If You Were Running for Mayor or Elected Mayor of Cleveland, Which Issues Would You Address? (Nashville: loans, school)

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by october2007

Ok now I think I'm ready for the Mayor to ban smoking in most public spaces and impose fines for not obeying! With actual enforcement. I was outside in Playhouse Square park for about an hour and left all stuffed up from breathing in cigarette smoke. Yuk. Then another day, sitting outside at Heinen's two people started smoking on their patio. Cleveland is pretty bad in this regard.

Yeah, I don't get the patio thing. When Chicago banned smoking in restaurants, bars, etc., that included patios. Not here, apparently. Chicago even banned smoking in public parks -- their rationale was that city employees had to pick up all the smoking litter and it was costing the city too much money.

The problem here is bigger than the city of Cleveland... I recently read a list showing Ohio is in the Top 5 states in terms of percentage of population who smoke. The problem is that cigarettes are too cheap here. IMO the state should double or triple the cigarette taxes... maybe that would bring in some additional funding so they wouldn't have to talk about cutting Medicaid. Or, it might motivate more smokers to quit... Either way, win/win.

[TBideon]

^There are a number of places you can smoke in patios in Chicago i.e. Sullivans and Vermillion in River North. Beer Gardens are a different story.

[october2007]

Originally Posted by andrew61

Yeah, I don't get the patio thing. When Chicago banned smoking in restaurants, bars, etc., that included patios. Not here, apparently. Chicago even banned smoking in public parks -- their rationale was that city employees had to pick up all the smoking litter and it was costing the city too much money.

The problem here is bigger than the city of Cleveland... I recently read a list showing Ohio is in the Top 5 states in terms of percentage of population who smoke. The problem is that cigarettes are too cheap here. IMO the state should double or triple the cigarette taxes... maybe that would bring in some additional funding so they wouldn't have to talk about cutting Medicaid. Or, it might motivate more smokers to quit... Either way, win/win.

I asked Heinens if it was ok to smoke on their patio and they said NO. So that's good but doesn't seem to stop anyone. I told the smoker that it was a no smoking area and she looked at me as though I was crazy but she went onto the sidewalk. Your idea about increasing costs is a good one. And also I also think it should be banned in parks and public squares - it was banned in Seattle although there were frequent transgressors.

[1watertiger]

Originally Posted by andrew61

Yeah, I don't get the patio thing. When Chicago banned smoking in restaurants, bars, etc., that included patios. Not here, apparently. Chicago even banned smoking in public parks -- their rationale was that city employees had to pick up all the smoking litter and it was costing the city too much money.

The problem here is bigger than the city of Cleveland... I recently read a list showing Ohio is in the Top 5 states in terms of percentage of population who smoke. The problem is that cigarettes are too cheap here. IMO the state should double or triple the cigarette taxes... maybe that would bring in some additional funding so they wouldn't have to talk about cutting Medicaid. Or, it might motivate more smokers to quit... Either way, win/win.

Why pick on and single out smokers? If you're going to do that quadruple the price on beer, alcohol, fast food, candy and junk food . smoking is a nasty habit but they've helped build the new stadiums for all you non-smokers.

[reioh]

Originally Posted by 1watertiger

Why pick on and single out smokers? If you're going to do that quadruple the price on beer, alcohol, fast food, candy and junk food . smoking is a nasty habit but they've helped build the new stadiums for all you non-smokers.

Yes, also the lottery and casino. :-)

[october2007]

A vice tax sounds like a great idea since the effects of these things end up costing government and society.

[bjimmy24]

I agree that when you tax something you discourage the act in question.

This is why I support the abolition of the income tax as well.

Hello New Hampshire!

[1watertiger]

Taxing the "sins" of people's vices sounds great until they start taxing the things you like.
Imo there is plenty of our tax dollars collected at all levels. The problem is the politicians steal, mis-manage and mis-spend our money.

[Kamms]

Originally Posted by QCongress83216

Dude, this isn't about George Forbes (I was too young to remember George Forbes) this is about what issues would you address now in 2017 if you were running for mayor or elected mayor. Not paying your bills isn't ghetto that's irresponsible; Forbes not paying his bills back in the day is no more different than Trump not paying his bills or his workers. I know you got issues with Zach Reed and Jeff Johnson, I get it. Save that for another forum. What issues would you address?

Dude, I would make Jeff Johnson's direct connection to Forbes and the Forbes era as an issue in this year's mayoral race.

Done with the cliché education, crime, neighborhood investment issues. Those key points have been on the table for decades with little to zero results.

How about population growth? Real job growth?

Also, the fact that you are too young to remember George Forbes is an even better reason to know about him since George Forbes II is running this year; although Forbes was better for business than Johnson can ever be. The need to avoid the mistakes of the past...especially given Cleveland's current condition.

Never a good idea to disregard someone because that person is before one's time, and then reference Trump (who by the way is also not an issue in CLE's mayor race), an individual compared to Ceasar, Napolean, and Hitler, all of which are before any of our time.

[QCongress83216]

Originally Posted by Kamms

Dude, I would make Jeff Johnson's direct connection to Forbes and the Forbes era as an issue in this year's mayoral race.

Done with the cliché education, crime, neighborhood investment issues. Those key points have been on the table for decades with little to zero results.

How about population growth? Real job growth?

Also, the fact that you are too young to remember George Forbes is an even better reason to know about him since George Forbes II is running this year; although Forbes was better for business than Johnson can ever be. The need to avoid the mistakes of the past...especially given Cleveland's current condition.

Never a good idea to disregard someone because that person is before one's time, and then reference Trump (who by the way is also not an issue in CLE's mayor race), an individual compared to Ceasar, Napolean, and Hitler, all of which are before any of our time.

I wasn't disregarding all I was saying is that I don't remember the Forbes era. The only reason why I made the Trump reference because his history of not paying his bills has been highlighted more than Forbes. What policies do you want them to take in order to create population and job growth? What do you suggest that they'd do about the crime and education?