John McGovern · Worth Repeating

December 4th, 2008

via Christine Borne (written as a comment to ‘Cleveland is a Great City‘)

“I don’t think Frank Jackson is the best mayor in Cleveland history, but what I’ve always liked about him is that he’s not a slick, huckster-politician who’ll just tell you what you want to hear. And even though he’s not a real exciting or charismatic guy, nearly everything I have personally heard him say has seemed pretty reasonable and sensible. He’s a true public servant – the unflappable kind who keeps plugging along for years without succumbing to cynicism. And as a former public servant myself I’ve just got to say, that’s bloody hard and I respect him for it.”

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Category: Cleveland
4 Comments »

4 Responses to “Worth Repeating”

  1. lmcshane Says:
    December 4th, 2008 at 6:28 pm

    I have basically said the same thing:
    http://realneo.us/blog/lmcshane/i-gotta-like-frank

  2. lmcshane Says:
    December 7th, 2008 at 11:56 am

    Christine–please add Krakow Cafe in Slavic Village to your cool places to eat. I went last night and had the opportunity to meet many young people transplanted to Cleveland from Salt Lake City. All young professionals. Will they stay in Cleveland? I doubt it. They long to return to their spawning grounds and the support of family, much like you longed for Cleveland while in New York. So, the challenge is to attract Clevelanders back to Cleveland, and to retain as many immigrants as possible. Do we do a good job at that?

  3. lmcshane Says:
    December 7th, 2008 at 6:28 pm

    This came up last night. What does Frank need to change in Cleveland? The attitude driving everything of “who do you know/name dropping,” “how much do you make,” and “know your place.” Young immigrants to this city burn out fast on this attitude and the non-profit idealism mill.

    More than one young person I know (including myself) can relate to the experience working inside a non-profit, where the director makes over $200,000+ and the young things* make on average $30,000 and live in rental units, generally on the out skirts of Cleveland, if they plan on having kids, because the “school” reputation scares them from the inner city (I was once one of these young things–who has stuck it out with the city, albeit with no kids).

    Factor in the non-profit execs living in a tax-abated city property during their “city time” and you have the problem we see here in Cleveland. No one paying for the services that keep a city alive.

  4. lmcshane Says:
    December 7th, 2008 at 6:45 pm

    And one more thing–if you are looking for a house forget western Lakewood and the excuse of a locally owned store. Dave’s is locally owned…you are really looking for a good school. Well, look no further than South Hills and Benjamin Franklin elementary or William Cullen Bryant. Buy your produce at Foote’s market on Canal Rd. Live in Brooklyn Heights if you really think that Cleveland is “too scary,” but I have news for you–Aaron LeMieux in Tremont just helped one of our local students win a blue ribbon in science. How about language skills–most of our kids can get by better than adults with a hybrid Spanglish. One of my former coworkers now works in the medical equipment business–he went to Lincoln West and taught himself Spanish and Portugese, as well as how to play the drums like a Boriqua. And, he is learning Hebrew.