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IS THE PLAIN DEALER IN BED WITH CITY HALL?

PLAIN DEALER DELETES COMMENTS PERTAINING TO LACK OF HONESTY, TRUSTWORTHINESS, & ACCOUNTABILITY IN CLEVELAND’S CITY HALL ON $50 MILLION JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT!

Reference Article (editorial): “Cleveland schools must be clear and honest about what levy will buy” posted in Cleveland.com on August 4, 2012.

Here is the link to the article:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CHoQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cleveland.com%2Fopinion%2Findex.ssf%2F2012%2F08%2Fcleveland_schools_must_be_clea.html&ei=yk4hUJqtCIbArQHln4HwDw&usg=AFQjCNG3FhXgnvyLyw0JhFwGNTqemeGorQ

The following comments which were published on cleveland.com – were found deleted on 09-04-12:

 “*We all agree that honesty is the best policy and that public officials should be accountable to citizens.

Mayor Jackson, our visionary leader – described by the Plain Dealer as a man with big ideas – told the audience at the March 29, 2012 Community Meeting, held at the Harvard Community Services Center, in connection with the Transformation Plan: I have “never lied to you.”

While I am not aware of CEO Gordon of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District – of having stated in public his position regarding honesty – both Mayor Jackson and CEO Gordon have stated that they should be held accountable in 4 years for the 15-mill levy required for the Transformation Plan.

What about their track record on accountability NOW?

*While our mayor agrees that honesty is the best policy – his honor has not provided a response pertaining to his accountability in the $50 million John Marshall High School Construction Project – a response is pending for four months (since April 5, 2012).

2,400 petitioners want to renovate historic 80-year old John Marshall High School similar to the renovation of landmarked 83-year old John Hay and 80-year old Rhodes High Schools.

*When the mayor was requested to provide public documents pertaining to his accountability – his honor’s law department took nearly five months to provide the following stock answer in legal gobbledygook to all the requests:

“This request is overly broad and further is an inappropriate request to the extent it is non-specific and seeks information instead of particular documents. It is the responsibility of the requester to identify with reasonable clarity the records at issue. State ex rel. Dillery v. Iesman (2001), 92 Ohio St.3d 312, 314-315; State ex rel. Glasgow v. Jones, 119 Ohio St. 3d 391, 2008-Ohio-4788 at II 17; State ex rel.”

*Mayor Jackson has also said that the levy to cover the deficit is for the kids – our kids.

But his honor cannot explain (a response is pending for over three months since April 24, 2012) why on the $50 million John Marshall High School Construction Project, his honor is permitting: destruction of the auditorium, which our kids need; destruction of the underground running tracks which our kids need; and destruction of the swimming pool which our kids need?  

*Mayor Jackson never responded to the request for a meeting to SAVE JOHN MARSHALL – despite 5 reminders – 3 sent via e-mail and certified mail --- and two hand delivered. 

In addition, Mayor Jackson never responded to an e-mail and certified mail – where his honor was requested to let us know if his honor plans to intervene to SAVE JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL.

How many reminders does Mayor Jackson require before his accountability kicks in to a senior citizen without power or wealth?

*The Cleveland Metropolitan School District that aspires to be the premier district in the United States and teaches our children ethics and fair play has not played fair with the petitioners.

CEO Gordon provided the first response to request for information after 11 reminders spread over 8 months – a response, which unfortunately does not address errors in the financial numbers nor provide requested critical information in the $50 million John Marshall High School Construction Project.

CEO Gordon, in his letter of November 30, 2011, addressed to me, stated:

“Please note due to the considerable volume of info which is being gathered by a team comprised of OSFC, the architects, the construction manager and Mr. Sautter’s department, we expect to forward that information by CD format as requested by the end of next week.”

However, nothing was received by “end of next week” – which was December 10, 2011. The first response to the requested information was received over five months later on May 14, 2012.

How many reminders does CEO Gordon require before his accountability kicks in?

How much trust can be assigned to a commitment CEO Gordon puts down in writing?

Meanwhile the School District is getting ready to demolish our architectural gem having installed the infamous chain-link fence around John Marshall a few weeks ago.

As Mayor Jackson has not intervened to SAVE JOHN MARSHALL – an intervention pending since June 2011 – despite six requests – four via e-mail and certified letter and two hand-delivered -- the SAVE JOHN MARSHALL campaign has started urging voters of Cleveland to “VOTE NO TO TAX LEVY” because City Hall which has meted out gross injustice to petitioners -- can neither be trusted nor is accountable to citizens who have neither power nor wealth.”

POSTSCRIPT:

Terrance C. Z. Egger, President and Publisher of The Plain Dealer, has not responded to two e-mails (Sept. 7 & 21, 2012) and a certified letter (Sept. 21, 2012) requesting explanations to the deletions in the spirit of clarity and honesty described in the August 4, 2012 PD editorial: “Cleveland schools must be clear and honest about what levy will buy.”