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Jun
28
Remains of the Day, 6-28-07
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Tomorrow is Friday, right?
1. If you missed the regional roundtable on WCPN this morning (WLST, Joe Frolik of the PD and Jay Miller of Crains), you can listen to the archived version here.
2. Honey? It ain’t the Starbursts. I have first-hand experience in this situation.
WARNING: the following testimonial may be TMI for some people.
When I was a freshman in college and going steady, much to my shock and horror and pain, my jaw locked in place while locking lips with my sweetie. I was 18. From that time to this day, I continue to have occasions when my jaw locks in place (though never again while locking lips). It’s incredibly painful and somewhat embarrassing when it happens in public: I have to place my index fingers inside the back of mouth, with my thumbs on the joints just under my ears and literally, manually, unlock my jaw.
When I was about 24, after two years of numerous treatments that did little to alleviate the discomfort and incidences of my jaw locking, I had braces, for a second time, to treat the TMJ. I still wear a bite plate at night to keep the general fit of my jaws and minimize the condition. I have an episode maybe once or twice a year now.
Some people think TMJ is caused by stress or is fabricated. I’m here to tell you that I don’t really care how anyone discovers that they are susceptible to it, but it doesn’t have a thing to do with chewing Starbursts. When Victoria McArthur’s jaw locked, no doubt, she was in shock. And she wants to say that the Starbursts caused her injury.
But if I were the Mars Corporation, I would fight it. If only because I never sued my ex-boyfriend for “injuring” me the same way (though he did injure me emotionally, boo-hoo; we’re talking about the same guy who bootlegged The Police at My Father’s Place). But also because, although it’s a pain, pun intended, to discover that you have TMJ, if it wasn’t the Starbursts, it could have been anything else. Her jaw’s misalignment most likely has existed her entire life.
And someone should definitely find out more about McArthur’s yawning, kissing and pizza-eating habits, for starters. Hmm – it’s enough to make me want to re-activate my law license.
3. Wendy Hoke and I have trashed PINK magazine before, primarily when it first started. But I signed up for the free e-newsletters and today, it contained enough substance that I will now cautiously say, it might be worth a look more regularly.
One example is the article, States Where Women Grow Their Businesses – Ohio ranks very well overall. Interesting, yes?
The e-newsletter itself has an interview with Baltimore’s first female mayor, Sheila Dixon, but it doesn’t appear to be online yet (it will be in the July issue of the magazine).
And finally, there’s this online exclusive about women in politics.
I’m still not 100% committed, but I’m thinking its evolved.
4. July’s Inside Business features a piece by Dan Hanson that actually utilizes something I’ve written about before – the Electric Slide dance creators eccentricity. Listen here and you’ll know what I mean.
5. If people can wear pink, green, yellow and blue gingham seersucker pants in public, you wear whatever your little heart desires. Honestly – how many people care what their FAA controllers look like? If they can land my plane, I don’t care if they’re naked.
6. Speaking of fashion, more on Liz Claiborne, RIP. Yes, I bought and wore her clothing, although the last item that came from her line was given to me several years ago by my husband. It’s a lilac cotton cable crewneck sweater and I still wear it.
7. Frank Gruttadaria, the convicted stock bilker, I mean broker. I wrote about Judge Joan Synenberg’s connection to him – she was his lawyer, along with her husband, Roger.
8. Lisa Renee of Glass City Jungle and Nasty Brutish and Short’s David have both discussed the topic of vehicular deaths. Here’s another one, involving a pedestrian 17 year old who is now dead and an 18 year old driver who allegedly broke a traffic law before striking the 17 year old.
9. Report on the consequences of dropping out of school. Powerful.
10. The Task Force on the Code of Judicial Conduct overhaul that I’ve mentioned has been appointed.
11. Red knickers at Wimbledon? What is the world coming to?
Sleep, I hope.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:22 pm June 28th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jun
28
Public hearings on med mart/sales tax plan: July 19 and 26
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First, let me clarify this: the new website is for Cuyahoga County, not the county commissioners. Officially or unofficially, I’m not sure what that means. But the commissioners’ site is still here.
However, what I saw – the Med Mart banner? It’s there – but on the County’s new site (which is in fact newish), not the commissioner’s site. Thank you Chas Rich for linking to me so I realize what I wrote.
Apologies to anyone whom I confused or dissed with this mistake.
Now, also thanks to Chas for mentioning the dates for what he says are “public hearings”:
July 19 and July 26
on the proposed sales tax hike to fund a convention center and that med mart that has that lovely banner on the county page.
Now, all I seem to get were links to pdfs when I wanted to look at the commissioners’ meeting schedule. I’m guessing Chas went the step to open it. Again, thanks. I’m in need of not typing and posting so quickly because I’m making too many errors – nothing enormous I suppose, but not acceptable to me.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:10 pm June 28th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jun
28
PD’s Aaron Marshall comes through
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On Wednesday, the governor told a Plain Dealer reporter in Streetsboro that he would almost certainly veto a special education voucher pilot program pushed through by Republicans for 8,000 students.
Maybe I wasn’t the only one who felt this way.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:52 pm June 28th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jun
28
Remains of the Day, 6-28-07
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Tomorrow is Friday, right?
1. If you missed the regional roundtable on WCPN this morning (WLST, Joe Frolik of the PD and Jay Miller of Crains), you can listen to the archived version here.
2. Honey? It ain’t the Starbursts. I have first-hand experience in this situation.
WARNING: the following testimonial may be TMI for some people.
When I was a freshman in college and going steady, much to my shock and horror and pain, my jaw locked in place while locking lips with my sweetie. I was 18. From that time to this day, I continue to have occasions when my jaw locks in place (though never again while locking lips). It’s incredibly painful and somewhat embarrassing when it happens in public: I have to place my index fingers inside the back of mouth, with my thumbs on the joints just under my ears and literally, manually, unlock my jaw.
When I was about 24, after two years of numerous treatments that did little to alleviate the discomfort and incidences of my jaw locking, I had braces, for a second time, to treat the TMJ. I still wear a bite plate at night to keep the general fit of my jaws and minimize the condition. I have an episode maybe once or twice a year now.
Some people think TMJ is caused by stress or is fabricated. I’m here to tell you that I don’t really care how anyone discovers that they are susceptible to it, but it doesn’t have a thing to do with chewing Starbursts. When Victoria McArthur’s jaw locked, no doubt, she was in shock. And she wants to say that the Starbursts caused her injury.
But if I were the Mars Corporation, I would fight it. If only because I never sued my ex-boyfriend for “injuring” me the same way (though he did injure me emotionally, boo-hoo; we’re talking about the same guy who bootlegged The Police at My Father’s Place). But also because, although it’s a pain, pun intended, to discover that you have TMJ, if it wasn’t the Starbursts, it could have been anything else. Her jaw’s misalignment most likely has existed her entire life.
And someone should definitely find out more about McArthur’s yawning, kissing and pizza-eating habits, for starters. Hmm – it’s enough to make me want to re-activate my law license.
3. Wendy Hoke and I have trashed PINK magazine before, primarily when it first started. But I signed up for the free e-newsletters and today, it contained enough substance that I will now cautiously say, it might be worth a look more regularly.
One example is the article, States Where Women Grow Their Businesses – Ohio ranks very well overall. Interesting, yes?
The e-newsletter itself has an interview with Baltimore’s first female mayor, Sheila Dixon, but it doesn’t appear to be online yet (it will be in the July issue of the magazine).
And finally, there’s this online exclusive about women in politics.
I’m still not 100% committed, but I’m thinking its evolved.
4. July’s Inside Business features a piece by Dan Hanson that actually utilizes something I’ve written about before – the Electric Slide dance creators eccentricity. Listen here and you’ll know what I mean.
5. If people can wear pink, green, yellow and blue gingham seersucker pants in public, you wear whatever your little heart desires. Honestly – how many people care what their FAA controllers look like? If they can land my plane, I don’t care if they’re naked.
6. Speaking of fashion, more on Liz Claiborne, RIP. Yes, I bought and wore her clothing, although the last item that came from her line was given to me several years ago by my husband. It’s a lilac cotton cable crewneck sweater and I still wear it.
7. Frank Gruttadaria, the convicted stock bilker, I mean broker. I wrote about Judge Joan Synenberg’s connection to him – she was his lawyer, along with her husband, Roger.
8. Lisa Renee of Glass City Jungle and Nasty Brutish and Short’s David have both discussed the topic of vehicular deaths. Here’s another one, involving a pedestrian 17 year old who is now dead and an 18 year old driver who allegedly broke a traffic law before striking the 17 year old.
9. Report on the consequences of dropping out of school. Powerful.
10. The Task Force on the Code of Judicial Conduct overhaul that I’ve mentioned has been appointed.
11. Red knickers at Wimbledon? What is the world coming to?
Sleep, I hope.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:22 pm June 28th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jun
28
Iran, Sudan, Rolls Royce and Ohio
Filed Under Politics | 2 Comments
This morning on WCPN’s Sound of Ideas, Crain’s Jay Miller reported the rumor he has heard that the $2 billion investment into Ohio that’s been hinted at by Governor Ted Strickland will be the construction and operation of a jet engine production facility, possibly in Southwest Ohio.
CAVEAT: Jay said that this is the rumor, that he doesn’t have confirmation of it but had a source for the information but did not reveal the source. Jay did fine.
Why I’m bothering:
Because Bill Batchelder indicated earlier this month that the Iran divestment bill, HB151, being pushed by State Reps. Josh Mandel and Shannon Jones, was giving him the willies when he thought about companies like Rolls Royce, which has been looking at a variety of Ohio sites for months now, related to building a new facility.
You want me to connect the dots, or do you want to do that yourselves?
HB151 got killed and now we may be on the brink of a $2 billion deal with…Rolls Royce.
Now, Mandel said that Rolls Royce would be excluded from being “dirty” under the bill because, he said, RR said that it was getting out of Sudan.
Nevertheless, we have HB151 dropped and RR about to possibly come in. And Batchelder being an instigator of getting the bill sidetracked in part because of companies Ohio hopes to get to move here.
Oh – did I just connect some dots?
We’ll have to wait though to see if any of this ends up being right.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:36 pm June 28th, 2007 in Politics | 2 Comments
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Jun
28
Public hearings on med mart/sales tax plan: July 19 and 26
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First, let me clarify this: the new website is for Cuyahoga County, not the county commissioners. Officially or unofficially, I’m not sure what that means. But the commissioners’ site is still here.
However, what I saw – the Med Mart banner? It’s there – but on the County’s new site (which is in fact newish), not the commissioner’s site. Thank you Chas Rich for linking to me so I realize what I wrote.
Apologies to anyone whom I confused or dissed with this mistake.
Now, also thanks to Chas for mentioning the dates for what he says are “public hearings”:
July 19 and July 26
on the proposed sales tax hike to fund a convention center and that med mart that has that lovely banner on the county page.
Now, all I seem to get were links to pdfs when I wanted to look at the commissioners’ meeting schedule. I’m guessing Chas went the step to open it. Again, thanks. I’m in need of not typing and posting so quickly because I’m making too many errors – nothing enormous I suppose, but not acceptable to me.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:10 pm June 28th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jun
28
New band forming? Zach Reed and The Republicans
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So implies this report from Tom Beres of Channel 3:
After more than a week of public grumbling, a campaign to force a vote on a Cuyahoga County sales tax increase is taking shape. So far the unlikely allies are the Cuyahoga County Republican Party and Democratic Cleveland Councilman Zachary Reed.
Cuyahoga County Commissioners Tim Hagan and Jimmy Dimora have set the wheels in motion to raise the sales tax a quarter percent to 7 3/4 percent.
It’s already the state’s highest.
Reed and Republicans echo each other saying people deserve a right to vote on a universal tax and a project of this significance.
Republican Executive Director Steven Backiel says, “The Republican Party believes this is an issue that should be brought up at the ballot box , not an administrative meeting between commisssioners. We intend to work in a bi-partisan fashion to make sure the residens have their rightful say on this issue.”
Reed said, “This is clearly taxation without representation. They represent us. They should come get feedback from citizens. Nine out of ten times, citizens get it right.”
Keep your eyes out for more stories in more places about the Cuyahoga County Commissioners and the idea of a convention center and medical mart coming to town. It’s going to get more, not less, interesting.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 4:51 pm June 28th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jun
28
PD’s Aaron Marshall comes through
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On Wednesday, the governor told a Plain Dealer reporter in Streetsboro that he would almost certainly veto a special education voucher pilot program pushed through by Republicans for 8,000 students.
Maybe I wasn’t the only one who felt this way.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:52 pm June 28th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jun
28
Public hearings on med mart/sales tax plan: July 19 and 26
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
First, let me clarify this: the new website is for Cuyahoga County, not the county commissioners. Officially or unofficially, I’m not sure what that means. But the commissioners’ site is still here.
However, what I saw – the Med Mart banner? It’s there – but on the County’s new site (which is in fact newish), not the commissioner’s site. Thank you Chas Rich for linking to me so I realize what I wrote.
Apologies to anyone whom I confused or dissed with this mistake.
Now, also thanks to Chas for mentioning the dates for what he says are “public hearings”:
July 19 and July 26
on the proposed sales tax hike to fund a convention center and that med mart that has that lovely banner on the county page.
Now, all I seem to get were links to pdfs when I wanted to look at the commissioners’ meeting schedule. I’m guessing Chas went the step to open it. Again, thanks. I’m in need of not typing and posting so quickly because I’m making too many errors – nothing enormous I suppose, but not acceptable to me.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:10 pm June 28th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jun
28
Iran, Sudan, Rolls Royce and Ohio
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This morning on WCPN’s Sound of Ideas, Crain’s Jay Miller reported the rumor he has heard that the $2 billion investment into Ohio that’s been hinted at by Governor Ted Strickland will be the construction and operation of a jet engine production facility, possibly in Southwest Ohio.
CAVEAT: Jay said that this is the rumor, that he doesn’t have confirmation of it but had a source for the information but did not reveal the source. Jay did fine.
Why I’m bothering:
Because Bill Batchelder indicated earlier this month that the Iran divestment bill, HB151, being pushed by State Reps. Josh Mandel and Shannon Jones, was giving him the willies when he thought about companies like Rolls Royce, which has been looking at a variety of Ohio sites for months now, related to building a new facility.
You want me to connect the dots, or do you want to do that yourselves?
HB151 got killed and now we may be on the brink of a $2 billion deal with…Rolls Royce.
Now, Mandel said that Rolls Royce would be excluded from being “dirty” under the bill because, he said, RR said that it was getting out of Sudan.
Nevertheless, we have HB151 dropped and RR about to possibly come in. And Batchelder being an instigator of getting the bill sidetracked in part because of companies Ohio hopes to get to move here.
Oh – did I just connect some dots?
We’ll have to wait though to see if any of this ends up being right.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:36 pm June 28th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jun
28
PD’s Aaron Marshall comes through
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On Wednesday, the governor told a Plain Dealer reporter in Streetsboro that he would almost certainly veto a special education voucher pilot program pushed through by Republicans for 8,000 students.
Maybe I wasn’t the only one who felt this way.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 12:52 pm June 28th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jun
28
New band forming? Zach Reed and The Republicans
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So implies this report from Tom Beres of Channel 3:
After more than a week of public grumbling, a campaign to force a vote on a Cuyahoga County sales tax increase is taking shape. So far the unlikely allies are the Cuyahoga County Republican Party and Democratic Cleveland Councilman Zachary Reed.
Cuyahoga County Commissioners Tim Hagan and Jimmy Dimora have set the wheels in motion to raise the sales tax a quarter percent to 7 3/4 percent.
It’s already the state’s highest.
Reed and Republicans echo each other saying people deserve a right to vote on a universal tax and a project of this significance.
Republican Executive Director Steven Backiel says, “The Republican Party believes this is an issue that should be brought up at the ballot box , not an administrative meeting between commisssioners. We intend to work in a bi-partisan fashion to make sure the residens have their rightful say on this issue.”
Reed said, “This is clearly taxation without representation. They represent us. They should come get feedback from citizens. Nine out of ten times, citizens get it right.”
Keep your eyes out for more stories in more places about the Cuyahoga County Commissioners and the idea of a convention center and medical mart coming to town. It’s going to get more, not less, interesting.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 12:51 pm June 28th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jun
28
Thank you, Cincy Enquirer: focused editorial on line-item veto & vouchers
Filed Under Politics | 7 Comments
You can read it here.
The Plain Dealer has this breakdown of the Ohio budget, which Strickland must sign by midnight Saturday night, per the Enquirer article.
For the record, I don’t get it.
The funding for services for kids on IEPs typically comes from the federal government, yes? So the $160 million – is that federal money? Are we allowed to transfer that to private schools? Will this provision be able to be challenged?
And I wish people who keep talking about teachers unions would stop. You are jaded. This isn’t about that. I mean, maybe it is – but it’s about far more.
Service provision to high needs kids, whether gifted or special ed, has to be done a scale of economy. And moving 3% of kids on IEPs across how many schools is going to completely undermine the ability to serve these children.
Will it ease the parents’ pocketbook? Maybe in the extreme short-term.
But I have yet to read a single article about how this will actually work or help. And I’ve already linked to studies that say it won’t.
I’ve been involved in the education of kids and parents of kids with special needs for over eight years. And I’m telling you, this special ed voucher program has very real problems if your interest is in the kids.
If your interest is anywhere else, then you’re just using the kids. Talk about insult on injury.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:24 am June 28th, 2007 in Politics | 7 Comments
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Jun
28
Iran, Sudan, Rolls Royce and Ohio
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
This morning on WCPN’s Sound of Ideas, Crain’s Jay Miller reported the rumor he has heard that the $2 billion investment into Ohio that’s been hinted at by Governor Ted Strickland will be the construction and operation of a jet engine production facility, possibly in Southwest Ohio.
CAVEAT: Jay said that this is the rumor, that he doesn’t have confirmation of it but had a source for the information but did not reveal the source. Jay did fine.
Why I’m bothering:
Because Bill Batchelder indicated earlier this month that the Iran divestment bill, HB151, being pushed by State Reps. Josh Mandel and Shannon Jones, was giving him the willies when he thought about companies like Rolls Royce, which has been looking at a variety of Ohio sites for months now, related to building a new facility.
You want me to connect the dots, or do you want to do that yourselves?
HB151 got killed and now we may be on the brink of a $2 billion deal with…Rolls Royce.
Now, Mandel said that Rolls Royce would be excluded from being “dirty” under the bill because, he said, RR said that it was getting out of Sudan.
Nevertheless, we have HB151 dropped and RR about to possibly come in. And Batchelder being an instigator of getting the bill sidetracked in part because of companies Ohio hopes to get to move here.
Oh – did I just connect some dots?
We’ll have to wait though to see if any of this ends up being right.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:36 am June 28th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
Print This Post
Jun
28
New band forming? Zach Reed and The Republicans
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So implies this report from Tom Beres of Channel 3:
After more than a week of public grumbling, a campaign to force a vote on a Cuyahoga County sales tax increase is taking shape. So far the unlikely allies are the Cuyahoga County Republican Party and Democratic Cleveland Councilman Zachary Reed.
Cuyahoga County Commissioners Tim Hagan and Jimmy Dimora have set the wheels in motion to raise the sales tax a quarter percent to 7 3/4 percent.
It’s already the state’s highest.
Reed and Republicans echo each other saying people deserve a right to vote on a universal tax and a project of this significance.
Republican Executive Director Steven Backiel says, “The Republican Party believes this is an issue that should be brought up at the ballot box , not an administrative meeting between commisssioners. We intend to work in a bi-partisan fashion to make sure the residens have their rightful say on this issue.”
Reed said, “This is clearly taxation without representation. They represent us. They should come get feedback from citizens. Nine out of ten times, citizens get it right.”
Keep your eyes out for more stories in more places about the Cuyahoga County Commissioners and the idea of a convention center and medical mart coming to town. It’s going to get more, not less, interesting.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:51 am June 28th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
Print This Post
Jun
28
Thank you, Cincy Enquirer: focused editorial on line-item veto & vouchers
Filed Under Politics | 7 Comments
You can read it here.
The Plain Dealer has this breakdown of the Ohio budget, which Strickland must sign by midnight Saturday night, per the Enquirer article.
For the record, I don’t get it.
The funding for services for kids on IEPs typically comes from the federal government, yes? So the $160 million – is that federal money? Are we allowed to transfer that to private schools? Will this provision be able to be challenged?
And I wish people who keep talking about teachers unions would stop. You are jaded. This isn’t about that. I mean, maybe it is – but it’s about far more.
Service provision to high needs kids, whether gifted or special ed, has to be done a scale of economy. And moving 3% of kids on IEPs across how many schools is going to completely undermine the ability to serve these children.
Will it ease the parents’ pocketbook? Maybe in the extreme short-term.
But I have yet to read a single article about how this will actually work or help. And I’ve already linked to studies that say it won’t.
I’ve been involved in the education of kids and parents of kids with special needs for over eight years. And I’m telling you, this special ed voucher program has very real problems if your interest is in the kids.
If your interest is anywhere else, then you’re just using the kids. Talk about insult on injury.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:24 am June 28th, 2007 in Politics | 7 Comments
Print This Post
Jun
28
Thank you, Cincy Enquirer: focused editorial on line-item veto & vouchers
Filed Under Politics | 7 Comments
You can read it here.
The Plain Dealer has this breakdown of the Ohio budget, which Strickland must sign by midnight Saturday night, per the Enquirer article.
For the record, I don’t get it.
The funding for services for kids on IEPs typically comes from the federal government, yes? So the $160 million – is that federal money? Are we allowed to transfer that to private schools? Will this provision be able to be challenged?
And I wish people who keep talking about teachers unions would stop. You are jaded. This isn’t about that. I mean, maybe it is – but it’s about far more.
Service provision to high needs kids, whether gifted or special ed, has to be done a scale of economy. And moving 3% of kids on IEPs across how many schools is going to completely undermine the ability to serve these children.
Will it ease the parents’ pocketbook? Maybe in the extreme short-term.
But I have yet to read a single article about how this will actually work or help. And I’ve already linked to studies that say it won’t.
I’ve been involved in the education of kids and parents of kids with special needs for over eight years. And I’m telling you, this special ed voucher program has very real problems if your interest is in the kids.
If your interest is anywhere else, then you’re just using the kids. Talk about insult on injury.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 4:24 am June 28th, 2007 in Politics | 7 Comments
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Jun
28
Remains of the Day, 6-27-07
Filed Under Politics | 5 Comments
Wow. When the Mac shutsdown because I ignore that power warning thing, it really shutsdown.
1. Listen to CPN tomorrow.
2. Did anyone notice? The Cuyahoga County Commissioners website is brand-spanking new! And I mean new, as in, new since I wrote about how inadequate it is.
The trade-off? It’s got Medical Mart all. over. it. My tax dollars. UGH. Good news though – Zach Reed and others are seeking to force a vote on the tax increase to pay for the convention center.
3. Liz Claiborne died.
Off to la-la.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:30 am June 28th, 2007 in Politics | 5 Comments
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Jun
28
Stealth promotion of federal funds for faith-based programs, or just a nice story?
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As I alluded to earlier this week, SCOTUS decided to preclude taxpayers from suing the U.S. government over how it uses money via the White House’s faith-based and community initiatives office. The case involved funding for conferences that inform religious organizations on how to get the federal money.
This evening, the Plain Dealer posted this article, which I would guess will be in print tomorrow, “Feds fight gangs by strengthening families.”
Here’s where my background makes it sooooo easy to see weaknesses:
1. I worked in a children and family mental health agency.
2. I just read the SCOTUS decision on Monday and I read how proponents of faith-based funding lamented how services would never occur without the money.
3. When I read “feds fight” and then read “strengthening families” – it’s like reading code language to me for: look at how nicely the federal taxpayer money that’s being used by faith-based initiatives is being spent.
But did the news item mention the SCOTUS decision?
No.
Did the news item mention the faith-based part?
No. (Eight paragraphs into the piece, it says, “Family members participate in the program through churches that agree to offer it.” Earlier in the article, we learn that the kid-oriented part of the program is school-based.)
Is the program in fact a recipient of the faith-based initiative money?
Don’t have a clue, based on the PD piece. However, the G.R.E.A.T. website indicates that, at least for the main program, and I don’t know if also for the family component, the Bureau of Justice Assistance funds the program. (I also don’t know if dispersements go to BJA from the White House faith-based/community initiative office.)
Naturally, if there is in fact no connection to the faith-based office, then of course we wouldn’t read about the SCOTUS case. I get that.
But, if there is, it would’ve been nice if the reporter or the editor tied all this together. And it still could be just as positive a piece as it is now. Seriously. Especially since we do get a mention about some oversight – which is exactly what I want to see, especially if I can’t challenge the use of my taxes for social causes.
I left a comment for the bylined reporter re: might have been nice to tie it in. It’s totally within the realm of possibility that she had done that and it was edited out. I don’t know.
But I hope to hear more about it.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:16 am June 28th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jun
28
OPENERS: Strickland says he "will almost certainly" veto special ed vouchers
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This isn’t from me and I couldn’t find any corroboration. Would’ve been nice if Aaron Marshall had indicated where exactly Governor Ted Strickland was when he said this, though “Anonymous” (how descriptive, I know) left a comment in a previous post to tell me that the governor will be in town speaking tomorrow afternoon (I’ll be sitting in camp pick-up line, Anon, sorry).
Anyway – here’s what Openers says:
The state’s spending blueprint next heads to Gov. Strickland. Strickland can exercise his line-item veto powers, which he said Wednesday that he will almost certainly do on a special education voucher pilot program for 8,000 students.
Given my frustration at so many other news item omitting information about this proposal, I thank Marshall for including this info. Whether it’s true, whether Strickland will veto, remains to be seen. Here’s more on that from The Newark Advocate:
Strickland, a Democrat, has line-item veto power over the budget. He said he expects to veto some items but had not made final decisions as of Wednesday.
Trite but true: we shall see.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:51 am June 28th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off


