Plain Press

  • Property tax abatements need re-examination in light of impact on property tax valuations

    by Chuck Hoven (Plain Press, February 2019)          Residents of neighborhoods with a large number of new and substantially rehabbed houses, like Tremont (Southside) and Ohio City say they have been particularly hard hit by recent property valuations that have substantially increased their property tax bills. For many low-or-moderate income homeowners, the increases will cause…

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  • Cleveland Lead Safe Network plans for lead safe ballot initiative

    by Bruce Checefsky (January 2019, Plain Press)           Community activist Tazz Mays is impassioned about lead safe legislation. As a volunteer for the Cleveland Lead Safe Network, a small organization seeking to pass lead safe legislation in Cleveland, he’s committed to getting enough petition signatures to place legislation on the ballot in the November 2019 election.…

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  • Can our Cleveland neighborhoods find a way to have both amenities and economic diversity?

    by Chuck Hoven (January 2019, Plain Press)           Residents of Ohio City, gathered to share their vision for the future of the neighborhood, made it clear they would like to see their neighborhood serve as a home for people of all income groupings. They also readily listed the amenities they like in their neighborhood and what…

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  • Cudell and Detroit Shoreway announce “Strategic Alliance”

    By Victoria Shea   (Plain Press, July 2018)         The boards of Cudell Improvement and Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization announced in a letter dated June 5th that the two neighborhood organizations have formed a Strategic Alliance that will take effect on July 1, 2018. NEWS ANALYSIS The letter, signed by Daniel Berry, the President of…

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  • Cleveland City Council needs to change the way it operates to avoid further corruption

    by Chuck Hoven (Plain Press, May 2018)       The practice by Cleveland City Council of giving exclusive say to the sitting Council Representative over decisions about projects in their ward, in effect, creates what political scientists call “functional fiefdoms” and is an invitation to corruption and influence peddling. The recent guilty plea to 26 misdemeanor ethics…

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