WENDELL ROBINSON . COM

I’m a firm believer in the idea that we live in a representative democracy - we (the people) elect folks that we (the people) believe are best-suited (or at least the best of those on the ballot) for their jobs.  A basic tenet of our system of government is that along with our proxy comes the burden of trust that we place in our elected officials - it’s expected that our representatives will operate in a way that works in concert with what we (the people) want.  When they betray that trust, it’s our duty to remove them from office.

It would seem to me that there are plenty of us in this community who feel like their right of suffrage is being denied by the representatives (Tim Hagan and Jimmy Dimora - two of the three duly elected county commissioners who chose to invoke the sales tax increase through an abbreviated fast-track process meant specifically to circumvent a voter revolt).  I read every day numerous well-written, well thought out (kudos specifically to the Ferrises Gloria and Tim as well as Roger Bundy who’ve done such a good job talking about this that I’ve chosen to let them and everybody else do the talking for me - especially after I said this and this) blog posts about how screwed everybody feels, so…

Here’s my question for those of us who oppose the Medical Mart …er Convention Center …er GENERAL FUND Sales Tax Increase (levels of emphasis very much mine, do I need to draw you a picture?) - which one of these elected officials do you intend to vote against the next time they’re on the ballot?

City of Cleveland Ward 1, Councilwoman Nina Turner

City of Cleveland Ward 2, Councilman Robert J. White, III

City of Cleveland Ward 4, Councilman Kenneth L. Johnson

City of Cleveland Ward 5, Councilwoman Phyllis Cleveland

City of Cleveland Ward 6, Councilwoman Patricia J. Britt

City of Cleveland Ward 8, Councilwoman Sabra Pierce Scott

City of Cleveland Ward 9, Councilman Kevin Conwell

City of Cleveland Ward 10, Councilman Roosevelt Coats

City of Cleveland Ward 12, Councilman Anthony Brancatelli

City of Cleveland Ward 13, Councilman Joe Cimperman

City of Cleveland Ward 14, Councilman Joe Santiago

City of Cleveland Ward 16, Councilman Kevin J. Kelley

City of Cleveland Ward 17, Councilman Matt Zone

City of Cleveland Ward 18, Councilman Jay Westbrook

City of Cleveland Ward 20, Council President Martin J. Sweeney

City of Cleveland Ward 21, Councilman Martin J. Keane

Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora

Cuyahoga County Commissioner Tim Hagan

Mayor of Bay Village, Debbie Sutherland

Mayor of Beachwood, Merle Gordon

Mayor of Bedford, Daniel Pocek

Mayor of Bentleyville, Michael Canty

Mayor of Berea, Joseph Biddlecombe

Mayor of Bratenahl, John Licastro

Mayor of Brecksville, Jerry Hruby

Mayor of Broadview Heights, Glenn Goodwin

Mayor of Brook Park, Mark Elliott

Mayor of Brooklyn Heights, Michael Procuk

Mayor of Chagrin Falls, Tom Brick

Mayor, City of Cleveland, Frank Jackson

Mayor of Cleveland Heights, Ed Kelley

Mayor of Cuyahoga Heights, Ralph Contipelli

Mayor of East Cleveland, Eric Brewer

Mayor of Euclid, Bill Cervenik

Mayor of Fairview Park, Eileen Ann Patton

Mayor of Garfield Heights, Thomas Longo

Mayor of Gates Mills, Connie White

Mayor of Hunting Valley, John Wheeler

Mayor of Independence, Fred Ramos

Mayor of Lakewood, Thomas George

Mayor of Lyndhurst, Joseph Cicero

Mayor of Maple Heights, Michael Ciaravino

Mayor of Mayfield Heights, Gregory Costabile

Mayor of Mayfield Village, Bruce Rinker

Mayor of Middleburg Heights, Gary Starr

Mayor of North Royalton, Cathy Luks

Mayor of Olmsted Falls, Robert Blomquist

Mayor of Orange Village, Kathy Mulcahy

Mayor of Parma, Dean DePiero

Mayor of Parma Heights, Martin Zanotti

Mayor of Pepper Pike, Bruce Akers

Mayor of Rocky River, Pamela Bobst

Mayor of Shaker Heights, Judith Rawson

Mayor of Solon, Kevin Patton

Mayor of South Euclid, Georgine Welo

Mayor of University Heights, Beryl Rothschild

Mayor of Valley View, Randall Westfall

Mayor of Warrensville Heights, Marcia Fudge

Well?  I noticed on the list above people who’s constituents are my fellow bloggers.  Well?  Who are you gonna vote for (or against) the next time one of those sales tax increase without a vote of the people supporters appears on your ballot? 

I hope that my friends out there circulating petitions succeed (I actually have one that I need to get signed - my task for tomorrow), and even if they do - don’t you think the time has come throw some of these bums out?