It is official [1] - "Cuyahoga County commissioners voted 2-1 today to raise the sales tax a quarter of a penny to help bring a Medical Mart [2] to Cleveland." Perhaps you'd like time to think about this more, and the opportunity to vote with other citizens on how you are taxed. Other citizens feel the same and have formed a committee to "Put It On The Ballot"- a grass-roots campaign to collect enough signatures to force the 1/4% sales tax increase to be placed on a ballot. This Friday, July 27, there will be an Excellence Roundtable at The Inner Circle where some of the people involved with this campaign will join a discussion on this issue, from all directions.
To learn more about the campaign, visit http://putitontheballot.com [3] - you'll certainly read more about this initiative on this site and on REALNEO throughout the coming months. 7GEN [4] (developer of REALNEO) is providing this Drupal site for this initiative, and I look forward to learning more about the campaign and all related issues.
The Inner Circle will open at 12:30 PM and a buffet Hot Sauce Williams BBQ lunch will be offered at 1:00 PM - a $5 donation toward food will be appreciated but is not required. There is a cash bar, which will be open all afternoon - people are welcome to drop in at any time from noon - 6 PM... there will always be interesting discussions to join.
While we are convening at The Inner Circle, I'll share news on developments in East Cleveland and with the East Cleveland Observer, and I'm asking anyone who wants to help with the East Cleveland Observer to come by The Inner Circle for some informal planning and discussions... all are welcome. Also, you will be welcome to tour the old Hough Bakeries complex, and to swing by the historic house we are renovating in East Cleveland, at 1894 Roxbury.
I hope to see you at The Inner Circle soon.
Links:
[1] http://blog.cleveland.com/plaindealer/2007/07/commissioners_hike_sales_tax_f.html
[2] http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/stories/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1184834667148931.xml&coll=2
[3] http://putitontheballot.com
[4] http://www.7gen.us/
[5] http://maps.google.com?q=180.000000+360.000000+%281519+Lakeview+Road%2C+East+Cleveland%2C+OH%2C+%2C+us%29