New to the Forum

Submitted by Rick Nagin on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 06:18.

 Hi all --

I'm glad to join this forum that was recently brought to my attention.  As a candidate for Council in Ward 14, I want to give my position on some of the issues that have been raised.

Noise barriers:  The situation may be different from street to street.  On Smith Ave. the houses face I-71 and the people there do not want to face a wall.  They have all signed a petition against any kind of barrier, which I gave to Tom Sorge at ODOT.  They support greenery and beautification.  However, on Poe it is the rear of the houses and garages that face the highway so the people there may be more concerned about noise and security.  My understanding is that ODOT is flexible and can adjust to what residents in each area want.  What the residents want is the bottom line. Everyone agrees on maximum use of the funds for greenery.

CDC:  I am inclined to agree with Debbie and Henry that we need to look at building a new CDC focused on Ward 14 -- one that draws on the best from the existing CDCs and employing the people who are committed to Ward 14.

My political beliefs:  I am a lifelong Democrat.  I have been working on Democratic campaigns since I worked for Lyndon Johnson in 1964.  I worked on the campaigns of Gore, Kerry and, as part of Labor 2008, worked virtually fulltime for Barack Obama.  I was an active member of the Ward 14 Democratic Club when it was functionning.  I was also the labor coordinator for Dennis Kucinich's primary campaign last year.  

Recently a poll was taken by Rasmussen that reported that 30% of Democrats believe in socialism.  I am one of those.  I believe corporate greed is at the root of the problems we face in our country and that it would be better if working people, rather than corporations, were running things.  I belong to a number of groups including my union, the Communications Workers of America, Jobs with Justice and the Communist Party that defend the rights of workers and seek to shift resources and power towards working people.

When I served as the Ward 14 Councilman's Assistant I had the opportunity to assist a number of issues affecting working people.  This included supporting union organizing drives at Dreisen and Peterson Nut, representing the Councilman on the Living Wage Committee and in Congressman Kucinich's Steel Summit, which was successful in saving Cleveland's steel mill.

I am a delegate to the North Shore (Cleveland) AFL-CIO and, if I elected to Council, intend to continue working with the labor movement as well as be an advocate for the people of Ward 14.

Rick Nagin 

( categories: )

Welcome Rick

Submitted by lmcshane on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 06:47.

  I respect Rick Nagin, Brian Cummins and Nelson Cintron for engaging comment and response at this site.  I wish that there was one easy, easy way to stay informed on the best interests of a community...other than countless, often heated, meetings.  REALNEO is one viable option...thank you for being here.
 

My questions for all of you vying to represent those of us who live here, would be:

1.) Describe your neighborhood. 

2.) How long have you lived here?

3.) If you do not win this election, how long do you plan to live here?

4.) You all have kids-- are they engaged in the neighborhood and will you encourage them to live here?

I hope that these are fair questions.  If not, please explain.

so glad to see you!

Submitted by noner on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 08:38.

 I'm glad you came and spoke up, Rick.

I've never met you and I am unsure of your views. I do like what you wrote above, particularly as it pertains to the noise barriers. I didn't want to say anything, because there was enough flack flying over red-phobia, but I too think the barriers can be useful.

I live overlooking 490 and I don't know if my area is under consideration, but I can tell you its rEAlly noisy. You can yell from my back porch and someone standing in the backyard can't hear you. I don't know if a barrier would help as we are at a considerable elevation above 490, but it would be interesting to find out. 

I don't think someone who lives in a relatively "quiet" area of a neighborhood can quite understand the ongoing affect of this noise. I hope the opinions of those directly affected are given more weight than those living with the theoretical idea of it all.

Anyways, thanks again for bringing a level of rationality to this blog. Love to hear more!

From the results of the poll on noise barriers

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 11:57.

From the results of the poll on noise barriers, so far (09/13/09m atm 12:55 PM), about 2/3 of respondents favor noise walls or some noise and pollution barrier treatment along our freeways, and of those in favor, about 75% prefer "green" solutions. If you may deliver innovative green solutions for significantly less than $1 million per mile, you will surely win over more of those opposed, who seem focused on cost.

Based on this feedback, be brightest and greenest about this (and all else), and spend less than ODOT offers, and make the most citizens the most satisfied... and blow Obama away, making him confident to spend more money on brightest greenest solutions in real NEO.

Disrupt IT

Open Discourse Builds a stronger Cleveland and NEO

Submitted by Jeff Buster on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 09:01.

 

I also welcome and respect Brian Cummins (long time Realneo member/contributor), Rick Nagin, and Nelson Cintron for engaging comment and response at this site. 
 
If Cleveland is to advance, we must have government representatives who, like Mssrs. Cummins, Cintron, and Nagin, can – and do – stand up on their own two feet and conduct civil and thorough conversations with their community.
 
I appreciate the strength of character each candidate expresses in engaging discourse here on Realneo.
 
 
 

 

Candidates & Blogs

Submitted by skd0333 on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 14:45.

Yes, it is nice when candidates join us on RN but if anyone is casting a vote based on what they read here, or in any blog,  they may have regrets in future.  A candidate can say anything, be polite, responsive.  Unless you check their background, the facts, you will not know what you are getting.  I would never use the term "strength of character" in describing some of the candidates running in Ward 14.  In addition, I have seen a candidate accuse other candidates of doing exactly what he has done.  We're going to get the candidate we  collectively deserve.......do your homework, people.  Kate

Hi Rick

Submitted by westward on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 13:30.

Welcome to the realneo forum.

Now, if we could get Moises Torres, Gary Horvath, et al to come even if it is just to tell why they are running, that would sort of round this out. I don't expect Joe Santiago. He told me that he never blogs, doesn't read them, etc.

Does anyone out there know if Joe is really running? I have yet to see a yard sign or hear of any door to door talks with him. I have been all over the soon to be new ward 14 this week. I have seen Nagin, Cintron, Torres, and Cummings yard signs, but not one Santiago sign. Is he campaigning at all? Anyone know?

 

I would also like to welcome

Submitted by ward14resident on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 13:45.

I would also like to welcome Rick Nagin to this forum. 

I agree with dwebb that it would be nice if the rest of the candidates for ward 14 council would join the forum.  

Ward 14 needs a strong leader.  I would like to hear from all of them so I can make an educated decision. 

Thanks for Verifying Your Beliefs!

Submitted by ANGELnWard14 on Fri, 08/14/2009 - 18:39.

I am glad to see that you made it here to RN too! 

Thank You for stating the facts of your beliefs so that everyone can fairly make their own decisions.  

I appreciate that you took the time to openly state your positions on matters to VERIFY your affiliations for everyone inclusive.  

I also appreciate your face to face apology for not thinking things through before calling the inspectors on that family last month. I still wish you would have found other solutions to the matter...which still exists.

Per your cited survey, there are still 70% of folks who DO NOT agree with socialism. Like any political party, it has its good/bad to be weighed.  We can all respect our differences, prayerfully.

I have never been afraid of your communist views, I just don't support the ideologies about those things. That's my American right! Yet, I do believe that the voters should have been made aware of your personal beliefs so that they could make their own decisions all the same. So, thanks for verifying my statements. Have a blessed day!!! 

Respectfully-ANGELnWard14! 

Councilman Joe Cimperman

Submitted by lmcshane on Sat, 08/15/2009 - 09:01.

  Has also been following along and recently contributed to the dialogue on voting place locations--

http://realneo.us/user/joe-cimperman

http://realneo.us/content/cimperman-chooses-disenfranchise-new-constituents#comment-13717

Putting aside all rancor for the moment--Thank you for the Groundworks Dance performance last night, Joe.  A beautiful evening in the City.

 

Summarizing

Submitted by skd0333 on Sat, 08/15/2009 - 10:31.

Nice work, McShane!  kd