Bell says if elected within 30 days he will…Updated 2X with full release and responses
Via the Blade since no media release was sent to share here:Updated: The Bell campaign did share the media release in full, it was scheduled to go out earlier and as a second update 4:46 p.m. The Konop, Moody and Wilkowski campaigns have all issued short responses to Bell’s release – they have been included in the comments at the time they were received:
Bell pledges to grow employment in Toledo by reducing barriers to job creation
Just days after Forbes Magazine listed Toledo as the worst medium-sized city in America to find a job, Mike Bell will announce a strategy designed to make job development more effective here at a press conference on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. in Levis Square in Downtown Toledo.
“Our area needs to pursue long-term solutions like “green” and other high-tech industries, but the reality is: our citizens need jobs now. The quickest way to put people back to work is to reduce existing barriers for business to locate and grow in Toledo,” Mr. Bell said.
“Toledo must restore its reputation as a city where it is easy for business to function,” he said. “This starts with city government removing unnecessary regulations and red tape, communicating with employers to keep and grow their businesses here, and moving quickly to take advantage of every job development opportunity,” he said.
As Mayor, Mr. Bell will institute three key changes within city government in the first 30 days:
Establish the Mayor’s Business Advocate, a position that would report directly to Mr. Bell as a member of his senior staff. Tasks would include guiding people through the process of establishing a business in Toledo, identifying opportunities as well as roadblocks in economic development, and maintaining regular contact with Toledo’s major employers.
End turf wars within the city bureaucracy that currently create barriers for new businesses to locate or expand their facilities in Toledo. Mr. Bell was successful as Ohio Fire Marshal in streamlining operations and making the office more responsive to the public. He will consolidate all city departments responsible for permits, inspections, business incentives into a single location that is convenient and accessible and will treat potential employers as customers.
Initiate a plan to use technology to give on-line review and approvals of new projects – getting new development on track faster by slashing turnaround time. Electronic permitting has been done successfully in cities like Cincinnati, Chicago and Tucson for years. It’s time Toledo takes the next step in developing a competitive edge in recruiting new development and new jobs.
“Toledo ranks as the worst place in America to find a job according to Forbes, but there’s no reason for it to be so difficult to do business here.” Mr. Bell said. “We need to send a signal to employers that Toledo will be open for business again under the Bell Administration.”
Mike Bell served as Toledo fire chief and recently returned from Columbus where he served as Ohio’s fire marshal. Running as an Independent, this is his first campaign for public office.
What follows is what was reported earlier in the Blade:
In a news release, Mr. Bell said the quickest way to put people back to work is to remove barriers to businesses to locate and expand in Toledo.
He said, within 30 days of taking office, he would:
Establish a new cabinet-level position he called “mayor’s business advocate” to help guide people through the process of establishing a business in Toledo.
End “turf wars” that he said hinder business activity by consolidating city departments responsible for permits, inspections, and business incentives in one location, a so-called one-stop shop.
Establish on-line review and approval of new projects, as is done in Cincinnati, Chicago, and Tucson.
“Toledo must restore its reputation as a city where it is easy for business to function,” he said. “This starts with city government removing unnecessary regulations and red tape, communicating with employers to keep and grow their businesses here, and moving quickly to take advantage of every job development opportunity.”
It seems as if all the Mayoral candidates agree there is too much red tape in the City of Toledo when it comes to starting new businesses.
This in via email from the Ben Konop for Mayor campaign, we may not get releases but…we do get responses (smile):
May 6th, 2009 at 11:33 am…get Toledo workers their jobs back..???
Where will the money come from?
************************************************
…send Toledo workers back to college…????
Were they all dropouts?
May 6th, 2009 at 11:50 am***************************************************
…keep all Toledoans safe… Interesting…just how will that be accomplished?
Konop is a turd. He is for business as usual meaning, no new business, and increase the size of local government (to keep a better eye on us) through increased taxes.
At least Bell wants to reduce government waste and try to bring in new business.
May 6th, 2009 at 12:03 pmBen- As someone who wants to be mayor you really need to be a tad bit more diplomatic. Supporting workers is great but you still need those ‘rich folks’ to employ them!
I can see this is going to be a highly entertaining election season! Let the games begin!
May 6th, 2009 at 12:04 pmNot Again, we’ve been down this whole please watch the personal insults thing over and over again. Disagree with him, disagree with his plan, say you don’t personally like him but the insults have to stop.
May 6th, 2009 at 12:06 pmThis is a public official I’m talking about. I thought they were fair game. Are you feeling the pressure of not getting the releases from the politicos?
May 6th, 2009 at 12:12 pmNo, I’m not feeling the pressure, and I’ve never stated nor do the rules state that public officials are fair game. You were on a thread where I asked Pam to share her thoughts but to refrain from personal insults.
If they decide to not send releases – that reflects on them and I have stated more than once that I shouldn’t even have to go through this, you all know the rules, they are simple to follow.
2. Civil discourse is the goal, repeated personal insults directed at other members of the blog, especially those not related to a topic or not in a heated discussion of a topic will be edited/deleted. This does not mean you can’t call elected officials names if you must, though profanity and vulgarity should be avoided.
That’s the rule, while I realize you are trying to be creative by using “turd” IF you are going to continue to do that sort of thing at least preface it with “I think” or “I feel” or “I believe” as opposed to a blanket statement. Which if you want to be technical whether Konop is or is not a “turd” has nothing to do with the topic at hand beyond you making a personal observation.
May 6th, 2009 at 12:24 pmok, sorry lisa. How do you feel about, “I think konop smells like a turd”
May 6th, 2009 at 12:27 pmI’d disagree with that as a personal experience as far as how Ben Konop has smelled when I’ve been around him but if you have to include that type of a comment? That would at least be expressing your personal opinion as opposed to a blanket statement.
Now, hopefully the turd issue has been resolved and we can go back to the original topic at hand.
May 6th, 2009 at 12:30 pmDoes the mayor in our current format have the power to discontinue the living wage requirement? Could a new mayor put such a proposal to the council for approval? I am not sure how the living wage was created, but I don’t believe it requires a charter amendment.
How about that for a first step candidates? Forget a “mayors business advocate.” Why create a new bureaucratic position? Change the strong mayor format back to city manager, step back and let private investment and development organizations work – and ASK how a the City can help — don’t DIRECT how it will help.
TAHL
May 6th, 2009 at 12:36 pmCity manager? Works if the right one is picked.
Strong Mayor? Works if the right one is voted in.
Back in the day, it was felt by the electorate that City Managers were accountable to no one…
So…we switched to Strong Mayor. So far, we have not voted “too very good…..”
May 6th, 2009 at 12:49 pmLooks like Ben did a nice job diverting our attention from the topic of the original post, his opponent Mike Bell.
I don’t see anything wrong with the changes Mike proposed for his first 30 days, except for the do-ability of some of them. We’ve got a lot of entrenched bureaucracies that will take much more than a month to turn around. Clearly Ben thinks these things are working fine and prefers to criticize his opponent for even proposing the improvements.
So let’s look at Ben’s statement. Ask Ben how he’ll pay for sending Toledoans back to college. He will tell you that he wants to copy the Kalamazoo plan. He says we can do it just like them – without raising taxes. He will not volunteer the fact that the Kzoo college fund was provided by a few wealthy individuals, NOT the taxpayers. If you press him, he’ll say he hopes to find wealthy individuals around here to do the same thing. THAT IS NOT A PLAN, and he knows this idea will die without private funding. But he will expect credit from the voters for TRYING. In the real world Ben, you only get credit for DOING.
He thinks that if he continues to have press conferences and says fluffy things every week, voters will be dumb enough to think he’s getting things done. Don’t be fooled.
May 6th, 2009 at 1:50 pmThanks VoR.
The complete press release does provide a bit more information, especially related to the “turf wars” item.
May 6th, 2009 at 2:31 pmThis in via email from the Moody for Mayor campaign in response:
May 6th, 2009 at 3:55 pmThis in via email from Tom Morrissey:
Ben Konop’s solutions to Toledo are to go ask Sylvaia residents if he should be Mayor and then get enough Facebook friends to win that the college age non – Toledo voter popularity contest. The man has still yet to account for his ethics pledge that became inconvenient. Mr. Konop, what other pledges and ethics will be subject to change? Viewing your record, everything carries an asterisk.
Tom Morrissey
May 6th, 2009 at 4:16 pmLisaRenee wrote:
________________________________________________
This is sad to see from one so young.
Rule number one of politics. Have a plan that the people need.
Rule number two of politics. If you have no plan, attack an opponent.
May 6th, 2009 at 4:42 pmIn via e-mail from the Wilkowski for Mayor campaign as a response to Bell’s media release:
May 6th, 2009 at 4:46 pmGotta agree with Ben, on this one.
With advisors like Bob Reichert, and Bob Hadley, Mr. Bell has picked quite a team.
Carry on…
May 6th, 2009 at 5:01 pmRogue, I wasn’t aware either one of those two had formal positions with the Bell campaign. Do you think that candidates should be judged by who supports them or volunteers for them?
May 6th, 2009 at 5:23 pmLisa-
May 6th, 2009 at 5:55 pmI’d love to respond to that question of yours, but am afraid to be accused of a personal insult! Tsk, tsk.
Gee Henri, it’s a shame you can’t think of a way to respond within the guidelines…
May 6th, 2009 at 5:58 pmrogue wrote:
Last I read on here rogue was a supporter of Jim Moody. So if rogue is matthew bartow and matthew bartow entered into a diversion program to avoid a felony conviction does that mean Toledoans should not support Moody?
May 6th, 2009 at 6:35 pmThat’s a similar question, I could see if a person was paid or was officially held a named position on a campaign that it might be a discussion point, I’m just not sure how far we want to take judgments on campaigns when it comes to people who support a candidate or volunteer to help them.
Which is why I asked…
May 6th, 2009 at 6:39 pmThank you, Meghan…!! I drank for free, last night, at Nick & Jimmies because of you!
While I can’t speak to Bartow’s odd proclivities (I’m told he kicks cats & hates birds), I heard Maggie Thurber is ready to throw her fledgling media consulting firm into the fight for Mike Bell, and that’s a payin’ gig!
New Motto? “Convicts for Bell!”…..?????
Carry on…
May 7th, 2009 at 9:26 amThis just in from Ben- in today’s Blade;
One of his opponents, Democrat Ben Konop, criticized the plan, saying, “We definitely don’t need more of [former President George] Bush’s deregulatory, Republican-playbook policies here in Toledo, and that is what Mike Bell is proposing. Mr. Bell seems to be acting as a mouthpiece for his GOP advisers.”
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090507/NEWS09/905070340/-1/NEWS
You’re dead-on, Mr. Konop. Mike Bell is a wannabe- Democrat, Republican, whatever it’ll take to get elected; a simple look at who he’s got as advisors–with former mayor Donna Owens, GOP chairman Bob Reichert, et al in his pocket, umm, corner, he’s a shoe-in!
May 7th, 2009 at 12:09 pmToo bad Bell is being advised by so many turncoats. They are playing the same old game….don’t get too close, don’t give details, because people may actually ask you about them. They may even ask for specifics!
Of the course the response from Keith and Ben were very typical…I already worked on that…
And from Moody…he gives specifics, he gives details, he doesn’t hold back. Maybe he needs better political advisors….
May 7th, 2009 at 1:00 pm