Lakewood Democratic Club Looks Forward to "Opportunity-Filled" 2006 Election Season
Lakewood Democratic Club Looks Forward to "Opportunity-Filled" 2006 Election Season
Club Prepares for "Lakewood to Play Important Role" With Ohio Again in National Spotlight
by Tom Powell-Bullock
Early May brought to Lakewood not just spring flowers, but also a new political season; the completion of the Primary Elections marked the launch of a campaign year which could bring to Lakewood the same flurry of activity seen during the hard-fought presidential contest of 2004.
One group of Lakewood residents is already busy preparing and says it sees an opportunity for Lakewood to play a pivotal role in the changes that may come with Election 2006. Dozens of Lakewood Democratic Club members gathered earlier this month to ramp up plans for the 2006 election season. "The Lakewood Democratic Club is one of the largest and most active local political organizations in the state, and we look forward to playing an important role in electing a new slate of Ohio leaders," said Lakewood Democratic Club President Ed FitzGerald.
Both Ohio analysts and Washington pundits say the Buckeye state will be as important a national battleground in 2006 as it was in 2004. This November, Ohioans will elect a new Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Treasurer, Auditor and many state legislators and state senators. Voters will also decide whether to reelect U.S. Senator Mike DeWine and all Ohio Members of Congress.
FitzGerald says voter dissatisfaction with the Ohio economy, concerns about the Iraq war, and anger at Governor Bob Taft's conviction for failing to publicly disclose 55 golf outings paid for by lobbyists could lead to sweeping changes. "2006 will be a change year, and the extraordinarily active members of the Lakewood Democratic Club will be organizing precinct-by-precinct to let voters know there are better alternatives they can support," said FitzGerald.
Lakewood plays a leading role in a leading state
The Lakewood Democratic Club "is one of the most important Democratic Clubs in Cuyahoga County because of its vitality and strong membership," according to Club member Jay Starkoff, who has attended many other Clubs across Northeast Ohio. FitzGerald agrees and notes that Lakewood is on the statewide candidate speaker circuit thanks to several factors: high population, high activity level by community volunteers, high voter participation rate and its Northeast Ohio location--the state's most populous region. "Lakewood residents participating in the Club have had chance the chance to meet and pose questions to many statewide candidates," said FitzGerald. "Our voices are heard earlier and louder than those of many other voters'."
Another factor that wins Lakewood lots of political attention, according to Joe D'Angelo, the Club's 2nd Vice President, is its canvassing-friendly neighborhoods. Lakewood's densely-packed houses and grid-like streets make it efficient for door-to-door knocking by candidates and volunteers, whereas voters who live on cul-de-sacs in far-flung exurbs like Bay Village and Olmsted Falls can only be contacted by phone." Our walkable neighborhoods mean Lakewood voters enjoy old-fashioned neighbor-to-neighbor politics, and it also means more statewide campaigns ask our opinions on more issues. We have a bigger say and we get to say it in a more personable way," said D'Angelo.
FitzGerald says the Club plans to build on 2004 successes by again opening a Lakewood-based campaign office which can serve as a Western Cuyahoga Democratic campaign headquarters this summer and fall. A similar headquarters based at Detroit and West Clifton in 2004 brought nearly 2,000 volunteers through Lakewood's West End. The Club was also busy earlier this year, making endorsements of primary candidates and activating dozens of volunteers to talk to voters on front porches and at polling places.
SIDEBAR STORY:
Rokakis Warns Lakewood Democratic Club About Predatory Lending In Lakewood
"A rash of predatory lending and foreclosures is affecting Lakewood and all of Cuyahoga County", said Cuyahoga County Treasurer Jim Rokakis at a Lakewood Democratic Club meeting earlier this month. Increasingly aggressive lending by financial institutions has lowered safeguards for borrowers and dramatically increased foreclosures. Slavic Village, for example, has 490 vacant homes today--hard-hit by predatory lending. Rokakis noted that while "the problem started in Cleveland, it's now increasingly affecting inner-ring suburbs" such as Lakewood.
According to Lakewood State Representative Michael Skindell, predatory lenders in Lakewood often target the elderly and single mothers with lots of medical or education expenses. They market "cash back" loans that pretend to ease money pressures by offering short-term help to make medical or education payments.
Rokakis was sharply critical of the state governmens's lack of action to stop predatory lending. He noted Ohio is one of only two states which does not protect borrowers put into bad loans by corrupt brokers. "The reason this is going on in Ohio is because Ohio is doing nothing about it," said Rokakis. "Ohio is an anything-goes state." Ohio Governor Bob Taft and Attorney General Jim Petro could have taken action to increase protections but "have looked the other way, "said Rokakis.
Rokakis has teamed up with Cuyahoga County Commissioner Tim Hagan to curb predatory lenders in Cuyahoga County by setting up a mortgage foreclosure prevention office and hotline to help people caught in unfair lending arrangements. Residents across Cuyahoga County can now dial "211" for a 24-hour hotline to help stop predatory lenders and to provide foreclosure assistance. Rokakis stressed that homeowners should dial 211 before their home is foreclosed. "You can't beat these guys in Columbus because they have too much money. You have to put them in jail locally, "Rokakis said.
Representative Skindell has worked for years to curb predatory lending in Lakewood, first introducing protective legislation while a Lakewood City Councilman only to have the protections stalled by state actions in Columbus by predatory lenders' allies.
Club Prepares for "Lakewood to Play Important Role" With Ohio Again in National Spotlight
by Tom Powell-Bullock
Early May brought to Lakewood not just spring flowers, but also a new political season; the completion of the Primary Elections marked the launch of a campaign year which could bring to Lakewood the same flurry of activity seen during the hard-fought presidential contest of 2004.
One group of Lakewood residents is already busy preparing and says it sees an opportunity for Lakewood to play a pivotal role in the changes that may come with Election 2006. Dozens of Lakewood Democratic Club members gathered earlier this month to ramp up plans for the 2006 election season. "The Lakewood Democratic Club is one of the largest and most active local political organizations in the state, and we look forward to playing an important role in electing a new slate of Ohio leaders," said Lakewood Democratic Club President Ed FitzGerald.
Both Ohio analysts and Washington pundits say the Buckeye state will be as important a national battleground in 2006 as it was in 2004. This November, Ohioans will elect a new Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Treasurer, Auditor and many state legislators and state senators. Voters will also decide whether to reelect U.S. Senator Mike DeWine and all Ohio Members of Congress.
FitzGerald says voter dissatisfaction with the Ohio economy, concerns about the Iraq war, and anger at Governor Bob Taft's conviction for failing to publicly disclose 55 golf outings paid for by lobbyists could lead to sweeping changes. "2006 will be a change year, and the extraordinarily active members of the Lakewood Democratic Club will be organizing precinct-by-precinct to let voters know there are better alternatives they can support," said FitzGerald.
Lakewood plays a leading role in a leading state
The Lakewood Democratic Club "is one of the most important Democratic Clubs in Cuyahoga County because of its vitality and strong membership," according to Club member Jay Starkoff, who has attended many other Clubs across Northeast Ohio. FitzGerald agrees and notes that Lakewood is on the statewide candidate speaker circuit thanks to several factors: high population, high activity level by community volunteers, high voter participation rate and its Northeast Ohio location--the state's most populous region. "Lakewood residents participating in the Club have had chance the chance to meet and pose questions to many statewide candidates," said FitzGerald. "Our voices are heard earlier and louder than those of many other voters'."
Another factor that wins Lakewood lots of political attention, according to Joe D'Angelo, the Club's 2nd Vice President, is its canvassing-friendly neighborhoods. Lakewood's densely-packed houses and grid-like streets make it efficient for door-to-door knocking by candidates and volunteers, whereas voters who live on cul-de-sacs in far-flung exurbs like Bay Village and Olmsted Falls can only be contacted by phone." Our walkable neighborhoods mean Lakewood voters enjoy old-fashioned neighbor-to-neighbor politics, and it also means more statewide campaigns ask our opinions on more issues. We have a bigger say and we get to say it in a more personable way," said D'Angelo.
FitzGerald says the Club plans to build on 2004 successes by again opening a Lakewood-based campaign office which can serve as a Western Cuyahoga Democratic campaign headquarters this summer and fall. A similar headquarters based at Detroit and West Clifton in 2004 brought nearly 2,000 volunteers through Lakewood's West End. The Club was also busy earlier this year, making endorsements of primary candidates and activating dozens of volunteers to talk to voters on front porches and at polling places.
SIDEBAR STORY:
Rokakis Warns Lakewood Democratic Club About Predatory Lending In Lakewood
"A rash of predatory lending and foreclosures is affecting Lakewood and all of Cuyahoga County", said Cuyahoga County Treasurer Jim Rokakis at a Lakewood Democratic Club meeting earlier this month. Increasingly aggressive lending by financial institutions has lowered safeguards for borrowers and dramatically increased foreclosures. Slavic Village, for example, has 490 vacant homes today--hard-hit by predatory lending. Rokakis noted that while "the problem started in Cleveland, it's now increasingly affecting inner-ring suburbs" such as Lakewood.
According to Lakewood State Representative Michael Skindell, predatory lenders in Lakewood often target the elderly and single mothers with lots of medical or education expenses. They market "cash back" loans that pretend to ease money pressures by offering short-term help to make medical or education payments.
Rokakis was sharply critical of the state governmens's lack of action to stop predatory lending. He noted Ohio is one of only two states which does not protect borrowers put into bad loans by corrupt brokers. "The reason this is going on in Ohio is because Ohio is doing nothing about it," said Rokakis. "Ohio is an anything-goes state." Ohio Governor Bob Taft and Attorney General Jim Petro could have taken action to increase protections but "have looked the other way, "said Rokakis.
Rokakis has teamed up with Cuyahoga County Commissioner Tim Hagan to curb predatory lenders in Cuyahoga County by setting up a mortgage foreclosure prevention office and hotline to help people caught in unfair lending arrangements. Residents across Cuyahoga County can now dial "211" for a 24-hour hotline to help stop predatory lenders and to provide foreclosure assistance. Rokakis stressed that homeowners should dial 211 before their home is foreclosed. "You can't beat these guys in Columbus because they have too much money. You have to put them in jail locally, "Rokakis said.
Representative Skindell has worked for years to curb predatory lending in Lakewood, first introducing protective legislation while a Lakewood City Councilman only to have the protections stalled by state actions in Columbus by predatory lenders' allies.
Volume 2, Issue 10, Posted 12:12 AM, 05.10.06