FACES OF SUPPORTERS OF THE VOTE NO ON SIN TAX (ISSUE 7) 2014 CAMPAIGN IN CLEVELAND, OHIO!
IS YOUR FACE IN THERE???
The 20-year ‘Sin Tax’ on Cigarettes and Alcohol which was listed as Issue 7 on the May 6, 2014 Cuyahoga County ballot was approved by the voters: 56% to 44%.
The proponents were very well organized and well funded and had already won the previous two campaigns: 1990 (51% to 49%) and 1995 (72% to 28%).
Unfortunately not everyone was excited about the election – 80% of the voters stayed home.
A surprising result: The Sin Tax was defeated in Cleveland by a small margin of 235 votes (17,959 to 17, 724)
Here is the link to the election results for the May 6 primary from Cuyahoga County BOE:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CDQQ... [1]
Proceeds from the ‘Sin Tax’, about $260 million in 20-years, will be used to fund the maintenance and upgrades of our three sports facilities and will benefit the billionaire owners of the Browns (First Energy Stadium), Indians (Progressive Field), and Cavaliers (Quicken Loans Arena).
The attached photographs show the faces of the supporters that I met during the course of the campaign – during demonstrations, at meetings, at debates, and when they came to our house to pick up yard signs.
There were nearly 90 hours of demonstrations – equivalent to the walking of nearly 300 miles in all kinds of weather, from March 3 to May 6, 2014, mainly on the west side and a few in downtown Cleveland.
The demonstrations are documented in two Youtube videos listed in the References.
Nearly 100 VOTE NO ON SIN TAX campaign yard signs were distributed (free of charge) and were used all over Cleveland and in some of the suburbs.
BAD NEWS/GOOD NEWS AT THE POLLING STATION!
(Outside Election Precinct 16-L on West 140th Street, May 6, early afternoon)
Bad News:
When I arrived at the polling station, shortly after noon, I was told I did not have a valid ID – the photo ID had expired and that I would have to cast a provisional ballot.
Good News:
While the ID had expired – I had not yet expired and my NO VOTE would still count.
I went home – demonstrating along the way -- brought a utility bill with my name and address – walked back – and filled the papers for the provisional ballot.
Got the ballot and the first act was to look for the infamous Issue 7 and fill the bubble for NO – and then my heart burst in untold joy.
It took nearly 90-hours of demonstrations – the equivalent of walking nearly 300 miles to experience happiness in a polling booth.
SIN TAXES:
‘Sin Taxes’ are regressive excise taxes levied mostly on alcohol and cigarettes to provide funds to governing institutions.
Both Progressive Field and Quicken Loans Arena were built with public funds generated as a result of the first ‘Sin Tax’ approved by Cuyahoga county voters in 1990.
In 1995, the second ‘Sin Tax’ was again approved by the county voters to build and maintain the third facility -- Browns Stadium – now called First Energy Stadium.
Cuyahoga County, Ohio’s current ‘Sin Tax’, which is due to expire on July 31, 2015 -- is assessed at:
4.5 cents per pack of cigarettes,
1.5 cents per 12-ounce bottle of beer,
6 cents per 750-milliliter bottle of wine,
32 cents per gallon of mixed beverages,
24 cents per gallon of cider and,
$3 per gallon of hard liquor.
REFERENCE LINKS:
*Two Youtube videos pertaining to the VOTE NO ON SIN TAX campaign:
PART 1: http://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=tWSFdY3xG7U&u=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dh [2]. (Slideshow, with music, covering the campaign)
PART 2: http://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=Fqpt5ZNgb60&u=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Df [3]... (Demonstration at the corner of Lorain Avenue and West 150th Street. Video was filmed on April 7, 2014)
*Website for CAST -- Coalition Against the Sin Tax:
www.noclevelandsintax.com [4]
*CAST -- Coalition Against the Sin Tax site on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=251090068396355 [5]
*VOTE NO ON SIN TAX ON MAY 6, 2014 (Anti-‘Sin Tax’ Group on Facebook):
https://www.facebook.com/groups/614104975338900/ [6]
*IT’S A SIN, CLEVELAND (Anti-‘Sin Tax’ Group on Facebook):
https://www.facebook.com/groups/antisin/ [7]
*Satinder P. S. Puri’s blog on REALNEO:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&u... [8]
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