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Jul

27

With MedMart tax passed, the Port Authority is joking, right?

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I don’t know if it’s a big deal or not, the Port Authority’s millage. But based on the anger over how the Cuyahoga County Commissioners (2-1) voted in a sales tax increase, I’d think that the port’s job just got a lot harder.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:43 pm July 27th, 2007 in Politics | 2 Comments 

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Jul

27

Regula pays attention to the coming 911 crisis

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Prosecutors don’t get to pick their cases’ victims. And Democrats don’t get to choose who pursues all the issues that need to get pursued.

So it is that Congressman Ralph Regula (R, OH-16) seems to be on the verge of procuring money for Wayne County’s emergency services.

I’ve been harping on the 911 and wireless 911 problem for a while now. So even though the money isn’t targeted to that problem, I would hope that it’s one of the many links the first responders will seek to strengthen. Anyone know how the rest of the Ohio delegation is doing at the federal level on such moneys?

I’ve just emailed my state rep. Josh Mandel and asked for a status update from the Ohio GA re: renewing the 32 cent fee that’s supposed to be going toward Ohio’s efforts on the 911 front. You can read more here.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:03 pm July 27th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off 

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Jul

27

CJN on Mandel’s tour of duty: advocating for constituents and having a vote are not the same

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The Cleveland Jewish News offers the following information as to how State Rep. Josh Mandel’s (R, 17the district) physical absence from the Ohio statehouse will affect, or not affect, constituent representation in Ohio’s general assembly:

District director Jonathan E. Petrea and legislative aide Michael Lord will handle Mandel’s duties and answer to the community while he’s gone. Petrea, of Mayfield Heights, and Lord, of Pepper Pike, “know the district well and are capable of advocating for my constituents,” contends the Marine reservist.

…

Ohio law won’t allow Mandel to vote on behalf of his district while he’s overseas, Stivers told the CJN Monday. Nor will Mandel’s temporary replacements be able to vote in his stead. Stivers is sponsoring a bill that would allow for proxy voting, he says, but the bill has yet to move through Ohio senate.

The voting issue is important, but it’s not as critical as dealing with constituent issues, notes Joyce Garver Keller, Columbus-based lobbyist for Ohio Jewish Communities. Mandel’s staff should be able to take care of the constituency in his absence.

As for Mandel’s district being without a voting representative, “most (bills before the House) don’t hinge on one vote,” says Garver Keller.

As a constituent, I’ll have to wait and see what impact, if any, the lack of a vote for the district makes. But on a personal level, it feels similar to how I feel about the commissioners being able to pass a tax without my say: the Ohio general assembly will now proceed as it wishes without a vote on the record to weigh in. One question I’d be interested to have Josh answer is, how did he feel after the hard work he put into HB 151 ended up precluding a vote, for now?

I don’t actually know how it made him feel, but I know it would be upsetting to me.

Having a vote, a say, on issues has nothing to do with what Garver says about whether a bill hinges on that vote or not. It has to do with our representative government.

Mandel has been very empathetic to the conflict the constituents have about the war, yet still support his efforts. I’m in that camp. But likewise, I’m in the camp of constituents who feel conflicted about my state rep being unavailable to vote as my representative to Ohio’s general assembly because he’s volunteering for duty and will be gone for eight months. I know I’m not alone.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:44 am July 27th, 2007 in Politics | 11 Comments 

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Jul

27

Part IV, Q/A with Ann Sheldon, OAGC: Be informed, be involved, be persistent (don’t I know it)

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This post is the final in a series of four posts. I posed the questions via email to Ann Sheldon, lobbyist and executive director of the Ohio Association for Gifted Children.

The first post is here.

The second post is here.

The third post is here.

Q: What is OAGC’s opinion about the school funding amendment currently being promoted?

The school funding amendment is the only potential policy initiative that specifically includes the needs of gifted students. Naturally, OAGC members tend to support that language!

Q: One of its elements is for the Ohio Board of Education to define “high quality education.” Is this a positive move? Why or why not?

I guess the question I have about defining “high quality education” is whether the quality will be defined in general terms or for student groups with differing needs. The school funding amendment specifically speaks to the issue of defining high quality education as being dependent on differentiated needs. That is a positive move.

Q: What three concrete steps can individuals with an interest in the provision of gifted education in Ohio take to improve what’s currently available?

Great question! The short answer is this: 1) Be informed 2) Be involved and 3) Be persistent. The long answer is, naturally, a little more involved.

1) BE INFORMED — In order to advocate for gifted children at any level, from your own child to local district to state level and even to the federal level, it is important to know who gifted children are, what their needs tend to be, what can be done to help them, and why it is important to serve them. Your first stop can be the library or if you have internet access there are many websites to help out. If you start with www.oagc.com, there are many links that will provide individuals with the basics of identification, characteristics, advocacy issues, rules and laws, and research on best practices. From there, it is relatively easy to find more information on the areas that are of the most interest.

2) BE INVOLVED — Gifted students in public or private settings in Ohio are often not provided for as they need to be without some level of involvement from the parent. It there is a parent group for gifted children in your district, join it. There is definitely power in numbers. There are also a number of online opportunities/communities where you can ask questions, discuss issues, and get advice for advocating at various levels. Again, if you go to the OAGC website, you can find online groups, find out how to start a parent group, or determine how best to approach a teacher about your child.

3) BE PERSISTENT – It’s important to know that if something or someone is really important to you, don’t give up. If your child has special needs, find some way to meet them whether it is in their current school, at home, or some other environment. I tell parents frequently that they should take a cue from their children, who almost never accept “no” as the final answer. “No” can mean “not now,” “not at this school,” “not when you ask it that way” or a number of different things. “No” really only means “no” when you stop asking or seeking for an answer. Children are too important for you to give up on, so please never stop advocating on their behalf.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:30 am July 27th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off 

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Jul

27

Michael Flory jeered by Plain Dealer

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From today’s PD:

JEERS . . .

to Michael Flory, once an up-and-coming Republican leader in Michigan, now a guy with a sexual battery conviction on his rap sheet. Asked in a Cuyahoga County courtroom whether he was guilty of forcing himself on an intoxicated young woman during a convention in Cleveland last summer, he replied, “Sure – yeah.” Such deep remorse tugs at the heartstrings, doesn’t it?

Precisely why I can’t believe Flory would go on to say this.

Just speculating, from a clinical perspective, but this guy has not hit the bottom yet. That bottom can be hard to find – just check out what’s going on with Lindsay Lohan. But, likely, he’ll remain his worst victim.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:21 am July 27th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off 

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Jul

27

Remains of the Day, 7-26-07

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It does get easier, doesn’t it?

1. Sales tax you say? Why not just Put It On The Ballot?

2. King gives his review of the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County’s platform meeting. I’m not sure what it means to compare my mayor, Bruce Akers, to Frank Jackson. But I know if I email Ralph, he will help me out with that. Ralph – us Pepper Pike residents have definite views about the mayor, that’s for sure.

3. Bloggapalooza.

4. How about a shout-out for some women who are running for office, Kelley Wenzlaff and Robyn Weirauch. If you’re an Ohio woman running for office, email me so I can post a link to your info too.

5. Finally, check this out – Chagrin Herald Sun has started community pages for each of the cities it covers. Pepper Pike News and everything. Thing is, how many PP residents are going to find their way there?

Gotta go put cucumber slices over my eyes.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:28 am July 27th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off 

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