Link: http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100722/NEWS16/307229990

"Mr. Sarantou, a Republican, said council had no business taking up the issue.

"I voted no because I believe we should not as a city council be dealing with an issue in Arizona," he said. "These are federal issues and the President and the Congress need to deal with these issues, and not the city of Toledo."

Quite.

Now, how about our administration and council take a long hard look at the inventory of vacant homes? Something local perhaps? Something that council and administration could work on toegther, right here at home, perhaps?

How many homes do we need to tear down before, those in office, see the picture that with every demolished home and then vacant lot, our property values decline, the revenue from the property taxes decline, the expenses to the city rise, as the city is left taking care of property that returns nothing to the city, because the lots are empty.

And while administration and council, are not distracted, much like the previous years with flower planters, awards, press headlines, can we get some attention paid to the city neglecting to collect on fees, fines, penalties accessed against property owners that fail to maintain properties, board up and walk away from an ever growing inventory of property in the city of Toledo.

Previous media has reported on the Bob Mossing of the Neighborhoods Department, commenting on how the department goes after property owners.

Mr. Mossing as well as the management of the department and the associated departments at city hall, that they city routinely fails to collect on fees, fines and penalties accessed by the department, despite the comments made to the media by Mr. Mossing or Director Bond.

The department has failed to collect on this, for over five years;

"Case / Application / Permit Number
CE05-2201 Type / Classification CEPMNTS
NOL: NOTICE OF LIABILITY
CDEN: CODE ENFORCEMENT
Address 1170 HORACE ST
TOLEDO, OH
Parcel Number N/A
File Date 2005-12-06
Status APPLIED
Status Date N/A
Valuation $0.00
Fees $825.00
Payments $0.00
Balance $825.00
Online Payment
There is an outstanding balance. You can make online payment here by
clicking on the link above. This agency accepts:
Visa Mastercard
Description 1st Violation Date - 11/28/05
2nd Violation Date - 7/10/06 3rd Violation Date - 4/24/07 4th Violation
Date - 1/23/08 "

All a matter of public records @ https://www.velocityhall.com/ for anyone that wants to look it up or other properties.

The department rountinely fails to collect and it is yet another vestige of the previous administration locked in the past and incapable of moving forward.

We need change, here on the home front, let the federal government deal with matters of the nation and concentrate on our house and get it in order.