Glass City Jungle

This week on WTVG’s Conklin and Company, Mayor Carty Finkbeiner was the first guest followed by United States Senator Sherrod Brown and then an abbreviated version of Take Three that focused on reactions to President Barack Obama’s inaugural speech. As always, this is not a formal or direct transcript but is notes typed while the show is being shown live on WTVG.

Lee Conklin started out asking Mayor Carty Finkbeiner for more details as to some of the things stated during his “State of the City Address” specifically related to alternative energy and was that really something Toledo could take credit for. The Mayor acknowledged that it is not just Toledo but that it is the region that gains expertise in solar energy and energy from the water and wind and clean coal, that region that does that is going to have a big advantage and our region does better than anywhere in the US. The number of media articles/focus on Toledo reinventing itself from the glass capital of the world to the alternative energy capital, region of the world was mentioned. Mayor Finkbeiner gave kudos to the UT tech incubator. Conklin asked about the California company mentioned in the State of the City, the Mayor said he could not give the name but the company makes an alloy that they say has superior strength and the US defense department and US car industry uses it and this company has been looking for a place closer to the automotive manufacturing plants, that’s the company coming from California, 500 short term, 5,000 long term possible jobs.

Conklin asks about the other union contracts how many are there left after Local 7, Finkbeiner says a total of 7 contracts. Conklin stated it sounds like police union digging their heels in, Finkbeiner says that it’s not prudent for any man or woman working anywhere to say the economy is irrelevant, the economy provides the money to pay the workers, we can ask everyone to take modest reductions in their benefits and salary and keep a large majority of our workers working or do as in the past where some say we don’t care about our workers and lay off those who have not been there long, that’s not in the best interest of our workforce and our community. He gave credit to Local 7 Union officials for showing great leadership by recommending the package the city presented since it kept people working. Conklin noted it only passed by ten votes, Finkbeiner doesn’t care which part of the country you live in, both the employer and the employee have assumed good times would continue to roll, it really only came to a screeching halt 8 months ago so not everyone has accepted that reality yet, which they should after watching what’s happened with the Big Three. Conklin asked about the shortened work week, Finkbeiner thinks a 4 and a half day work week is realistic, used Atlanta as an example. They are cutting one day out of every two weeks at the police department there through furloughs, that could be something that is considered here, it’s something that will have to be discussed with unions. Mayor Finkbeiner stated city revenue levels are back to what they were in 2005 with today’s rising costs. Last time city faced this was in the 1980’s; he said we owe it to the citizens of Toledo to be prudent and fair minded in whatever changes we make so services can continue at as high of a level as possible.

Conklin on Mayor urging if people are going to buy a car, buy an American made car – brought up Dave White Toyota, Brown etc, Mayor said he had spoken to Brown and other dealers, they believe it too, right now we are about saving the economy overall, our economic priorities related to automotive should be American automobile industry, car dealers, American automotive industry workers. He said even Obama stated we need to focus on the American economy. Conklin asked if he would discourage someone from buying a Honda made in Ohio, Mayor said he would encourage buying from the big three, that communities have seen schools, hospitals, etc, have been built by the big three, the American automobile industry even with the financial bailout will not make it if people buy their cars/trucks.

Lee Conklin said he had to ask about Take Back Toledo, does the Mayor think about this at all? Finkbeiner responded he doesn’t think about it hardly at all, then Conklin asked if he thought they’ll get the needed signatures. Finkbeiner was not concerned, said they say this is about businesses, and he does meet with CEO president/real estate company/banking, business leaders, etc., four times a year, we bring them all together, we keep them apprised, ask for their advise, he shared the example of COSI was saved as a result of their involvement. Finkbeiner said, it’s a lot of personal vendetta and I’m mad at the Mayor for this that and the other.

Next up Senator Sherrod Brown, Lee Conklin started with the economic recovery plan, that republicans say most of money won’t be available until 2010. Brown said what was important was extending unemployment benefits, creating jobs is the most important part which is why we want projects that are shovel ready, highway and bridges, that will create jobs directly so the money will go directly into the economy. Will create economic recovery for everybody. Sherrod Brown wants the tax cuts for the middle class only, he wants to see dollars go specifically into job creation, fixing bridges, water, internet, making sure the jobs are as green as possible the way we already have with First Solar and Xunlight, one of the leading places of this (alternative energy) already here in NWO.

Conklin then asked about Voinivich announcing retirement, hearing Kaptur might be considering it? Brown stated he doesn’t know what will happen, it’s a wide open race and it will be interesting, he thinks who ever talks about jobs, talks about middle class, what Bush did didn’t work, we don’t want privatization of Medicare, we want a better economy, better regulation for Wall street, that’s the person who will win is who talks about that and he thinks if Marcy runs she has a good shot.

Then Conklin asked about the inauguration, Senator Brown thinks we are going to make good progress but we are not past the worse yet, if we move forward better days are ahead starting in 2010. Conklin what did he think about the oath needed to be redone; Sherrod couldn’t believe the chief justice couldn’t get it right but he understands why it was redone thought it was a little silly but avoided lawsuits trying to say that Obama didn’t take the pledge correctly.

Take Three was on the speech, it was recorded at WTVG after the Inauguration. Lee Conklin asked for reaction to the speech, Melissa Miller thought it was a good speech, though it was memorable, patchwork line especially, President Obama was talking not just to Americans, a shared message. David Jackson acknowledged it was a historically significant moment, is anyone up to the challenge? He said grading on a curve an A plus, without a curve a B, President Obama shared an essential message of responsibility. Conklin asked about expectations from Professor Ajilor who stated he felt he met the expectations letting people know that it was going to take some time. That once he gets started, he wants people to understand everyone needs to work on it. Conklin asked Miller, who was he talking to time to end petty differences, Miller thought that message was to Congress, all the programs have to get through congress, Conklin asked history of Jackson what else will separate this day five, ten 20 years from now – Jackson the size of the crowd, the optimism, it was aimed globally at our friends and our foes. His references to data and science made those at BG happy. He is going to be more pragmatic and dry than people might expect. Not partisanship but problem solving. Ajilor the stories that people shared who went there who felt they needed to be there, that’s historic taking it beyond just politics.