Posts Tagged Peter Lawson Jones
Here We Go Again… More Money for Billionaires
Posted by Roldo Bartimole in Economic Development, Media, Politicians on June 3, 2010
June 3, 2010… MMPI of Chicago is closing in on $100 million kitty thanks to hard-pressed Cuyahoga County taxpayers. Thanks, Timmy and Jimmy.
The Medical Mart quarter-percent tax passed by Tim Hagan and Jimmy Dimora with acquiescence of Peter Lawson Jones (the guy who can’t take public transportation home but needs a special tax-paid driver) delivered another $2.9 million in May. All for a good cause, right? Wrong.
That brings the total taxes collected for the Medical Mart/Convention Center to $97,359,348.55.
Do you think a newspaper with the resources of the Plain Dealer could tell us just how that money is now being spent? I do. Apparently its editors don’t, however. Because we never get an accounting. Waiting for the FBI, I guess. Twenty years from now.
County taxpayers – really smokers and drinkers – have contributed another $1.6 million in May. That brings the total since August 2005 to $66,233,782.20. A lot of money. But hell we have to help the billionaire Lerner family. Don’t we?
And smokers get hit for another $1.5 million in May for the Arts & Culture tax. It brings the total collected since Feb. 2007 to a cool $62,308,332.51. Think we could get the PD to give us an accounting of how this money has been doled out? Not a chance.
All these taxes by the way are regressive taxes. In other words, they weight most heavily upon those of us with small incomes.
County Commissioners can never think of a luxury tax that would hit the rich for these things they MUST have. Maybe the new reform County government will take a look at how to take from the rich instead of giving to the rich. Nah.
The total for the three regressive taxes, rounded off, is now more than $225 million. You paid it. You should know.
Wonder how many necessary products that would have bought and how many jobs it would have produced if not given mostly to help billionaire sports owners.
Let’s keep LeBron. Doesn’t matter what it costs. We must have him.
Medical Mart Money Piling Up at County
Posted by Roldo Bartimole in Economic Development, Politicians on April 3, 2010
April 3, 2010… Cuyahoga County taxpayers in these depression-like times have paid $91 million into the fund for the Medical Mart deal. Does anyone notice?
The Plain Dealer, our news media of record, appears to have forgotten that we have a near – or more – $1 billion project. The Med Mart has slipped off its radar apparently. Coverage seems to be much more interested in who is running for county council in who knows where and who cares less.
How about telling us something about the biggest money project since Gateway, PD. Hundreds of millions of dollars to be spent. All public dough. Or is it going to be the same old story – we’ll tell you when the overrun is drowning us.
Also, where ARE those candidates for new County offices on this issue?
As of the end of March, the extra tax burden on county residents here has produced $91,310,921.10. It comes in dribbles. But that’s a lot of money.
Where is the Tea party? Where is our public money watchdog Kevin O’Brien?
So far this year the quarter-percent sales tax increase by our County Commissioners – Tim Hagan, Jimmy Dimora and Peter Lawson Jones – has produced $10.6 million.
That appears to be at a rate to produce some $42.4 million a year. The tax originally had a duration of 20 years. At this quarter’s rate of $42.4 million it would produce $848 million. One can expect prices and sales tax receipts to go up over 20 years. The tax commenced at the beginning of the year 2008.
So with the economy picking up slightly it appears the sales tax will be bringing in much more than first predicted.