Mr Rodrigue -

 

I write for the blog REALNEO.us. I am happy to see you are implementing changes at the Plain Dealer.  Your publication recently ran a piece - in which, the author, Sabrina Eaton -in slanted language -refers to Jim Rokakis as "a crusader against urban blight."  I posted my comment -which has not been deleted (thank you).  

 

I have cc.d. former East Cleveland Mayor Eric Brewer.  He can tell you -for fact- that third party tax liens devastated East Cleveland and that he tried to stop the blight caused by this practice in his city, while serving as mayor.  Jim Rokakis and Gus Frangos legislated third party tax lien sales.

 

Please, I implore you and your team of writers to fully investigate the Cuyahoga County Land Bank; the demolitions occurring under this quasi-governmental agency; and the mismanagement of the demolition program through Cuyahoga County's office of Development under Theodore Carter*.  Leila Atassi was given a green light in 2015 to investigate Gus Frangos - but that story was pulled.  I have alerted Cuyahoga County Inspector General Mark Griffin about my concerns regarding the "Land Bank" - he has told me by phone that he has no jurisdiction over the "Land Bank." He does have jurisdiction over the Cuyahoga County Department of Development.  

 

I have attached the reports sent to me by Ken Surratt regarding demolitions under the $50M fund set up by Cuyahoga County.  The reports do not list any contractors or costs. As you may recall - Jim McCarty reported on Eric Brewer's investigation of the illegal Noble Rd. dump in East Cleveland.  I have reason to believe -and federal investigators have been notified --that Ohio Rock LLC is one of the contractors paid out of the $50M county demolition funds.