LINK: http://ideastream-production.s3.amazonaws.com/audio/2015/11/1104soi.mp3

 

NOTE: The comments start after 23:40 after Karen Gahl-Mills, Executive Director of Cuyahoga Arts & Culture has finished.  

 

 

“A disgrace to our community --- it is providing support for the Arts on the backs of the young, poor, and uneducated.” 

SOUND OF IDEAS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2015

 

ELECTION WRAP UP WITH HOST MIKE MCINTYRE.

 

ISSUE 8, SIN TAX FOR THE ARTS IN CUYAHOGA COUNTY, 

OHIO, PASSED BY A VOTE OF 75 TO 25% ON NOVEMBER, 3, 2015.

 

 

“Good Morning!

 

I was actively opposing the Sin Tax for the Arts.

 

I demonstrated for nearly 350 hours all over Cuyahoga County with my sign which is the equivalent of walking nearly a thousand miles.

 

I was treated very unfairly by the media – not recognized by The Plain Dealer – never reported anything I did about my campaign. 

 

I was not given a seat at the table at the discussion held at City Club. 

 

What I am saying is – this whole issue is a disgrace to our community – it is providing support for the Arts on the backs of the young, poor, and uneducated. This is definitely not something that is good for our community.”

 

 

 

*CLEVELAND ACTIVIST (Satinder P. S. Puri) actively opposed the 2015 Sin Tax for the Arts. Demonstrated for over 4-months -- all over Cuyahoga County -- 98 times for a total of 339 hours – which was the equivalent of walking over 1,000 miles.

 

 

*NON-COVERAGE OF THE VOTE NO ON SIN TAX CAMPAIGN BY THE PLAIN DEALER:

Steven Litt, esteemed Art and Architectural Critic of The Plain Dealer (seated front row) never reported anything I said (either on cleveland.com or in the print edition) as the lone opponent of the Sin Tax at the June 23, 2015 Cuyahoga County Council Meeting but reported on all the five supporters of the Sin Tax.

Note: Council proceeding are on YouTube.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

QUESTION: Mr. Litt (seated front row) never reported on my question for Cuyahoga County Council members, nor their responses, nor anything I said as the lone opponent of the Sin Tax at the June 23, 2015 Cuyahoga County Council Meeting but reported on the five supporters of the Sin Tax.

 

At the June 23, 2015 meeting, Community Activist, Satinder P. S. Puri, who had spoken at six Cuyahoga County Council meetings opposing the 2015 Sin Tax, (VOTE NO ON SIN TAX ON NOV. 3, 2015:

Campaign) stated: 

 

Mr. President, I have one question for our Council members pertaining to the issue of Social Justice. I will appreciate a response during your discussion on the subject Resolution:

 

“Is it fair that in Cuyahoga County only cigarette smokers should be taxed to support Arts and Culture – an activity that all of us enjoy and benefit from? “

 

Two members responded: Councilmen Germana and Schron said that the Sin Tax was not perfect but did not address the issue of fairness as stated in the question. 

 

Four other members spoke: President Brady and Council members: Conwell, Simon, and Miller but did not respond to the question. 

 

Four members did not speak: Greenspan, Brown, Gallagher and Hairston.

 

Eleventh member was absent: Vice President Jones. 

 

UNANIMOUS VOTE: All ten members present voted YES.

 

The entire discussion lasted less than 10 minutes.

 

 

“The proponents of the tax, according to Steve Litt, unpaid PR person for these interests, have already raised half of $1.6 million they will use to convince YOU of the need to extend the cigarette tax for 10 more years. Litt has become a propagandist posing as journalist. He doesn’t look further than where the elite point.”

 

“The PD (Plain Dealer) is a bought propaganda machine.”(Ref. Old Cleveland Wealth can Fund the Arts, May 28, 2015)

 

 

As of November 2, 2015 (last day of campaign) I had demonstrated 98 times for a total of 339-hours which is the equivalent of walking over 1,000 miles all over Cuyahoga County.

 

By the last day of the campaign, Mr. Litt had made the following statements on his blog at Cleveland. Com on the dates shown:

“No formal opposition to the levy has yet emerged” (on June 23),

 “No organized opposition to the renewal has emerged” (on July 23),

“No organized opposition to the tax has yet emerged”) (on July 31),

 “No formal opposition to Issue 8 has emerged” (on September 27),

 “No visible organized opposition to the levy renewal has emerged” (on October 15), and

 “No visible organized opposition to Issue 8 has emerged” (on October 23).

 

 

 

THERE WAS NO SEAT AT THE TABLE FOR THE OPPOSITION!

 

CITY CLUB CEO NEVER TOLD AUDIENCE ABOUT A $15,000 GRANT!

 

WAS THERE COLLUSION BETWEEN THE PLAIN DEALER AND THE CITY CLUB TO KEEP OUT THE OPPOSITION?

 

 

 

 

Left to Right: Moderator, WKYC’S Russ Mitchell;

and two pro-Sin Tax (Vote Yes on Issue 8) proponents – Fred Bidwell, 

Art Collector and owner of Bidwell Projects; and Deena Epstein,

former Gund Foundation, Arts Program Officer.

 

 

 

PROS: Arts & Culture works, Vote for 8, Not a tax increase.

CONS: Arts & Culture in Cuyahoga County, Ohio should not work on the backs of the young, poor, and uneducated – who are much likely to be cigarette smokers. 

This is a Social Justice issue. 

VOTE NO ON SIN TAX, ISSUE 8, ON NOVEMBER 3, 2015, IN CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OHIO.

 

 

Proposed Extension of Excise Tax on Cigarettes for Cuyahoga Arts and Culture County of Cuyahoga

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage. Shall an excise tax on the sale of cigarettes at wholesale continue to be levied throughout Cuyahoga County for the benefit of Cuyahoga Arts and Culture for the purposes of making grants to support operating or capital expenses of arts or cultural organizations in Cuyahoga County, to defray the costs of acquiring, constructing, equipping, furnishing, improving, enlarging, renovating, remodeling or maintaining an artistic or cultural facility, and to meet operating expenses, at a rate of 15 mills per cigarette, which amounts to 1.5 cents per cigarette, for 10 years?

 

 

 

(NOTE: NONE OF THE STATEMENTS ASCRIBED TO MR. MOULTHROP WERE MADE IN PUBLIC AND ARE NOT ON THE YOUTUBE VIDEO)

 

#Dan Moulthrop, the CEO of the club, said the nonprofit organized Monday's event as a simple forum with two advocates of Issue 8 instead of a pro-and-con debate because "there's no visible, organized opposition" to the measure.

 

#Instead, he said the club asked Mitchell to ask questions about the tax that opponents would be likely to ask.

 

#Moulthrop said the club recently received a $15,000 grant from Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, the political subdivision that awards money from the cigarette tax revenues.

 

 

 

BEFORE THE SEPTEMBER 28, 2015 EVENT, STEVEN LITT, ESTEEMED ART & ARCHITECTURAL 

CRITIC OF THE PLAIN DEALER MADE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ON HIS BLOG AT CLEVELAND. COM ON THE DATES SHOWN:

 

“No formal opposition to the levy has yet emerged.” (on June 23),      

 

“No organized opposition to the renewal has emerged.” (on July 23),  

 

“No organized opposition to the tax has yet emerged.” (on July 31), and  

 

“No formal opposition to Issue 8 has emerged” (on September 27).

…….……….

According to Mr. Litt, Dan Moulthrop, City Club CEO, speaking about Issue 8 made the following statement at the September 28, 2015 event: "there's no visible, organized opposition" to the measure.

 

NOTE: THE SIMILARITY BETWEEN STATEMENTS MADE BY MR. LITT AND MR. MOULTHROP IS STRIKING!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*CLEVELAND ACTIVIST (Satinder P. S. Puri) actively opposed the 2015 Sin Tax for the Arts. Demonstrated for over 4-months -- all over Cuyahoga County -- 98 times for a total of 339 hours – which was the equivalent of walking over 1,000 miles.

 

According to Steven Litt, esteemed Art & Architectural Critic of The Plain Dealer and Dan Moulthrop, City Club CEO – both of whom are in bed with the Arts establishment which will make a killing in receiving grants from the Cigarette Sin Tax for the next ten years (2017-2026), there was no “visible, organized opposition” to the 2015 Arts Sin Tax” thereby shutting out the VOTE NO ON SIN TAX campaign from coverage in the media and participation in the panel discussion held in the City Club on September 28, 2015.