Cuyahoga County Council Candidate John Currid Calls on Sunny Simon to Prevent County Funds From Being Used For Federal Relocation of Illegal Immigrants

Cuyahoga County Council candidate for District 11, John Currid, has challenged the incumbent Sunny Simon to put the concerns and well being of Cuyahoga County citizens first by preventing any county funds or services being used to facilitate or support any attempts of the federal government to relocate illegal immigrants in Cuyahoga County.

Simon, who has previously stated that "she does not care how county spending will impact resident's lives," has yet to respond....

From Cuyahoga County Council Candidate John Currid --

Cuyahoga County Council nominee John J. Currid called on Councilwoman Sunny Simon to introduce legislation to prevent county funds or resources from being used to support federal relocation of illegal immigrants. He is concerned that the United States government would relocate illegal immigrants to Cuyahoga County in a similar fashion to what has been done in other areas. His concern is heightened by the fact that Cleveland has a Federal Immigration Court.

Mr. Currid recently sent Ms. Simon a letter calling on her to to introduce legislation that would prevent county funds from being appropriated to support illegal immigrants that would be relocated to Cuyahoga County by either the federal government or private “hosting/fostering” organizations. The proscription would include the use of any county resources, including personnel, for such purposes.

Currid stated: “The federal government has failed in its mission on the southern border, and that burden should not be shifted to states, counties, and cities. As the nominee to represent the people of the Eleventh District of Cuyahoga County, I feel a responsibility to ensure that the children, elderly, and families of this county are our first priority. I have asked the councilwoman to join me in this effort to immediately ensure the residents she was elected to represent are her number one priority as well.”

While the underlining issue is immigration, candidate Currid made it clear that his request of Ms. Simon comes from a broader concern about the use of limited resources, and the prioritization of the residents of Cuyahoga County over illegal immigrants. He believes that immigration is a federal issue, and one in which the county has no role. Unfortunately, in too many instances, the federal government transfers the financial burden of its failed policies to local and state governments. By being proactive and passing this legislation, Currid believes Cuyahoga County will be in front of an important issue, and will protect the use of the county’s limited resources for local county residents.

Currid believes, “diverting resources or funds away from needy children or families at this critical time would be both irresponsible and unacceptable.”

Read More: Currid: “Cuyahoga County Residents Need to be Our Priority”

Read More: John Currid’s Letter to Councilwoman Sunny Simon

County Council candidate for District 11 John Currid should be applauded for his speaking out, standing up and putting the citizens of Cuyahoga County first.

Now let's see what County Councilwoman Sunny Simon says! 

Is Simon willing to stand up for the citizens she was elected to represent? Or will Simon simply remain silent, giving tacit approval, of supporting and putting illegal immigrants over the Cuyahoga County citizens of District 11 she was elected to represent?

Cuyahoga County Residents Need to be First Priority

From Cuyahoga County Council Candidate John Currid --

There is a crisis on our southern border and although we watch the news coverage from afar, I fear a situation where the failure of Washington, D.C. will have a dramatic impact right here in Cuyahoga County. This is why I recently wrote a letter to Councilwoman Sunny Simon asking her to immediately introduce legislation that would prevent county funds, resources, or personnel from being used to support a federal relocation program of illegal immigrants. Although the Councilwoman and I are opponents in November, I felt we needed to stand together on this issue. While we might disagree on many issues, making Cuyahoga County residents our priority should be one we can agree.

So what does this have to do with Cuyahoga County and its residents? The federal government could relocate some of illegal immigrants to Cuyahoga County to utilize the Federal Immigration Court located in Cleveland or for some other unrelated reason. Recently in Tennessee their governor only became aware of thousands of illegal immigrants relocated to his state after the fact through news reports. The federal government is bussing illegal immigrants to counties and states nationwide especially to states currently facing real hardships. I recently watched a report identifying four relocation locations in Michigan; meanwhile the state’s largest city, Detroit, is under state control, is in default, and going through bankruptcy. The city’s public water service is $6 Billion in debt and almost 100,000 accounts are past due. While I do not condone the past due balances any resources or funds the city, county or state might have should go to secure basic civil services for low-income families who could soon go without water or sewer service instead the state is now burdened with the federal governments own failure.

I want to ensure that if the federal government does relocate illegal immigrants here in our county, it is clear that Cuyahoga County is not left paying the cost or diverting resources away from the mission of serving the county residents. As I travel through the six cities in the eleventh district of Cuyahoga County, I hear many wonderful stories of hope and success. However, it is also apparent that many of our neighborhoods have seen misfortunate and are going through tough times. The children, the elderly, and the low-income residents of Cuyahoga County deserve our undivided attention. We have our own crisis occurring on many streets, in schools, and throughout many neighborhoods of this county. Anything short of our undivided attention would be irresponsible and not acceptable.

The people who are on the front lines of serving the needy and under-privileged children and families of Cuyahoga County are members of the faith community, non-profit leaders, and other local leaders. When I meet with them one of the first concerns they share with me relates to the delays, red tape, and inefficiencies they face when working with county departments. While I believe the county is working hard to provide better services to its residents, we have a lot of work to do; now is not the time to redirect resources away from these departments. 

I want to be clear, this is not an issue about immigration; this is an issue about county resources and county residents. In my opinion, elected officials of Cuyahoga County government should make you, the residents, their first priority when allocating resources and funds. While the overall immigration situation is a crisis and deserves our full attention, immigration is ultimately a federal issue. Senators Portman & Brown as well as our local Congressman or Congresswoman are the folks we should be addressing those opinions. For this specific issue I am calling on Councilwoman Simon to stand with me and prioritize the children and families of this county above illegal immigrants should the federal government attempt to pass off their responsibility. 

LETTER I SENT TO COUNCILWOMAN SUNNY SIMON

Cuyahoga County Councilwoman Sunny Simon say's "Who Cares how County Spending will Impact Residents' Lives"

When pushing for her proposed country-wide 5 cents per bag plastic bag tax in 2012, County Councilwoman Sunny Simon is on the record as stating she "wants to see how far she can go to impact residents' lives." 

But as you see below when it comes to accountability, transparency or being a good steward of your tax dollars - with almost an air of indifference, Simon pretty much says, "she doesn't care how far county agencies spending of tax dollars will impact residents' lives."

From District 11 Cuyahoga County Council Candidate John Currid--  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CONTACT:  

John J. Currid (216) 502-0914

campaign@bestcuyahoga.com

WEBSITE:

http://www.BESTCuyahoga.com

South Euclid, July 21, 2014 - Cuyahoga County Council nominee John J. Currid praised the Cuyahoga County Council for taking a bipartisan step last week to control county spending by passing Cuyahoga County Ordinance 2014-0013.

The ordinance utilizes a common-sense approach to budget oversight by requiring County agencies to provide a detailed request for additional appropriation, itemize their service and program budgets, establish formal budget milestones and timelines, and document proposed staffing levels for all new programs and services for all internally requested taxpayer funds.

Prior to the passage of this Ordinance the County Executive and other County departments could spend taxpayers’ funds without Council’s oversight. This law was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support although it was not was not passed unanimously. According to Currid: “Councilwomen Sunny Simon once again showed indifference to protecting the taxpayers of Cuyahoga County. She was the only member of Council to vote against Ordinance 2014-0013. Ms. Simon’s initial comments on the ordinance were unsuitably brief: ‘I am going to be voting ‘no’ on this piece of legislation.’ She did not articulate any reason for being against such clearly-needed legislation that was ultimately supported by every other member of Council.”

Under questioning, Ms. Simon later suggested the ordinance was unnecessary, saying she and her colleagues already had the power and oversight to request this information without the need of additional legislation. However, Councilman Dave Greenspan, one of the co-sponsors of the ordinance, provided examples of approximately $30 million in spending by the Executive in which Council’s request for additional information were ignored by the Executive. This money was spent by the administration without the oversight of Council, and under Ms. Simon’s watch.

Currid concluded: “It is clear that Ms. Simon does not have the taxpayer’s best interests in mind. This ordinance requires that Cuyahoga County offices utilize basic accounting and budgetary tools, instruments that are learned in 101-level accounting classes. One must ask what Ms. Simon’s motivation would have been to vote against this ordinance, especially when all ten of her colleagues voted in favor.”

Video of Council’s debate can be viewed here.

### 

Stop the Plastic Bag Tax in Cuyahoga County & City of Cleveland

Working to collaborate and impose their Nanny-State, Enviro-Goon beliefs on us,  Cuyahoga County Councilwoman Sunny Simon & City of Cleveland Councilman Matt Zone are teaming up in attempts to create a plastic bag tax at the City and County level.  

From the PD -- 

Cleveland and Cuyahoga County want to work together to get rid of plastic grocery bags rather than fight over who has the power to restrict them.

City Councilman Matt Zone and County Councilwoman Sunny Simon -- along with the county health department, solid waste district and community activists -- will meet Friday to start hammering out how, exactly, to reach that goal.

Zone has considered a city-wide ban. Simon said in February she wanted to propose a countywide 5-cent tax for each bag provided by restaurants and stores. The stores would collect the fee along with sales tax, and the money could pay for education or environmental clean up.

Simon's proposal raised questions about whether the 17-month old county council, the product of a government reform movement, has the power to pass laws that apply inside the borders of the county's cities.

"I'm not going to do anything that's going to create unrest and litigation," Simon said. "I want to work collaboratively with cities and find common ground to implement. . . a bag ordinance that's hopefully going to satisfy the residents and the businesses in the county."

A self-described passionate defender of the environment, it is simple, Simon is willing to stretch the limits of her perceived power to push her progressive agenda.

While Simon says she doesn't want to create unrest and litigation, with Ohio being a "Home Rule" state, she is clearly testing the waters to see how much authority the new county council has in mandating on the political subdivisions within its' boundaries in the form of regulation and increased taxing powers.

Quoted in an earlier PD article on the proposed plastic bag tax, Sunny delightfully stated....

"I really want to do the research and be careful," she said. "This is something that's going to be testing the waters. With this new government and the charter, how far can we go to impact residents' lives?"

The convenient and cozy county/city collaboration on the proposed plastic bag tax is more than just a plastic bag tax.

This is a step closer to big government regionalism through Agenda 21 type sustainability programs. Furthermore, this sets a bad precedent by creating an avenue for Cuyahoga County Council to opening the start taxing anything deemed unsafe for the environment. Or even more....

- Take Action Now - 

First contact Cuyahoga County Councilwoman Sunny Simon and City of Cleveland Councilman Matt Zone to voice your opposition to their proposed plastic bag tax.

We then need to reinforce the message by contacting Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and Cleveland Council President Martin Sweeney at the city level.  At the county level, please voice your opposition to County Executive Ed Fitzgerald and County Council President Ellen Connally.

Contact Info

Cuyahoga County Council

County Council VP Sunny Simon
Office: (216) 698-2035
Fax: (216) 698-2040
Email: ssimon@cuyahogacounty.us

County Council President Ellen Connally
Office: (216) 698-2023
Fax: (216) 698-2040
Email: ceconnally@cuyahogacounty.us

County Executive Ed Fitzgerald
Office: (216-443-7178
Email: Click Here 

To find your Cuyahoga County Council Member, click here.

City of Cleveland Council

Councilman Matt Zone
Council Office: (216)-664-4235
Ward Office: (216)939-1717
Email: council15@clevelandcitycouncil.org

Council President Martin Sweeney
Office: (216)664-2942
Fax: (216)664-3837
Email: council18@clevelandcitycouncil.org

Mayor Frank Jackson
Office: (216)664-3990
Email: Click Here

To write a letter to the Editor of the Plain Dealer opposing the plastic bag tax, submit online form at  www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/lettertoeditor.ssf or email to: letters@plaind.com.