The Agora

Smoking ban vaporizes as challengers' issue

Voters returned eight incumbent Toledo councilmen to office with landslide numbers yesterday, rejecting efforts by bar owners to turn the election into a referendum on the smoking ban.

Most of the council challengers had sided with bar owners, saying they would push for an amendment to exclude bars, bowling alleys, and bingo halls from the law that bans smoking in most bars and restaurants.

Last year, the moribund Lucas County GOP lucked into a new strategy to win elections: wait for the Democrat to screw up and pounce. Last November, it worked, dislodging a long-time County Commissioner. When Toledo's congresswoman, Marcy Kaptur said, "One could say that Osama bin Laden and these non-nation-state fighters with religious purpose are very similar to those kinds of atypical revolutionaries that helped to cast off the British crown,[per thou]--a statement wildly misrepresented nationally--the Republican party quickly announced a high-profile opponent for the next congressional election. Toledoans know Kaptur well and understood what she meant; locally, the story vanished in just a few days.

A few months ago, the Toledo city council unanimously passed a smoking ban that included bars and bowling alleys. Anti-ban candidates were fielded to challenge Democratic council members, and the ban was the only real issue the new challengers raised.

As it turned out, the smoking ban was a non-issue. Most voters were focused on other issues (taxes and development, mostly) and beyond bar-patrons, there was no interest in re-visiting the ban.
10:27:10 PM    comment []trackback []

Really, any writer who can work the phrase "Don't blame the monkey" into a post deserves some of your attention.
12:56:01 PM    comment []trackback []

October bankruptcies set record Toledo court filings so far in year exceed all of 2002's

The 8,862 bankruptcies filed through Oct. 31 topped 2002's full-year total, which also was a record breaker.

Local experts see no relief from a trend of escalating personal bankruptcies that began three years ago.

At the current rate of increase, 2003 will have about double the number of filings of 1999.

"I see no end in sight," said Gordon Barry, a Toledo bankruptcy lawyer.

Credit card balances and medical debt remain major contributors, he said, adding, "People have less and less coverage and medical bills are getting bigger and bigger.

"They[base ']re using credit cards for daily living expenses and then find themselves unable to make ... payments. They get on a treadmill. They get more and more offers for credit. They keep borrowing from one card to pay the other. They[base ']re borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. They reach critical mass. And they[base ']re beyond hope."

This trend is exacerbated by a couple of other developments, Mr. Barry said.

Mortgage companies sometimes begin foreclosure after homeowners miss their second payment instead of waiting at least five months as once was the rule. To stop the process, owners file bankruptcy. But they'll eventually have to resume payments if they want to keep their residences.

Additionally, Ohio law now allows creditors to garnishee up to 25 percent of debtors' take-home pay instead of the former 6.25 percent. Unable to live on what[base ']s left, they turn to Chapter 7 liquidation.

Billmon over at The Whiskey Bar has some great comments on the GDP numbers from last quarter.
6:44:26 AM    comment []trackback []