614 Magazine - Columbus, Ohio

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JUL2009

Opening Volley

By David Lewis

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"Your office is amazing. It looks like Mardi Gras happened in there last night."

--Clark Gaines, publisher, 614 Magazine


David S. Lewis, editor-in-chief

Photo: Christopher Atwood

Yes, yes it did. Beer cans, take-out boxes, fireworks, stacks of publications and print-out news feeds, tea leaves, all my various methods of divination were strewn about, along with small-caliber pistol rounds, several empty coffee cups...it was impossible to finish my job in the Hell I had created. I have since retreated to the darkened sanctum of the supply closet next to the break room, where it is dark and grimy and claustrophobic, but relatively clean. Here alone, am I able to collect my thoughts.

And a varied and sordid collection of thoughts it is, this month, indeed.

I am truly proud to see this issue hit the stands. We are young, as a publication, and we have so much to learn, and such a long way to go, but I think we have collectively hit our stride on this one. I am extremely proud to present you with the story of Bill Arrundale, the local comedian who has affected so many lives, so positively; now Bill needs some help, and he is looking at us. While Bill is a hysterical comedian, the dynamic crew of funnymen who have gathered at his side will bring the house down at his Funnybone benefit later this month. Do not miss this great cause. Or the buffet.

Also, this month, our summer getaways feature will leave you with a wanderlust for Ohio, where the range of destinations is dizzying. Our trip to Put-in-Bay was nearly lethal, even with the restraining and sensible presence of my Assistant Editor, Abigail Hartung. I am not sure if it was the warm sun, the beautiful scenery, or the ludicrous quantity of tequila that put me over the edge, but when we were out flying a million miles an hour across the lake with Captain Mike, our skipper and guide, I am pretty sure I saw a large, pinkish dinosaur-like creature just below the surface, drinking what appeared to be a Brandy Alexander. The sun can play terrible tricks on a man...

Very seriously, the August 4 special election for the income tax rate increase has had me bothered since discussions began. Mayor Coleman's enthusiasm and savvy has gone a long way toward keeping Columbus vibrant and attractive for both residents and businesses, but in hard times, everyone has to tighten their belts. While his long-term plan calls for job creation and retention, efficiency reform, and progressive programs that are all great for the city, we saw last year that a looming shortfall could be solved with creative budget balancing - and spending cuts. While it's certainly true that no one could have known just how deep we would fall, or how fast, everyone knew the edge of the precipice was looming, and we continued to spend more than we could bring in.

We always have.

It's a cultural phenomenon unique to prosperous peoples: we spend more than we have, and we live beyond our means. So many individuals live their lives enslaved to debt, and when the stock markets stumble, their lives are ruined.

Now, we have done this as a city. The Mayor's history of generous deals with city unions has done much to garner support for him from that sector, but the rest of the constituency has been underrepresented, and it is going to be hard to motivate them to call off work and make their opinions heard at the special election. This is unfair.

The city needs more money. No one disputes that. We haven't seen a rate increase in more than 40 years...and times are hard. That doesn't make our previous extravagance any more forgivable.

I am going to vote against the increase, as a show of support to the Mayor and his advisors. I want to demonstrate my confidence not only in his political charisma, but also in his administrative ability to make difficult decisions in difficult times. Halt capital spending, sell some helicopters, and escape union deals that have been far more generous with taxpayer money than was appropriate. I am certain you can do this.

And if you vote yes for this, if you believe it to be the only recourse in a situation systemically awry, well...then I urge to you to vote with a grudge in your heart. A constituency with a poor memory begs to allow the government to dig deeper into their pockets, and their lives.

Okay,

David S. Lewis
Editor-in-Chief

Originally Published: July 1, 2009

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Comments

  1. Dude, you are a trip, are you single?

    Ash | 2009-07-02 - 03:01:57 AM (CDT)

  2. I usually enjoy picking up the new edition of 614 off the rack, but this week was so shocked and angered by the editor’s remarks against city employees and working families that I will take no joy in the publication again.

    The editor is resorting to the same old anti-union, anti-working-people tropes - without any backing evidence - that one would expect from a Wall Street human resources manual. Perhaps if Mr. Lewis had done his homework – or paid even peripheral attention to current events - he would have discovered that thousands of city workers have taken huge paycuts and concessions in working situations, and are struggling. They have sacrificed for events for which they were in no way culpable; they have sacrificed to allow city government to continue operating for its citizens - us.

    The most direct cause of the budget shortfall is the economy, an economy that was restructured and collapsed by the CEOs and finance wizards that figured out how to use paper tricks to shift more income toward themselves without really making anything, but still sell houses to Americans that were working more for less. To imply that greed was manifest equally across American society is laughable. My pensioner grandmother never sold anyone a subprime loan, and she never over-leveraged 35-to-one.

    To scapegoat the same individuals that are suffering the most from this manmade economic havoc – working families, people that go to work everyday to add real value to our society – is without truthful consideration or credibility, and it is despicable. Meanwhile the real perpetrators escape with their livelihoods intact, and the chance to invent new structures that will put working people in unstable times again one day. Make no mistake, there are robber barons today just as there were in 1929.

    In addition to ensuring a more equitable society, organized citizens, and especially organized workers, are the natural watchdogs over the kind of corruption that collapsed our economy. Martin Luther King, Jr. observed that “we overlook the work and the significance of those who are not in the so-called big jobs.” He said this before the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees – the same union that represents many Columbus city workers. He said this because he understood that organized people were part of the solution to a fair and stable society, not part of the problem – and he threw in his lot with them. It is unfortunate that an otherwise fine social calendar magazine has chosen to use its platform to announce with which side it stands as well.

    Adam McKenzie | 2009-07-08 - 04:47:14 PM (CDT)

  3. "...Oh, David!"

    TOP | 2009-07-11 - 03:52:03 AM (CDT)

  4. Adam, you have no idea how corrupt out city politicians and union "leaders" are...together...open your eyes a little further...

    Someone on the inside | 2009-07-14 - 06:15:41 PM (CDT)

  5. Oh, TOP. Why don’t you guys start writing things that people would actually bother picking up instead of trying to nit pick your competitors. Why is it everywhere I go I see full stacks of your papers all over town?

    max brown | 2009-07-15 - 02:58:35 AM (CDT)

  6. Adam, the reality is that a lot of people don’t want a tax increase and given the state of the economy it’s understandable.

    The city is threatening to eliminate a lot of jobs, but what if every city employee, including the cops and the firefighters agreed to take a cut in pay and a rollback in benefits in order to offset the budget gap?

    I’m not saying these people are overpaid, but neither are the millions of people around the state who have seen their pay and benefits reduced. I’m not talking about missing a raise, I’m talking about a pay cut.

    I’ve got no problem with unions, I believe that unions are an important and valuable part of our society but union leaders have to know when to stop fighting and work out a plan that benefits everybody. This is that time.

    steve croyle | 2009-07-15 - 05:43:39 PM (CDT)

  7. In my post I made no argument for or against the tax levy, and I stated no position on the moral duty of city workers to take concessions. My argument is a response to misplaced blame for the economy and the demonization of city workers and knee-jerk venom against unions - all without facts or historical context. This is unacceptable for any type of publication above tabloids.

    Again, I am seeing a lot of claims, fall-back positions and opinions with no backing evidence.

    Adam McKenzie | 2009-07-16 - 11:38:56 AM (CDT)

  8. At least the Jackets aren’t getting an even larger slice of taxpayer money.

    VJ | 2009-07-19 - 10:18:11 PM (CDT)
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