13, 2009
Mr. Terrance C.Z. Egger
President & Publisher
The Plain Dealer
1801 Superior Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Dear Terry:

I hope that you are doing well and want to acknowledge that The Plain Dealer
has covered an issue over the past week that is key to the future of Cleveland:
education. Based on your coverage, I felt compelled to write you this letter so
that I can address statements made in your paper regarding the Cleveland
Scholarships for Education and Training (CSET) program.

First, let me say that these are children, not “drop-outs” as stated in How to
reach those who reject our help. It was also stated that our children “squander
life and chance.” That statement is applicable to many, including adults. It is
particularly applicable to those who have no excuse because life and society
have been good to them.

Finally, today’s editorial states, “Mayor Jackson’s heart was in the right
place…but his head was not.” Let me assure you that my heart and head are

Memo to Susan Goldberg, Pee Dee editor: Stop making the news and start reporting it.

Today it was “economic development” again as the Pee Dee attributed nonsensical advantages to Issue 6, which, of course, the Pee Dee strongly backs. It’s a supposed County reform issue that has too many holes in it. Big holes.

Eliminating elective functioning offices – sheriff, treasurer, recorder, and auditor - except the County Prosecutor is an invitation to a king-maker position for Bill Mason, present prosecutor and prime mover of Issue 6. Mason doesn’t deserve the promotion.

It just doesn’t make sense. It isn’t reform. It’s merely change. Not good enough.

Also, will Ms. Goldberg please announced what the final vote total of the Pee Dee editorial board on endorsing Issue 3 favoring monopoly casinos? Let’s have a little of that transparency editors are always talk about. Because I can’t see how the editorial board – knowing its make-up – voted for a monopoly casino issue. I was told the vote was “close.”

What do we really know about Dan Gilbert? Not much. But it sounds as if he’s the kind of guy that plays one city off against another for his own benefit.

I think anyone with any sense understands what Gilbert is about.

A columnist in the Detroit News questions Gilbert’s motives about his dedication to Detroit (oh, not Cleveland?).

“Dan Gilbert, the self-proclaimed Detroiter working big plans for his diverse business empire, remains bullish on his hometown,” writes Daniel Howes.

Howes says that Gilbert – who supposedly located a few jobs here – plans to locate his headquarters for Quicken Loans in downtown Detroit, along with other business activities. That’s 2,000 jobs, they say, for Detroit.

“But there’s potentially big money to be made down in Ohio where Gilbert, the principal owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, is a prominent force behind a ballot initiative (Vote NO on 3) to green light casinos for the Buckeye State’s four largest cities. Bullishness, it seems, has limits when opportunity knocks,” writes Howes.

Here’s a blog entry that gives some anti-Issue 2 information for your digestion.

I attended a meeting yesterday where an unexpected presentation was made by a representative of the Farm Bureau advocating support for Issue 2. In a slick 20 minute power point presentation, this person talked about the importance of agriculture to Ohio’s economy. He argued that we need to maintain choice in how food is produced. He suggested that without Issue 2, Ohio agriculture will be threatened by outside animal rights activists that will put thousands of Ohio family farmers out of business.

What he didn’t say was, Issue 2 is a Constitutional Amendment that establishes a Livestock Care board appointed by the governor to codify animal treatment on farms. He also failed to say that the Governor, Ohio Department of Agriculture and the Legislature already have all the power they need to make regulations about how animals are treated on farms. The problem is, a legislative process requires citizen input and public hearings. A board appointed through a Constitutional Amendment has no such public oversight.

You can find out much more on this issue that is up for public vote at the blog Bounty of the Western Reserve

If Dan Gilbert had even a smidgen of real interest in Cleveland and its people he would show it by volunteering to pay property taxes on Quicken Arena.

Don’t make this bet unless you’re on the Pee Dee editorial board.

We are being offered – again – a lot of nonsense about economic development and jobs. This is the corporate and Pee Dee mantra for subsidizing rich people.

So if you want to fatten some fat cats vote for casinos.

“Issue 3 is a gamble. But business as usual will not work for Cleveland or for Ohio,” said the editorial. Issue 3 hands Dan Gilbert a second monopoly in Cleveland. This time a casino that can score more money that LeBron.

To me, this IS business as usual. Give to the rich and take from the rest.

Here’s a headline from the 1990s when the Pee Dee was helping sell Gateway: “Backers tout Gateway’s ripple effect – 16,800 permanent jobs envisioned within 15 years.”

Jobs, jobs, progress, progress. How do people still fall for this stuff?

Here’s how the 1990s article started:

“Within 15 years of completion of the proposed Gateway stadium and arena project downtown, several new office buildings, four hotel and numerous shopping spots could crop up adjacent to the development site, project backers said yesterday.” – The Pee Dee.

Here are arguments against Issue 3 – the monopoly casino measure on the ballot - as stated by its major opponent group Truth Pac.

It says the obvious; that the measure is tilted toward wealthy casino owners and it doesn’t even require the owners to actually build.

It also warns against “hidden taxes” on the rest of us as cities have to upgrade roads and bridges and provide other infrastructure requirements.

It’s not all take, there’s a lot of give and give.