While Sammarone has brought certain refreshing changes to the table as mayor, his statement that "I don't agree with downsizing the city" is absolutely absurd, quite unbelievable, and shows a level of ignorance quite typical of Youngstown politicians. In case he hasn't noticed, the city has downsized itself, and future success or failure depends on how political leaders such as himself react to it.
A major part of the problem and the reason most of these prior studies have not been put to use is that for the most part, Youngstown mayors and city councils have operated under a self-centered mentality of "what is best for me". Making hard decisions and implementing productive change in government is often hard work and carries with it the danger that decisions may be politically unpopular. Hence, most politicians naturally gravitate away from change in favor of the political safety of somehow continuing to justify the status quo. Until Youngstown voters demand more, nothing is likely to change.
All voters should remember this article when they cast their votes in November, especially in the president of council race. Although Sammarone has of late touted his commitment to "accountability", he has throughout his political career been one of Youngstown's least productive and most self-centered political leaders of the past three decades. Failing to embrace the concept that Youngstown's future success requires radical change to the way government business is conducted should disqualify him from future public office.
I'll try this one more time and then I'll let it go since we seem to have beaten this topic to death.
As far back as 1977, A NY Time Article cited that 40 black mayors had been elected in major urban cities with white majorities of both population and registered voters (Rollins, 1977).
In 2000, Michael Coleman, a black man, was elected mayor of the predominantly white populated city of Coumbus, OH. In 2002, Rhine McLin, a black woman, was elected mayor of Dayton, Ohio. In the same year, Jack Ford, a black man, was elected Mayor of Toledo, Ohio. In 2005, Mark Mallory, a black man, was elected Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, and our very own Jay Williams was elected mayor of Youngstown. In all of the above cited cases, these cities had majorities of both white citizens and white registered voters. Therefore, these individuals obviously had to garner votes from a plurality of the voting base comprised of both blacks and whites in order to win elective office.
On the national level, lest we forget Barack Obama's somewhat stunning upset in 2008 of the white faction of the Democrat establishment in his defeat of Hilary Clinton in the Primary election.
The above evidence suggests that both locally and nationally black and white voters alike, even in Youngstown, will support black candidates if sufficiently incentivized to do so. This evidence also suggests that contrary to the assertions of Mr. Skolnick and several posters here, election results tend to follow racial divides only when the majority of voters are not incentivized to vote, and as a result voter turnout is very low as in the case of Youngstown's recent election. Mr; Skolnick is trying to infer that an overall racial divide exists when the facts based on long-term trends clearly show otherwise.
So what is the real problem here in Youngstown? Is it that our population as a whole has a racial bias against electing black politicians, or that most citizens, both black and white, simply do not care enough to select a candidate and then come out and vote?
Someone once said: "Those who can, do; but those who can't, plan".
The Youngstown 2010 plan, which cost a hefty chunk of change a number of years ago, was supposed to be the framework for the future direction of the city, including its neighborhoods. Why not revisit and refine it?
The mayor seems to believe that some planning firm will somehow come up with another magic formula to improve the city. It's not going to happen. Youngstown's problems are well known to anyone who has been paying at least casual attention over the past two or three decades: 1) the overwhelming perception of crime and lack or citizen safety; 2) neighborhood blight; 3) inept and self-centered legislative body; 4) lack of commerce; and 5) sub-standard and ineffective services provided by city government.
In order to solve these problems, city government, especially city council, must be willing to implement an extensive public participation process through which the true needs and desires of Youngstown citizens may be discovered by actually listening to them and then implementing their suggestions. You don't need yet another plan to accomplish this, just individuals in elected city government who are willing to do the hard work for their paychecks.
Now that you've mastered that cutting and pasting routine, please take a class in logic; and then possibly you may begin to understand that attitudes like yours are the root of both the small and big problems that plague society. Although your very last statement, albeit somewhat convoluted, gives me hope that you're beginning to see the light.
You remind me of some of the "spin meisters" appearing on network news shows who insist on holding on to their misguided opinions despite solid evidence that they are on the wrong side of an issue and that their opinions are inaccurate with regard to logic and the facts.
Now let me say it again: Continually restating that racism in the electorate exists, will always exist, and there is nothing that can be done about it is just plain wrong and socially irresponsible, and by espousing such an opinion, you likewise are just plain wrong. There is much that can be done to change racially polarized elections, especially by media outlets such as the Vindicator which have the ability to shape public opinion. What I am suggesting is that by emphasizing the critical need for all factions of the electorate to participate in the election process, the racial divide becomes less pronounced.
For example, in 2005 Jay Williams became mayor in large part by bridging racial polarization and garnering votes in predominantly white precincts. If your perspective accurately reflected the Youngstown voting model, Bob Hagan would currently be Youngstown's mayor, since white voters comprise a majority of the registered Youngstown electorate. Williams became mayor by attracting white voters and also by encouraging traditionally non-participating members of the black community to vote. That, my friend, is how you stem the tide of racism, not as you suggest by throwing up your hands and pathetically exclaiming that racism always has and always will exist, and as a community, there is nothing we can do about it.
I am suggesting an approach here that if championed with the assistance of the news media can negate the effects of racially divided elections, not perpetuate them. You, on the other hand, have offered nothing except the same old Youngstown mentality that "this is the way it is because this is the way it has always been". Hence one of my previous statements that if the majority of residents share your mentality, Youngstown is truly headed down the wrong garden path.
Do you folks really believe that 7,000 votes in a city with a population of 68,000 is representative of anything???
If readers like sobchak and Lifes2Short are indicative of the Youngstown voter mentality, we are truly in trouble. The community's culture must change in order to encourage the public to number one, vote, and number two, select leaders on the basis of who they feel will best serve the overall interests and needs of the community. The Vindicator could be a catalyst in this regard, but chooses instead to focus on the more volatile issue of racism. Why? Because is sells more papers.
Merely continually re-hashing a century-old racial divide on the basis of the results of an election in which 10% of the population and 16% of eligible voters voted, is simply irresponsible and wrong. If Skolnick and his bosses at the Vindicator were truly responsible journalists, the column byline would have read: "90% of City residents evidently could care less who their next Mayor is". That is the only statistic that is truly relevant in this case, not suggesting an overall trend of racism on the basis of city voting precincts where in some cases only 5-10 people voted.
The Vindicator does little reporting and much editorializing; That is my point, its editorializing is self-serving, unproductive, and of no benefit to the community.
Mr. Skolnick's latest column clearly elucidates the the following Youngstown journalistic axiom: "If one cannot think of anything interesting and engaging to write about, continually re-state the obvious with a self-serving spin".
Instead of beating the race card to death, it would be nice if the Vindicator, in its bully pulpit position, would become a lightning rod and an advocate for change. In this instance, change could be best affected by impressing upon the community the critical need for citizens to become familiar with the qualifications of each candidate, and most importantly, to vote.
It seems clear that 7,000 votes in a city of approximately 66,000 does not accurately represent all voices and needs within the community. Therein lies the central issue requiring attention, not racial prejudices.
Shame on the Vindicator for exploiting the racial issue in a clear effort to merely select a sensational issue that it hopes will increase its fledgling readership.
You have a tendency to read what you want into other posts instead of focusing on the actual issue at hand.
My point was that the true costs of building the facility should have been accurately determined up front, not after the bids were let! Whomever had the responsibility for doing so dropped the ball big time. If the current market cost of a "bare bones" fire station is $1.2 million, how did they come up with an estimate of $780,000? They sort of missed it by 35%. Hence the root of the true governmental incompetency, which now will require re-bids, waste time, and increase administrative costs. In the private sector, the responsible parties would now be delivering pizzas for a living.
...Now carefully read the above several times and you just might begin to understand how your taxpayers' money is consistently wasted not only in this instance, but in many other similar instances.
Youngstown spends $1M-plus on studies, largely unused
While Sammarone has brought certain refreshing changes to the table as mayor, his statement that "I don't agree with downsizing the city" is absolutely absurd, quite unbelievable, and shows a level of ignorance quite typical of Youngstown politicians. In case he hasn't noticed, the city has downsized itself, and future success or failure depends on how political leaders such as himself react to it.
A major part of the problem and the reason most of these prior studies have not been put to use is that for the most part, Youngstown mayors and city councils have operated under a self-centered mentality of "what is best for me". Making hard decisions and implementing productive change in government is often hard work and carries with it the danger that decisions may be politically unpopular. Hence, most politicians naturally gravitate away from change in favor of the political safety of somehow continuing to justify the status quo. Until Youngstown voters demand more, nothing is likely to change.
All voters should remember this article when they cast their votes in November, especially in the president of council race. Although Sammarone has of late touted his commitment to "accountability", he has throughout his political career been one of Youngstown's least productive and most self-centered political leaders of the past three decades. Failing to embrace the concept that Youngstown's future success requires radical change to the way government business is conducted should disqualify him from future public office.
June 2, 2013 at 3:47 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Youngstown mayoral vote splits mostly along racial lines
@toycannon,
Please explain what you mean by a "one way street".
May 15, 2013 at 6:22 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Youngstown mayoral vote splits mostly along racial lines
@L2S:
I'll try this one more time and then I'll let it go since we seem to have beaten this topic to death.
As far back as 1977, A NY Time Article cited that 40 black mayors had been elected in major urban cities with white majorities of both population and registered voters (Rollins, 1977).
In 2000, Michael Coleman, a black man, was elected mayor of the predominantly white populated city of Coumbus, OH. In 2002, Rhine McLin, a black woman, was elected mayor of Dayton, Ohio. In the same year, Jack Ford, a black man, was elected Mayor of Toledo, Ohio. In 2005, Mark Mallory, a black man, was elected Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, and our very own Jay Williams was elected mayor of Youngstown. In all of the above cited cases, these cities had majorities of both white citizens and white registered voters. Therefore, these individuals obviously had to garner votes from a plurality of the voting base comprised of both blacks and whites in order to win elective office.
On the national level, lest we forget Barack Obama's somewhat stunning upset in 2008 of the white faction of the Democrat establishment in his defeat of Hilary Clinton in the Primary election.
The above evidence suggests that both locally and nationally black and white voters alike, even in Youngstown, will support black candidates if sufficiently incentivized to do so. This evidence also suggests that contrary to the assertions of Mr. Skolnick and several posters here, election results tend to follow racial divides only when the majority of voters are not incentivized to vote, and as a result voter turnout is very low as in the case of Youngstown's recent election. Mr; Skolnick is trying to infer that an overall racial divide exists when the facts based on long-term trends clearly show otherwise.
So what is the real problem here in Youngstown? Is it that our population as a whole has a racial bias against electing black politicians, or that most citizens, both black and white, simply do not care enough to select a candidate and then come out and vote?
You decide.
May 15, 2013 at 2:02 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Youngstown prepares to hire a firm to provide planning services
Someone once said: "Those who can, do; but those who can't, plan".
The Youngstown 2010 plan, which cost a hefty chunk of change a number of years ago, was supposed to be the framework for the future direction of the city, including its neighborhoods. Why not revisit and refine it?
The mayor seems to believe that some planning firm will somehow come up with another magic formula to improve the city. It's not going to happen. Youngstown's problems are well known to anyone who has been paying at least casual attention over the past two or three decades: 1) the overwhelming perception of crime and lack or citizen safety; 2) neighborhood blight; 3) inept and self-centered legislative body; 4) lack of commerce; and 5) sub-standard and ineffective services provided by city government.
In order to solve these problems, city government, especially city council, must be willing to implement an extensive public participation process through which the true needs and desires of Youngstown citizens may be discovered by actually listening to them and then implementing their suggestions. You don't need yet another plan to accomplish this, just individuals in elected city government who are willing to do the hard work for their paychecks.
May 15, 2013 at 8:22 a.m. permalink suggest removal
Youngstown mayoral vote splits mostly along racial lines
@L2S,
Now that you've mastered that cutting and pasting routine, please take a class in logic; and then possibly you may begin to understand that attitudes like yours are the root of both the small and big problems that plague society. Although your very last statement, albeit somewhat convoluted, gives me hope that you're beginning to see the light.
May 14, 2013 at 10:47 a.m. permalink suggest removal
Youngstown mayoral vote splits mostly along racial lines
@L2S,
You remind me of some of the "spin meisters" appearing on network news shows who insist on holding on to their misguided opinions despite solid evidence that they are on the wrong side of an issue and that their opinions are inaccurate with regard to logic and the facts.
Now let me say it again: Continually restating that racism in the electorate exists, will always exist, and there is nothing that can be done about it is just plain wrong and socially irresponsible, and by espousing such an opinion, you likewise are just plain wrong. There is much that can be done to change racially polarized elections, especially by media outlets such as the Vindicator which have the ability to shape public opinion. What I am suggesting is that by emphasizing the critical need for all factions of the electorate to participate in the election process, the racial divide becomes less pronounced.
For example, in 2005 Jay Williams became mayor in large part by bridging racial polarization and garnering votes in predominantly white precincts. If your perspective accurately reflected the Youngstown voting model, Bob Hagan would currently be Youngstown's mayor, since white voters comprise a majority of the registered Youngstown electorate. Williams became mayor by attracting white voters and also by encouraging traditionally non-participating members of the black community to vote. That, my friend, is how you stem the tide of racism, not as you suggest by throwing up your hands and pathetically exclaiming that racism always has and always will exist, and as a community, there is nothing we can do about it.
I am suggesting an approach here that if championed with the assistance of the news media can negate the effects of racially divided elections, not perpetuate them. You, on the other hand, have offered nothing except the same old Youngstown mentality that "this is the way it is because this is the way it has always been". Hence one of my previous statements that if the majority of residents share your mentality, Youngstown is truly headed down the wrong garden path.
May 14, 2013 at 5:08 a.m. permalink suggest removal
Youngstown mayoral vote splits mostly along racial lines
Do you folks really believe that 7,000 votes in a city with a population of 68,000 is representative of anything???
If readers like sobchak and Lifes2Short are indicative of the Youngstown voter mentality, we are truly in trouble. The community's culture must change in order to encourage the public to number one, vote, and number two, select leaders on the basis of who they feel will best serve the overall interests and needs of the community. The Vindicator could be a catalyst in this regard, but chooses instead to focus on the more volatile issue of racism. Why? Because is sells more papers.
Merely continually re-hashing a century-old racial divide on the basis of the results of an election in which 10% of the population and 16% of eligible voters voted, is simply irresponsible and wrong. If Skolnick and his bosses at the Vindicator were truly responsible journalists, the column byline would have read: "90% of City residents evidently could care less who their next Mayor is". That is the only statistic that is truly relevant in this case, not suggesting an overall trend of racism on the basis of city voting precincts where in some cases only 5-10 people voted.
Come on Guys...get with it!
May 13, 2013 at 2:49 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Youngstown mayoral vote splits mostly along racial lines
@Joe,
The Vindicator does little reporting and much editorializing; That is my point, its editorializing is self-serving, unproductive, and of no benefit to the community.
May 13, 2013 at 8:28 a.m. permalink suggest removal
Youngstown mayoral vote splits mostly along racial lines
Mr. Skolnick's latest column clearly elucidates the the following Youngstown journalistic axiom:
"If one cannot think of anything interesting and engaging to write about, continually re-state the obvious with a self-serving spin".
Instead of beating the race card to death, it would be nice if the Vindicator, in its bully pulpit position, would become a lightning rod and an advocate for change. In this instance, change could be best affected by impressing upon the community the critical need for citizens to become familiar with the qualifications of each candidate, and most importantly, to vote.
It seems clear that 7,000 votes in a city of approximately 66,000 does not accurately represent all voices and needs within the community. Therein lies the central issue requiring attention, not racial prejudices.
Shame on the Vindicator for exploiting the racial issue in a clear effort to merely select a sensational issue that it hopes will increase its fledgling readership.
May 13, 2013 at 6:52 a.m. permalink suggest removal
All 8 proposals for new Youngstown fire station will be tossed
@NoBS,
You have a tendency to read what you want into other posts instead of focusing on the actual issue at hand.
My point was that the true costs of building the facility should have been accurately determined up front, not after the bids were let! Whomever had the responsibility for doing so dropped the ball big time. If the current market cost of a "bare bones" fire station is $1.2 million, how did they come up with an estimate of $780,000? They sort of missed it by 35%. Hence the root of the true governmental incompetency, which now will require re-bids, waste time, and increase administrative costs. In the private sector, the responsible parties would now be delivering pizzas for a living.
...Now carefully read the above several times and you just might begin to understand how your taxpayers' money is consistently wasted not only in this instance, but in many other similar instances.
May 11, 2013 at 1:36 p.m. permalink suggest removal