Glass City Jungle

This in via e-mail from the Wilkowski for Mayor campaign:

Bell Confuses Rhetoric with Reality During Debate
Continues To Claim It Isn’t The Mayor’s Responsibility To Create Jobs

TOLEDO – Mike Bell’s rhetoric during tonight’s debate contradicted his actual record on taxes and job creation. While Bell claimed that he never said he would raise taxes, he has time and again said that he is open to a tax increase. While he claims to have a jobs plan for Toledo, Mike Bell’s idea of economic development is to simply listen while thousands of Toledoans remain out of work. He again claimed that it isn’t the Mayor’s responsibility to create jobs, saying,“As far as the mayor being the lead person in creating jobs, no, I don’t see it that way.”

BELL CONFUSED RHETORIC WITH REALITY:

Rhetoric: Mike Bell said in tonight’s debate: “We’re not going to create any new fees – we’re not going to increase any taxes.”
Reality: Mike Bell has consistently said that raising taxes is something he will consider as mayor.

· In an interview in WGTE’s Deadline Now on September 25, Mike Bell said that that he will not raise taxes immediately. When asked about raising taxes, Bell did not rule out a tax raise on citizens saying, “You’ve got to leave all options open.” [Deadline Now, WGTE-TV,9/25/09]

· The day Bell launched his campaign, he argued that raising taxes is a “common sense thing.” In his announcement speech, Bell said, “[A] choice which is not one that is very popular at this time and I’m not even suggesting that we go there, but it’s a common-sense thing – you have to raise some taxes.” [Toledo Blade, 3/26/09]

· Asked whether he would pledge to not raise taxes, Bell told 13 ABC that “I’m not prepared to do that because we’re not doing good enough going inside to know what we need and what we don’t need.” [13 Action News, WTVG-TV, 9/9/09]

Rhetoric: Mike Bell said in tonight’s debate: “[Keith Wilkowski] is probably more connected to doing things the old way than I am.”
Reality: While claiming to be a political outsider, Mike Bell has several insider politicians working closely with his campaign.

· According to the Toledo Blade disgraced former Lucas County Party Chairman John Irish is “Chief Advisor” to Mike Bell. Irish was ousted from his position as Chairman of the Lucas County Democratic Party after he allowed strippers to work at a fundraising event. [Toledo Blade, 7/10/09, Toledo Blade, 7/13/07]

· In an interview in WGTE’s Deadline Now on September 25, Mike Bell said that that he is open to keeping Mayor Carty Finkbeiner as an advisor. When asked about keeping the embattled Finkbeiner, Bell responded by saying, “There is always going to be a place for citizens who live here to be part of the administration.” Bell defined Finkbeiner’s possible role as part of an “advisory panel or something like that.” [Deadline Now, WGTE-TV,9/25/09]

Rhetoric: Mike Bell said in tonight’s debate: “Because I am not connected to anybody, and I’m not connected to the old or the new, in any way, and running as an independent, I believe I have the freedom to be able to search out different ways to be able to carry out business here.”
Reality: Mike Bell shows his independence by accepting advice from disgraced politicians from both sides.

· Chairman of the Lucas County Republican Party Jon Stainbrook said that Mike Bell and his Republican supporters are associated with convicted felon Tom Noe. In the Toledo Blade Stainbrook said that the Republicans associated with Bell are “the wing of the Republican Party that is left over from the Noes, the corruption part.” [Toledo Blade, 9/10/09]

· According to the Toledo Blade disgraced former Lucas County Party Chairman John Irish is “Chief Advisor” to Mike Bell. Irish was ousted from his position as Chairman of the Lucas County Democratic Party after he allowed strippers to work at a fundraising event. [Toledo Blade, 7/10/09, Toledo Blade, 7/13/07]

BELL CONTINUED TO CLAIM THAT IT’S NOT THE MAYOR’S RESPONSIBILITY TO CREATE JOBS.

Tonight, Bell said, “I agree [there is nothing the mayor can do to create jobs],” he said. “As far as the mayor being the lead person in creating jobs, no, I don’t see it that way.”

Bell has repeatedly demonstrated a lack of understanding of economic development and an unwillingness to make the tough decisions needed to bring jobs to Toledo.

· During an appearance on Conklin and Company Mike Bell said that economic development is not the mayor’s job. In a discussion on the economy Bell said, “My job as mayor is not to create the economic development plan.” [Conklin and Company, 3/29/09]

· While a guest on Conklin and Company Bell defined the role of mayor as earpiece for businesses, not agent for economic development. While discussing the economy Bell said, “The mayor is not the economic development director. The mayor is actually the person that needs to listen to the Business people.” Bell went on to say, “The mayor’s job and the city’s job and the government’s job is to get the hurdles out of the way of the business people” [Conklin and Company, 3/29/09]