Today, for the first time in recent memory, the Cleveland Plain Dealer published a balanced, forward thinking editorial about local government, corruption and leadership failure in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. It was written by Christopher Evans, who is a member of the Editorial Board.

This editorial has the appearance of balance and fairness.... "Some Cleveland, Cuyahoga County departments need a firmer grip on the reins" concludes:

What will it take to fix the Cleveland Department of Building and Housing and the Cuyahoga County engineer's office?

Leadership that puts doing a good job for the public ahead of everything else, and far ahead of the narrow interests of politics, party or patronage. Leadership strong enough to overcome bureaucracies that work systematically to discourage and defeat it.

Cuyahoga County voters, take note: Klaiber clearly isn't equal to the task. Rybka has to work a lot harder, as does his boss, Mayor Frank Jackson, who has launched his own investigation of Building and Housing.

Ultimately, though, it is up to the citizens of this county to demand that their elected officials, at the very least, do their jobs.

No incendiary "Roast Dimora on a spit" but vote for Jackson blather... no party politics... no preaching county reform in denial of city failure, or as the solution to our problems here.

Thank You!

Is there any reason to believe the PD has changed policy or position to actually care to be balanced and fair?

The Plain Dealer has changed Editorial Page Editor and a few other musical chairs lately, cutting some dead wood in the process. The new editor and publisher have had some time to reengineer what they want, so this is now fully their product. They have a new look - are saying we've changed in forceful ways - and some investigative types seem to actually be digging up some interesting news that matters to all citizens - information that may actually help "citizens of this county to demand that their elected officials, at the very least, do their jobs."

But then, timing is everything.

Yesterday was the cut-off for running for Mayor and City Council in Cleveland, and the Plain Dealer editors and their friends have used the newspaper and especially the editorial page for years (forever, I realize) to coddle and positioned who they want in place for political offices, so other than in a few insignificant "distraction zones", the next four years are already set. Just a matter of keeping a few folks on track through the actual elections and the power that be have job, contract and leadership security over $ billions more in public money, for four more years.

I hope Christopher Evans' editorial today, and other good, recent investigative work by other PD journalists, marks a new beginning for the newspaper, that really turns it around and saves it for future generations.

Ultimately, though, it is up to the citizens of this county to demand that their newspaper editors, at the very least, do their jobs. Just as citizens choose who wins political office, we ultimately choose who wins in the business world, as well. This next election may be the PD's last chance to stay in office here, or disappear like an old washed-up politican.

Demand IT.