Toledo City Govt's top achievements in 2003 - Symbolic, meaningless, waste-of-time accomplishments in 2003 by Toledo City Council and the Mayor.
In no particular order of lack of importance:
1. Council gets tough with sex joints - "Toledo City Council imposed new rules on the city’s sex businesses that, unless struck down in court, could put an end to lap dancing, intimate tipping practices, sex-massage parlors, and private X-rated video booths. But along with the new restrictions, council voted to expand the areas available for adult-oriented entertainment in the city’s zoning code."
2. Toledo City Council supports troops - I'm sure all other city issues have been on hold for months until this matter was resolved. ... the sound of a council person patting themselves on the back.
3. Toledo City Council supports saving Sylvania's Lathrop House. "[Toledo City] Council voted 8-4 to express support for efforts in Sylvania to preserve the 1835 dwelling. Sponsors of the resolution defended Toledo's incursion into Sylvania politics by saying all of northwest Ohio has an interest in preserving the site. Council members Rob Ludeman, George Sarantou, Betty Shultz, and Bob McCloskey, each of whom voted against the resolution, said it isn't appropriate for Toledo tell another city how to conduct its affairs."
4. Gun buyback - "Toledo police will conduct an anonymous gun buyback program May 3, 10, and 17 in an attempt to take 500 unwanted handguns off the streets. City Council approved spending $25,000 from the law enforcement trust fund for the program, which will end early if the money runs out." I give the city points for coming up with creative ways to waste money. This is a "feel good" program, which will not reduce crime. Stiffer penalties for the criminals is what's needed.
5. Toledo's smoking ban - This is Toledo City Council's badge of hypocrisy and stupidity. According to The Blab writers, the smoking ban is City Council's greatest achievement in years. It's all about the public's health. Yeah right. Why not ban the sale of tobacco in Toledo? Why not ban the sale of junk food in vending machines like CA and NYC do?
6. Toledo Council tackling building colors - "The bright palette of Mexico and other Latino cultures might have to be muted under a proposed set of standards for building facades in Toledo. Several buildings in the 1200 block of Broadway are painted in bright colors evocative of Mexico. The colorful storefronts favored by Mexican culture probably would not be permitted under the design standards as now written." An example of intolerance by Toledo government. There was suppose to be another meeting about this issue on December 11th, but I've not seen any news about it.
7. Toledo City Countil opposes the Patriot Act - "Toledo City Council members who wrote an anti-Patriot Act resolution introduced a stripped-down version aimed at answering Mayor Jack Ford’s objections. The resolution criticizes the 2001 anti-terrorism law as a threat to civil liberties, especially of Arab, Muslim, and southeast Asian immigrants."
8. Mayor Ford imposes new housing law - "Toledo zoning law forbids more than three unrelated people who are not considered a "functional family" from living together in a single-family home or a unit of a duplex unless they have a special-use permit. [Guy Beeman, University of Toledo student government president] said the law could affect thousands of students and should be repealed or amended so more students, perhaps five, could live together. A better alternative, he said, would be increased enforcement of the laws targeting poor behavior." That last statement makes too much sense for Toledo. This is another example of intolerance by Toledo government.
Look at the freedoms restricted, removed, or prevented above. And City Council is worried about the Patriot Act? Absurd. Here's to hoping Toledo City Government acquires some common sense in 2004. Yeah, it would be a miracle, but a new year always brings new hope.
posted by jr to politics at 2:49 P.M. EST
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