When I read the insane article in the Cleveland Plan Dealer, about this $2 million bling for Jacobs, I was going to write about it... after the puke on my key board dried. Thank you for diving right into this sharkpit.

What I love in the plan dealing article - yes, Cleveland, the mayor you made God yesterday hath spoken today and yee shall have a $2 million public subsidized fish tank in the blighted Jacobs zone - and let me further puke for the public spending on the towpath white-flight road to Jacobs, and the bailout of the Coast Guard Station Jacobs "developed" and destroyed.

From the plan dealer...

The mayor called the projects he pointed out during the tour, including moving the skate park near the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to make way for a restaurant and extending the Towpath Trail to the lakefront, "a demonstration of what we've been doing."

In June, Jacobs Investments announced the aquarium project, which calls for a pedestrian tunnel surrounded by water.

The designer, Marinescape NZ Ltd. of New Zealand, has created 21 aquariums around the world. This would be its first in the Western Hemisphere. It is expected to draw more than 400,000 visitors annually and inject more than $10 million into the local economy.

Other projects Jackson outlined include a pedestrian bridge to improve access to the North Coast Harbor and restoration of the Whisky Island Coast Guard Station.

Oh yea, and thanks for letting us know this way that they moved the only cool thing on the lakefront - the skate park - what is that all about?!

I look forward to the Mayor producing the projections for the economic assumptions of this project - "It is expected to draw more than 400,000 visitors annually and inject more than $10 million into the local economy". Casino Bling.

And I'd like to see the projections and plans for that restaurant planned for a few 100 yards from where the Hornblowers Restaurant just went broke.

And, economic justifiaction for the bridge to nowhere...

And an explanation for the utter failure of RTA's Waterfront Line...

And a reason why anyone should spend good money to live downtown in pollution central, with no sign our leadership gives a damn about public health.

Either of you really running for Mayor? Explain all that.

Disrupt IT

Norm, you hit on the essence of propaganda on these projects.

Oh, yes, 400,000 people - why not 4 million - and $10 million in economic activity, why not $100 million.  When you are making up numbers why stop at piddling numbers why not go into space.

Thanks for the additions.

Here's the original article link:
 

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/09/mayor_frank_jackson_wants_city.html

As residents, we need to contact our current council reps and make it known to them that subsidizing developers with a 2 million dollar loan is wrong.

If you have any questions about a specific item on the calendar, please contact Katherine Bulava at (216) 857-7362 or at kbulava [at] clevelandcitycouncil [dot] org" href="http://us.mc824.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=kbulava [at] clevelandcitycouncil [dot] org">kbulava [at] clevelandcitycouncil [dot] org.

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I agree with you Roldo about cutting the fat out of administration before cutting the services. They keep redecorating,for instance the stations all getting face lifts. That’s a good thing but not while your cutting services. They have no housing on the lines, that is really the direction to go if you get into intergovernmental cooperation, not sharing capital. But actually doing things that make sense, like residential on the line. Consolidation of lines and then concentration of housing on the lines. But also clustering commercial and industrial on the lines. It's not about telling people were to live but advertising the option and ensuring that it is open to all and at a reasonable price.

I do not agree with Patmon, his comment was 100% political and sort of dumb, and intended to appease people that may not realize that the city and RTA funding are separate.

Then is a doodle board like water boarding…makes you wonder doesn’t it.

The alternative that Patmon presents in an article on wkyc.com is odd; give the money to RTA to run the circulator buses? The city does not fund the buses do they?

Here is a link to Marinescape, they are who will be building 123,000 sq ft aquarium into the Powerhouse.  The site is informative, they have current projects in a list but the Cleveland project is not on it. They also have all the current aquarium that they operate throughout the world, they are a New Zealand based company. This will be the first venture in the US.

I found the site as informative, they have current projects disclosed, however the Cleveland project is not. They also list all the current aquariums that they operate throughout the world, they are a New Zealand based company. This will be their first venture in the US.

They operate primarily in Asia with four exceptions; two located in the UK another in St Petersburg Russia and the fourth in Astana Kazakhstan

  He worked on Jacobs behalf, too, going against Mike White and ultimately killing his political career, by supporting Jacobs shadow Figgie deal in the Chagrin Highlands debacle that resulted in taxpayers funding the highway interchange for Jacobs.  It's all we seem to do with our money and because folks, we have no memory, we do the same thing over and over and over--ad nauseum. 
 

LETTER TO THE EDITOR of THE FREE TIMES, 3-22-01

``I am writing in response to Councilman Bill Patmon's comments on the Chagrin Highlands project ("Battle for the Highlands," March 7 [2001]).

There are enormous environmental, social and economic costs attached to the Chagrin Highlands project.

Chagrin Highlands is really a misnomer for the 630 acres leased by the City of Cleveland to the Jacobs Group. The area should be truthfully called "Mill Creek Headwaters." Visualize wildlife, wetlands and land area the size of a Metroparks reservation and you get an idea of the possible impact.

This project affects thousands of homeowners and local retailers. The traffic issues have been studied by NOACA [Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency] for over 10 years.

In 1996, Chris Warren from the city's economic development department met with local representatives from the Sierra Club to listen to concerns over the proposed I-271 interchange.

Ironically, the main objective was to protect Camp Forbes, the only outdoor recreational camp experience available to many city kids. Camp Forbes is adjacent to the project.

The taxpayers of Ohio footed half of the bill to construct the I-271 interchange at Harvard and Richmond roads under the condition that "big box" retail and its subsequent parking and traffic impact would be prohibited.

Now Jacobs is making yet another questionable deal with some members of Cleveland City Council. To Councilman Bill Patmon -- who claims this isn't about issues, but about "friends and enemies" -- I say, take a good look at Jacobs' South Park mall.''

Laura McShane, Cleveland

More on Chagrin Highlands: Dirty Details of Chagrin Highlands Development Deal

 Re-read Roldo's blog above and then the story at cleveland.com where Jacobs says that there is no longer a 40 job creation guarantee, just 20. There is not any mention of reducing the low interest $2,000,000 loan in half. Gift indeed.

An excerpt from that story shows only one council representative objecting:

Jeff Johnson was the lone council member to speak out about the change on Monday. He asked what documentation that Jacobs Entertainment Group and Marinescape provided to justify the cut in the jobs guarantee.

"We had a deal and now the deal is changing," Johnson told Nichols. "I haven't seen any reason that tells me why I should be signing off on a new deal."

Nichols said she was relying on the explanation given by company officials as to why they could no longer guarantee 40 jobs.

Thanks DWebb for catching the shell game Jacobs played on the City of Cleveland...I am so glad that we LOAN money to MILLIONAIRES....

For a little perspective - see past columns in the sidebar - Roldo's comments at the Cleveland Leader:

http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/23485

From Eric Jonathon Brewer: I'll explain why I believe Mayor Frank Jackson will be criminally-prosecuted along with other law enforcement officials down the chain-of-command.

Tamir Rice's family understood that Attorney Ben Crump was the better fit to get justice for the 12-year-old because of his close connection with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and his national celebrity status. Holder has investigated over two dozen police departments. 5 of the investigations are ones Crump's taken to him. Crump's already spoken to Holder about Tamir Rice's case.

In my conversations with attorneys Crump and Walter Madison we've discussed the idea of asking the U.S. Department of Justice to criminally-charge Jackson, in his official capacity as a law enforcement officer, for the violations identified in the federal government's report. From Jackson federal criminal charges would extend downward to Martin Flask, MIke McGrath, Calvin Williams, Edward Tomba, commanders like Patrick Stephens, the 2nd district commander, and the 2nd district's captains, lieutenants and sergeants. Obviously, Loehmann and Garmback would be charged, along with the members of the Use of Deadly Force Investigative Team. Conspiracy to deprive Tamir Rice of his constitutional rights under the color of law, and deprivation of rights under color of law would be two of the federal statutes that can be used to prosecute Jackson and his team.

I've read the U.S. Department of Justice's pattern and practice report on Cleveland's use of excessive force. It was hand-delivered to Jackson in his official capacity as Cleveland's chief law enforcement officer by Holder in his capacity as the nation's chief law enforcement officer. Holder's delivery serves as a warning to Jackson directly from President Barack Obama.

The federal investigation informs Jackson that under the "color of law," Cleveland police officers who used excessive force did not have legal or probable cause grounds to do so 99.5 percent of the time. The illegal acts were concealed by individual officers and supervisors, and or cleared 99.5 percent of the time during internal investigations. It was carefully explained to Jackson, verbally and in writing, that his allowing "cops to investigate and cops who are all in the same union to cover for each other" lacks any credibility with the U.S. Department of Justice.

Jackson was further noticed that Martin Flask, Michael McGrath, Calvin Williams, Barbara Langhenry, Victor Perez, Edward Tomba, Patrick Stephens and every other law enforcement official with knowledge of the illegal acts down the chain-of-command have conspired to conceal them.

Crump pointed out at the news conference that the video of Tamir Rice's execution speaks for itself. In less than two seconds Loehmann is out of the car and he shoots the child. I want to you read how federal courts viewed Loehmann's shooting. The next sentence is federal court ruling copied directly from the document and warning Jackson received from Holder.

"The Sixth Circuit has recognized that a suspect’s “mere possession of a weapon is not enough to satisfy [an officer’s] burden” of establishing that the use of deadly force was reasonable. See Bouggess, 482 F.3d at 896."

Crump asks, "Why haven't the two police officers already been criminally-charged?" Cleveland cops get criminal charges against American citizens all the time without going before a grand jury. It's not mandated that a grand jury review all felonies. Under Ohio law citizens can file felony complaints directly with county prosecutors.

Tamir Rice was shot on November 22. He was pronounced dead on November 23. Today is December 9. Crump explained that Cleveland cops would have already charged any other American citizen by now. He asks, "what is the constitutional and legal basis for all the extra steps for a fellow law enforcement officer that are not extended to every other American citizen?"

Jackson, Flask, McGrath, Williams, Langhenry, Perez, Tomba and company are conducting the same internal investigation, with the same police officers, using the same procedures that they were already told was wrong by the U.S. Department of Justice, and in writing. Nothing's changed, which makes it less difficult for Crump to deliver a criminal complaint against Jackson and his down-the-chain-of-command administrative team directly to Holder.

On his own, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio didn't investigate any police departments to support the president and attorney general's anti-law enforcement corruption mission. Crump's presence and personal relationship with Holder adds another level of pressure. It was important to get an outside lawyer with national prominence to represent Tamir Rice's family.

Crump says Holder has committed to an investigation and criminal charges if he can deliver the evidence. Jackson's decision to protect his boys is making it easy for Crump. Crump and the black folk he's connected to want to know how a black mayor allows racists to terrorize his people.

Unprosecuted "cop on black" murders have occurred in this nation since black people were stolen from Africa and sold into bondage. From the bullwhip during slavery to the lynch rope during Jim Crow to 40 caliber handguns we're paying for today ... no more.

Frank Jackson has allowed racist police to stomp on the constitutional rights of black Americans, and to terrorize them worse than any bigot. He protects those who would commit these vicious acts. It's despicable that a black president has to send a black U.S. Attorney General to a majority black city to tell a "black" mayor that he's allowed racists to terrorize black people. Instead of being welcomed into black churches, black folk should turn their backs on Jackson.