Pikie's Blog

Amen! Enough is enough! I am not a smoker at this time either, but this continual taxing of what is still a legal substance is out of control! Maybe the pharmaceutical companies can start doing some "goodwill" stints and start funding insurance for poor children.

This is how The Foundation Syndicate will gain control of cigarette tax dollars from Issue 18 to form a monopoly of the arts & cultural groups in Cuyahoga County-

When the schills from the Community Arts Partnership go pick up their paychecks from the Foundation Syndicate bosses, they will get instructions on what to tell commissioners/city officials on how/when who to distribute Issue 18 the money to.

Hypothetically, if for example, the County Commissioners are told to distribute the tax dollars to art organizations that have at least a $440,000 year budget, a mission, a plan, a full time paid Director with a staff of 4 employees, etc.

Then next fiscal quarter in 2007, the Foundation Syndicate can start art districts with a nebulous names like Acme Cleveland Arts Consortium with a initial $440,000 year budget, with a nebulous mission, a plan, a full time paid 20 something year old Director with a staff of 4 employees, etc.......to promote arts & culture in Cleveland??/?

This bogus art districts will technically meet the county commissioners criteria for tax dollars from Issue 18. While legitimate one won't because of sanctions by the Foundation Syndicate. This is how in the 1990's the Foundation Syndicate took over and formed a monopoly of the environmental groups (Green Mafia) in Cuyahoga County:

An Actual Example: http://www.cleveland.com/search/index.ssf?/base/cuyahog
a/1152693065277600.xml?ncounty_cuyahoga&coll=2
(Note: Councilman Matt Zone is Lee Fishers brother-in-law)
This same Green Mafia greased the way in Colu

Preach it!!

lol!

The way it was written and passed is the tax will go from .39 to a $1.00. That means it will go up .61. It passed the US senate last week and I'm not sure when it will take effect.

I read it in the News Herald. It was on page 2 under the "Thomas voting reports" that shows how all the Ohio senators & House of reps voted for the previous week. You might try looking on the News Hearld website at: www.news-herald.com.

Here it is. Found it under "congressional votes".

110th Congress / Senate / 1st session / Vote 105
Question: On the Amendment
Bill: S CON RES 21
Vote description: Smith Amdt. No. 510 as Modified; To provide for the consideration of an increase in the tobacco products user fee rate, but only to the extent that such rate increase does not result in an increase of more than 61 cents per pack of cigarettes, with all revenue generated by such increase dedicated to the reauthorization and expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
Vote type: 1/2 (Help)
A simple majority of those present and voting is required for approval or passage.
Result: Agreed to, 59-40, with 1 not voting.
Date/time: March 23, 2007, 11:59 a.m.
Amendment num: S.Amdt. 510
Republican majority opinion: No (Help)
The position of more than 50 percent of voting Republicans. "None" means an equal split between "Yes" and "No."
Democrat majority opinion: Yes (Help)
The position of more than 50 percent of voting Democrats. "None" means an equal split between "Yes" and "No."