Notes

Just wanna say:

These posts are about my opinions, which are subject to growth, adaptation, and change.
Past posts do not necessarily represent what I think at the current point in time. I leave them up to show a development, growth of ideas in my education process.

 GO CLEVELAND!

"The Future is Bright In Cleveland"

Hello! Apologies for not posting in like three months. I've missed this.
Over spring break I visited with a bunch of cool people in the workplace in Cleveland, and I've compiled my new campaign:

The Future is Bright in Cleveland


Basically, it refers to a collage of hidden ideas:
1. The Cleveland in future looks optimistic
2. There are many young people coming back to Cleveland, anxious for change and fresh with ideas.
3. This future is bright, as in educated/intelligent, and therefore promotes optimism.

Cleveland City Government faces many challenges, and besides the egregious water and sewer rate increases, have approached them with grace.

However,
much more needs to be done.

What I stand for as a citizen, potential future office holder:

--> FIX POTHOLES. Next to utilities, garbage collection, and snow plowing, this is the most necessary, tangible capital improvement which MUST be addressed. I would honestly double the paltry funds dedicated to this tax, perhaps removing the subsidies to the Cleveland Browns . . .

--> REFORM CITY GOVERNMENT. (Credit is due when I get the okay from the idea-makers). Instead of Cleveland's ward system being the basis for everything, there should be two camps of councilmen. The first camp should be 5-6 officials elected in a city-wide vote to represent the city's interests. The highest vote getter should become the Council President. Another 6 positions would represent "districts" of the city, similar to the current ward format.

--> DOWNTOWN INVESTMENT. 1. Create a no-fly zone for crimes committed in main business districts throughout the city. Offenders get maximum penalty/sentence & a fine automatically. 2. Find a way to hire a brigade of cops to walk the streets of downtown at all hours of the day. In pairs. 3. Encourage apartment investment through similar subsidies to the condo deals (15 year tax abatement, etc.). 4. Post signs near freeways/downtown entrances on Rt. 2 W, Rt. 2 E, Ontario, E. 9, Carnegie, Lorain, Detroit, Superior, St. Claire W., Euclid W., Chester W., etc. over the roads, with a cool creative design that says "Cleveland" or "Welcome to Cleveland" spanning the roads from above.

--> SCHOOL REFORM. (Credit due for some of this, again. . . ) 1. Consolidate/demo/repurpose schools with under 50% attendance. The numbers published in the PD this weekend were ridiculous. CMSD does not need this many buildings open. 2. Work a deal out at a state level allowing something like $4,500 (half of state's contribution) to follow students who reside in the city of Cleveland to private schools or suburban school districts. Reimburse for travel expenses. CMSD still gets to keep 2/3 of total funding per student and DOESN'T HAVE TO TEACH THEM. CMSD will complain, but at this point choice is the way to go for Cleveland's economy and students. 3. Reform the CMSD with parent, teacher, student participation. Use the "metropolitan" label as a gift to have specialized schools on each side of town. 4. Count attendance after 1st period, not at 10 AM. . . 5. Many other things

--> CONSOLIDATE services with neighboring suburbs. In say, Brooklyn's case, buy them a new engine or ladder truck PLUS an EMS truck PLUS pay for Brooklyn for the staff costs & maintenance costs, in order to improve coverage in Old Brooklyn, Linndale, and Denison Rd. area. Offer trash removal services to East Cleveland, Brooklyn, Cuyahoga Heights, etc.

--> LOWER TAXES incrementally through my revenue-stream-stabilization model. Work first on lowering the income tax, so people & businesses want to work in  Cleveland more. Secondly, impose $20 fines annually on house owners who don't keep houses & yards up to code (at enforcer's generous discretion), $100 on ungodly buildings & undeveloped lots, etc. NEW INCOME, YAY!

--> CUT RED TAPE. You shouldn't have to go through a councilman (who'd get credit for the project) to open a business. Cut the red tape, fill the zoning & permit boards with educated, well-meaning, people, and consolidate zoning. WE DON'T NEED 14+ zoning designations! I'm one of the few planners who is OKAY with less planning (in certain aspects).

--> NEW LAND USE POLICIES (1. is misplaced to *LOWER TAXES, above). 2. Allow owners of houses next to adjacent demolished housing lots to absorb that property as long as they maintain it;

--> PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING. Double the $ amount given to each Ward, allow citizens to decide where that investment goes, and which neighborhood gets a large development/streetscape grant every (Each ward guaranteed 1 every 10 years).

--> LAKEFRONT Move Port to land east of Airport; Develop current port site; Then remove airport and allow planned development as part of a new Lakefront Plan.

--> MAKE USE OF FIBER NETWORKS. Unleash the free Wi-Fi beneath Euclid Corridor. Help Euclid become the next I-271. Establish free Wi-Fi across the city.

--> CLEVELAND CARD. Work with the RTA to establish a renewable-rides card with city-business-only-accessible Debit capabilities. Each person to purchase one gets a ClevelandID

--> WEST SIDE MARKET. Establish Market District as Special Improvement District. Funnel more funds into it for renovations. Build parking garage, provide unique eating space for consumers. Develop residential in the area.

--> CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL LEARNING CENTER. Set up a block with classroom buildings, dormitories, labs, etc. for inviting Ivy-League and all other college students across the country for a "Semester in Cleveland." Provide unique internships, job-shadowing activities, networking events, real-world experience, skill-building programs, etc. for students. Promote HS programs, Undergraduate programs, graduate programs. Interact with CSU & numerous community stakeholders to provide a truly unique experience for students & increase the downtown student population by 1,000. Maybe on Euclid Corridor between E. 9th and E. 13th.

--> GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY --> Each police precinct should host a monthly meeting for citizens to ask questions/ answer questions/ educate about challenges, etc.

The future is bright in Cleveland whether we do these things or not; but I'm certain the future will be EVEN BRIGHTER with these platforms in place.

A New Leaf

I'm kind of pleased to inform you I CAN'T run for mayor in 2013, seeing as I won't pass the residency laws at that time.
I also asked my councilman Kevin Kelly how many signatures anyone needs to run for mayor, he said 3,000 literally, or 5,000 in actuality.
SO, I'll work behind the scenes while at college, trying to absorb as much knowledge I can about the academic stuff, while simultaneously studying Cleveland and the stories/ideas of its people.
There are SO MANY people that want Cleveland to be better than the amazing parts here and there that we see; I think it's important to tap into that resource for all of our challenges.

Given that I cannot run, I'm looking to set up a forum/blog/resource page detailing what I and YOU think would be great things for a person seeking to be mayor of Cleveland would run on. If you know anyone with these skills, please let me know.

Some interesting sites:

urbanophile.com brings together articles/opinions on cities particularly in the midwest. This guy and his opinions are very cool.

theciviccommons.com most closely resembles what I want my site to be; it's a great site of Northeast Ohioans suggesting ideas on topics that effect some, or all of us.

gcbl.org identifies sustainability topics and news

Want my next blog to be on a specific topic besides news? Please let me know! :)

-Ken

2010 Reflections

Hello! It's been WAY too long.
My last post was during finals? yikes

Classes start in two days and I'd like to report my findings from my 4-week homecoming (winter break).

Dang, our media is SO negative. From afar, reading the Plain Dealer's articles online through last semester, it looked like Cleveland was free-falling through space and time. Huron trauma center was closing, the statistics kept getting worse, our sports teams are all the bottom of their leagues for the first time in my lifetime, SEWER BILLS ARE EXPECTED TO TRIPLE, taxes kept getting higher, 3-C rail was shot down, we're going to lose our Continental Airlines hub, old-name politicians were elected to the new county council and secret meetings ensued, more corrupt county employees were weeded out. . . . . . . . .

So, when I arrived in Cleveland I expected the worst.
And I was surprised with the staleness I felt in Cleveland for the first time.
Yes, 2010 was a year about reinvestment in things that'll effect us in 5 years: Innerbelt Bridge is moving along, Medical Mart broke ground, a new county government was instated, a casino was approved, Detroit Shoreway established itself as a complete cultural hub/neighborhood, etc. And yes, these are investments in our construction and minimum-wage economy. They have potential to spur either short term or long term development, creating spinoff jobs, etc.
I'm also optimistic about the grassroots movements growing: the LEED corporation moving to make us a hub in the wind turbine movement, local retailers moving to East 4th street in the first move of its kind in decades (Looking forward to Dredgers Union visit this summer), reinvestment in small businesses and biomedical firms, the blossoming of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, etc.
There ARE great things happening.
And I'm highly optimistic that Cleveland is still a great place for me to live.
Cleveland does have a brighter future than it may have seemed to have 5 years ago.
People like Terry Schwarz at the Kent State Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative are working at new solutions for controlling our shrinkage and making us a greener city again.
Even the city is setting up an International Welcome Center, trying to collaborate with businesses again, and disillusion people into thinking publicly-funded projects are going to save us (We are STILL paying off the stadiums. . .).
ALSO: websites like coolcleveland.com and theciviccommons,com are displaying our positive side and willingness to collaborate as a united Northeast Ohio.


Yet despite my optimism, I'm a realist.
And Cleveland felt STALE. It felt like nothing was happening, despite my knowledge of the huge growth in University Circle and reinvestments in downtown.
And because of this, I'm reconsidering running for mayor.

SOMEONE needs to be in charge who will:
--> be independent
-->not be corrupt
--> be creative, with new solutions
--> engage the community in issues from safety, to services, to schools, with transparency and a willingness to listen to the people AND consulted experts
--> be willing to work with local cities & businesses to spur regional growth and GDP output
--> balance the needs for HUGE social and economic reinvestments
--> offer lower tax rates in response to economic and population growth
--> finally tackle the lakefront and river valley
--> reform the education, safety, and justice systems
--> clean up the streets, providing premium experiences downtown for residents & visitors, making downtown competitive with the suburbs and other cities in the world
--> provide a young progressive face symbolizing the future of the city
--> cut the red tape, rezone the city, quicken processes for business-owners, and rid the law books of crazy laws
--> provide equal investment in neighborhoods of all races, representing Cleveland's population in government with a balance of credentials and non-quota'd diversity.
etc.


and I think I can be/do that. And in running for mayor and establishing my platform, I'd rely on others and collaboration to get things done. I'd provide the credit necessary to all the people who helped get movements going, the people who led grassroot movements, the Clevelanders who make the city who it is, no matter the race, religion, or sexual orientation.

We are all Cleveland. We all need a helping hand.
And if I am to make a run at office, there'll be a platform I'd attempt to pursue while in office. Which I'll publish a preliminary report on my next blog ;-)

Stay cool Cleveland
the air isn't really THAT stale
and it's in the negative degrees in Ithaca. fun!

-Ken

Mayoral Race Postponed. Still gonna make noise

I've talked to some people, and realized my safety and that of those I love could be in danger if I ran for Mayor on such grandiose reform and change at this age. Therefore, I'm postponing my potential campaign for the near future, and will encourage growth and change in any way I can. I'm planting the seeds now and doing research on how we can turn this beautiful city around, in both perception and reality.

I'll post general updates and opinions later today.

Time for Christmas shopping!

My Platform: Education

This is what I would do if I were mayor right now (12/12/10):

The first problem Northeast Ohio needs to tackle is education. Without a healthy school network, without a high % of students going to college, we will continue to lose population and resources.
These problems begin with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Without a healthy school district and options for residents, our reputation is shot.
We've invested billions of dollars in stadiums and public venues over the last 20 years, but as Brent Larkin questions in his Plain Dealer article today, when will we put the focus on educating our kids?
As mayor, my first 3 priorities would be education, economics, and safety.
I will study various options for the CMSD to look into for reform, create options for students, and create a "Cleveland Promise."

1. CMSD reform.
In the wake of CMSD CEO Eugene Sander's retirement announcement, the district is left leaderless in a critical period. The District's 5-year Transformation Plan is getting launched, and its creator is abandoning ship as it were. My first order of business would be to look into alternatives for this position, given whoever is in the CEO seat when I'm inaugurated, and ensure this leader is the correct one. From my limited intel, I believe Eric Gordon would be a good fit for this position.
I would nurture the Transformation Plan as well as encourage and promote the opening of two College Preparatory Academies on each side of town, replacing a current high school respectively. Each high school would have an application selection like the School of the Arts and the  John Hay Campus Academies. Each of the College Prep schools would offer AP classes and help nurture students, preparing them for college wherever they wish to go. The college preparatory academies would complement the district's specialized academies.
As mayor I would also look into the administrative structure of the district. I would rearrange or cut unnecessary positions, as well as stand up for the students of Cleveland by negotiating with the Teacher's Union to put more money into the classrooms.
2. Options for Cleveland students.
Growing up, I knew dozens of families who moved out of the city and away from their workplace for the sole purpose of education. A decent education is a right for all students, no matter their ethnicity or economic background. Any student with a will to succeed should have the parental and teacher support for their endeavors to come to fruition. If you live in Cleveland and start a family, the CMSD is not an option. So your options become charter schools and private schools. Charter schools receive less dollars per student than in CMSD, and the options of charter schools are limited in the city. Private schools cost money, and the extra money coming out of a family's earnings for an education drives parents out of the city so their children can attend a suburban school district.
Although this would pose a problem to CMSD and the Teacher's Union, as Mayor of Cleveland I would  fight to get state and local money earned through property taxes (the way these things are funded) to FOLLOW THE STUDENT. I would make a concession for CMSD so that 80% of the money appropriated for a student through the state and city would be able to follow a student if they leave a district. Therefore CMSD can get a leg up on funding and be able to cover the jobs necessary to appropriate the money to the correct schools.
What does this mean?
Cleveland students get between $13,000 and $14,000 per student every year. 2/3 of this comes from the state. In wake of education cuts which I predict will happen at the state level, this amount will further decrease.
If your child attends a charter grade school in the county (a charter school is a state-funded autonomy), the state money and 50% of the city's approbated funds would follow the student to this school. The 50% of the city's funds for that student would be a 25% increase per student over what charter schools currently receive. A win for charter schools. Grade school costs (in my experience with private schools) are less than high schools. Therefore a grade school needs less % of the city's funds than a high school. If the city has $14,000 per student and 2/3 of that is state funded, the charter school would now receive $11,600 instead of its current $9,300, and CMSD would recover $1,400 of its approbation.
If your child attends a charter high school in the county, the school would receive the state money per-student and 80% of the city's money. If the city has $14,000 per student and 2/3 of that is state funded, the charter school would now receive $13,000 instead of $9,300 per student, and CMSD would recover $1,000 of the cost to offset it's lost revenue to the charter schools. A win for charter high schools.
If your child attends a private school and you live in the city of Cleveland, these transfers also count.
If you choose to send your child to a suburban school district, (something Cleveland would have to negotiate), instead of the family paying to send the student there, the per-student funds would transfer over just like charter and private schools.
 The $11,600 for a grade school student and $13,000 for a high school student would be profitable for most private, charter, and suburban schools in our county. And if that price does not cover it, the family can pay the remaining amount.

What do I predict this system would do?

CONS:
-Difficult to maneuver
-Teacher's Union would flip
-CMSD would initially suffer
-CMSD would lose revenue
-Teacher's union would be forced to make massive concessions to keep jobs.
-More school closings, possibly.
-Loss of jobs. Initially.
-Inner-ring suburbs could lose population

Pros:
Since the grand picture is about the students, getting people to move into Cleveland, and improving the quality of overall education:
-Families would have choices of where to send students, as long as they can get them there.
-Charter schools, private schools, and suburban districts would benefit financially if the could attract the most Cleveland-resident students.
-The competition would force each school's hand to be the best it can be.
-The teacher's union would HAVE to make concessions
-CMSD would HAVE to reform
-All Cleveland students with a will to learn will have the option to do it for free.
-The 20-50% saved by the city could help pay for new free textbooks for students in their district.
-CMSD would still have the upper hand in finances per student, transportation, and specialized academies.
-Residents in the city would stay to benefit from the options
-Residents from suburbs would move into Cleveland to benefit from the options (particularly attending private schools for free and saving tens of thousands of dollars)
-Increased revenue from property taxes.
-Increase in population.
-The increased business in the city would spur more local jobs for unskilled laborers and boost the economy.

3. The "Cleveland Promise."
-As detailed in Brent Larkin's "When are we going to build a future for Cleveland?: Brent Larkin"
-Gather a philanthropic fund to assist Cleveland residents attending any school (with additional amounts for years lived in the city) attend college.
-Makes most sense if there's additional money for Cuyahoga County schools, particularly Tri-C and CSU.

As mayor I would tackle these issues immediately and stand strong for the residents of Cleveland. We need a change. Cleveland suffers from a reputation of 3 things we CAN change (not weather): Education, Safety, and Economics.
Fixing our education and drawing people back into the city would help us with the other two.
The first month in office would consist of meeting with officials and leaders to determine the impact of these decisions, as well as holding an extensive series of community meetings where I would gather ideas for changing the district and improving options for citizens.
Education is key for our region to move forward and attract businesses.

Thanks for reading this. I'll edit it and support it with more facts as my campaign unravels these next three years.

Mayor 2013?

I want to run for Mayor Cleveland in 2013.

I think I really do. Over winter break I'll look into the process and political implications, asking opinions of my mentors on this monumental task. 

This idea is something I would've balked at a week ago. I have no experience, I'm in college 6 hours away, and I have no funding network. Who would vote for me?

Since this idea has stuck for three days and I'm still not wavering, I think I'm going to pursue it.

I'm not planning on winning. Winning would be great, but only an option I'd pursue and attempt to raise significant funds for if some poll shows 15% of the city would vote for me or something. Or even 5%. haha

I'm doing this for two purposes:

1) Positive name recognition and publicity (something I need to consult with some politician friends about)

2) Attention to my non-partisan platform of concepts. 

If I'm a 21-year-old college student at Cornell on the ballot for mayor of Cleveland, I'm going to get some free media support; maybe even on the national level.

It could be stupid for anyone to "endorse" a minimal-experienced mayoral candidate, so I'll take and seek endorsements as they come. 

ANYWAY, this all relies on my getting on the ballot; which requires something like 5,000 signatures. 

5,000 is A LOT of signatures; so if you'd like to  help sometime in the next two years, please let me know. I'll hook you up with signature sheets for all of your Cleveland resident friends,  as well as a hefty stack of my business cards (referring you to my awesome website, my email address, and my campaign phone number.)

This website is going to be awesome, complete with videos, platforms, freedom for visitors to post comments and suggestions, pictures, and a complete list of odds/ends ideas. 

I have a lot more ideas for the campaign to minimize cost. But these are for my will-be campaign committee. 

I won't be running against any of the other candidates. I'll try my best to avoid corruption by staying Independent. My ideas are heavy on pro-city work, but also will effect how the whole Midwest could approach government. I'm not in it to tear other candidates down; just to promote ideas that make sense and are necessary for the good of the people. 

I think it'd be awesome to have a 21-year-old mayor. And being a young professional, I would be in tune with what's going on, societal trends, and be able to dedicate the majority of my time to making a difference. 

 I'll always be supportive of candidates with good platforms and enthusiasm, like Chris Ronayne. I'm trying not to play the political game. Building bridges, not burning them, is what we need to do in our region. 

Let me know if you want to help/what you can contribute! If not, I'll come a knocking for signatures and vocal support asap.

-Ken