At the very least I would like to see a ban of sales tax for people that purchase at thrift stores.  I am not sure how I feel about a progressive city tax though..I don't know enough about it.  Would it cause all the 'wealthier' residents to move out of the area and leave more of the 'poorer' residents behind?  That would be a bad thing.  I am not against the traffic tickets though, I think people need to follow the rules of the road, especially in residential areas.  I am opposed to corporate welfare...they don't need it.  And I would like to see more money put into maintaining affordable housing so people don't have to go broke to have shelter.  And I favor food stamps and other food distribution programs to keep people from going hungry.  Police and Fire are absolute necessities and laying them off is just irreponsible especially since there has been an increase in crime and fires in the city.  I agree that Mayor Jackson has his priorities backwards...he favors business, probably thinking it will trickle down to the people, but that is not happening.  It goes in their pockets and they usually take it out of Cleveland to spend.  This is how I see it.

Even billionaire Warren Buffet thinks so.

NEW YORK, June 26, 2007 -- Warren E. Buffett was his usual folksy self Tuesday night at a fundraiser for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) as he slammed a system that allows the very rich to pay taxes at a lower rate than the middle class.

Buffett cited himself, the third-richest person in the world, as an example. Last year, Buffett said, he was taxed at 17.7 percent on his taxable income of more than $46 million. His receptionist was taxed at about 30 percent.

Buffett said that was despite the fact that he was not trying to avoid paying higher taxes. "I don't have a tax shelter," he said. And he challenged Congress and his audience to see what the people who "clean our offices" are taxed, to loud applause.

So, yes Cuyahoga County's wealthier should help those with fewer dollars to make the city a liveable place, safe and secure with education for its children. They could continue to sit back and grouse about the poverty or they could just shut up and pony up. But no one will give unless you ask. So what politician will ask?

for mentioning that the majority of city/county workers have to work for low pay, threats of layoffs, and no raises.  Seldom even a decent cost of living increase for me in almost 20 years, and very few raises.

We public servants were recently bashed by the PD on how good we have it with pensions.  Which is true and greatly appreciated.  However, we seldom receive raises or cost of living increases and now threatened layoffs.  These conditions affect our pensions since they are averaged out by 3 or 5 of our highest paying years.  Well, we do not have the opportunity to get higher raises to make for the highest paying years to make for a decent pension.

The public workers that are risking their lives daily, police/fire, should never be threatened with layoffs with rampant violent crimes happening daily in Cleveland.  Necessary layoffs/cutbacks elsewhere, but definetly not with police/fire.

I don't think that many city/county employees lack concern.  I think we are lacking in knowledge.

Very interesting blog.   thank you again

The new plan for the school system announced today, do you thing that you might find time to do a write up on that?

Sorry  but I'm not close enough to the issues to give any meaningful insight.

I am sorry too. This means that I have to do it myself! So much research for a small piece! Cleveland has not had a good superintendent since Tutela was acting superintendent (he sold out to Forbes when he became the real thing).