TFP Column: Sword In Toledo's Stone

I have been rather remiss in not pointing the small, twisted group of people who read this blog to the Toledo Free Press in recent weeks. There is probably no excuse for such a lapse in judgment, though perhaps subliminally I was trying to save Tom Pounds (the Publisher) and Michael Miller (editor in chief) from the embarrassment of having to admit to their association with me.

I feel that I can no long do so however, having just enjoyed their hospitality at the opening day festivities for the Toledo Mud Hens (made famous by Jamie Farr's "Klinger" on MASH). The weather was bright and beautiful, the food and beverages served were wonderful, and the company was exemplary.

Of course I have a drum of my own to beat, with a column in this week's edition, "The Sword In Toledo's Stone". It speaks about one of our currently announced mayoral candidates, and amazingly seemed to come together as a series of images in my head that merely needed to be connected by proper verbiage.

As always however, if you go online for the Free Press simply for my contribution, you are truly missing the boat. Lisa Renee has an interesting piece in Blog It on the caffeine concoction that keeps many of us alive, there are a couple of pieces udating all on the state of the recall petition for our esteemed Mayor, and as always, Michael Miller has an interesting piece, this time on a Treasuer Hunter of a different kind.

Have a great weekend, and happy reading....

Challenging Status Quo

Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop has tossed his hat into the ring for the office of Mayor of the City of Toledo. Citing the fact that all of the other candidates seem to represent the status quo and a continuation of good old boy politics in the city, he says that he has a record of aggressively challenging such thinking. Let's take a look at that record.

1. By running, Mr. Konop is going back on a campaign pledge that he made (and signed) while running for the Commissioner's office, that he would serve out the full term for the office if he was elected.
2. In 2007, Mr. Konop felt that the County would best be served by providing $250,000 of the county's money to subsidize a program to allow people to purchase local art from at $500 to $2,500 at a 1% interest rate.
3. Mr. Konop has consistently fought against funding the Lucas County Improvement Corporation, while providing no alternative for helping to create and grow businesses in the county.
4. Mr. Konop opposed spending previously appropriated money for new windows on its office building (a maintenance and energy saving measure well within the purview of the Commissioners) instead favoring spending the money on the unemployed.
5. Mr. Konop proposed (and was later trumped by fellow Commissioner Pete Gerken) legislation for a "living wage" for all projects having to do with the county. His original $8.38 per hour wage was later raised to $11.67, in spite of the opinion issued by the county prosecutor's office that the Commissioners had dubious right at best to issue such legislation.
6. Mr. Konop, a law professor and lawyer here in Ohio (and therefore an officer of the court) joined a group calling itself the "Toledo Foreclosure Defense League" as they called for the Lucas County sheriff to refuse to execute legal courts orders of foreclosure.
7. Mr. Konop claims to have executive experience from his two years of service as a County Commissioner, while having no prior experience in the private sector in managing budgets or handling personnel.

So in my humble opinion, we have yet another career politician attempting to move up the political food chain. A politician who has no experience in the private sector, who chooses style over substance and "feel good legislation" over fulfilling the responsibilities of office, and an officer of the court who violates that trust by usurping the very power of the law that he is sworn to serve. 

Which part of the political status quo Mr. Konop, is it exactly that you are challenging? But heck, if you don't think that I know what I'm talking about, perhaps the opinion of a former Lucas County Commissioner Maggie Thurber would carry some weight with you.