Residents
of Rocky River
August 15,
2002
Rocky River, Ohio 44116
River Government Must Yield!
Dear Fellow Rocky River
Residents,
A parent/teacher like conference is going on right
now over the future of Westgate Shopping Center.
Rocky River/Fairview Park officials are the
parents/teachers. They treat residents like
children/students.
They think they
will teach us what is best for us concerning
Westgate Shopping Center’s fate.
All this while nonpartisan elections, tax revolt
and citizen unrest permeate the western suburbs.
Citizens are telling their city governments to yield
their power.
So it is for Rocky River.
River residents’ resent
and want to be free from this City’s paternal
control. Residents now seek citizen control that
benefits them and their families.
Support Rocky River
nonpartisan elections and city income tax cuts and
get control that benefits us.
Fred I. Sokol,
Resident - Rocky River, Ohio -
www.rockyriverfred.com
Residents of Rocky River
July 18, 2002
Rocky River, Ohio 44116
Seeking Elected Office
of the City of Rocky River!
Dear Fellow Rocky River Residents,
As a Rocky River
resident I am "Officially and Actively" seeking
Elected Office of The City of Rocky River, Ohio for
the Year 2003.
My three major issues are,
our local economy, safety and neighborhoods.
(Economy) I have a "New
Economic Plan" to stimulate Rocky River’s economy.
I promise Rocky River Voters that I will Cut and
Phase Out City Income Tax. Increase consumer and
city business income/spending. Cut needless city
government spending.
When elected as a Rocky
River Councilman-At-Large, my "New Economic Plan"
will be voiced, heard and acted upon.
(Safety) That Rocky River
Residents, Police and Fire personnel "feel and will
be safe" in Rocky River.
When elected as a Rocky
River Councilman-At-Large, I will pursue "New
Methods of Safety" for our residents, our police and
fire safety personnel. If anyone has new ideas, I
want to hear from them as well.
(Neighborhoods) I want to
help others to achieve and preserve their homes and
quality neighborhoods for themselves and their
families.
When elected as a Rocky
River Councilman-At-Large, residents will be heard
on issues that will affect the value of their homes
and/or businesses.
I will also focus to
upgrade our City Infrastructure of streets, sewers
and waterlines.
We take the risk; to dream, to plan, perhaps to
falter till we succeed.
Fred I. Sokol,
Resident - Rocky River, Ohio -
www.rockyriverfred.com
(Note to Readers: I read this letter into the City
Record at the Rocky River City Council Legislative
Meeting 3-25-2002.)
Rocky River City Hall
March 25, 2002
21012 Hilliard Boulevard
Rocky River, Ohio 44116
2002 - Rocky River
Spending & Tax Cuts!
Mayor, Council
Members and Fellow Citizens,
Rocky River’s 2002 spending budget is
$49,227,981.59. A 22% increase from 2001's budget
of $40,350,506.05. Cut this spending nightmare!
We now pay for
River government to build a multimillion dollar un
voted municipal court benefiting other suburbs.
Ohio law makes Rocky River taxpayers responsible for
building costs!
We now pay to
maintain an un voted gymnasium/memorial halls and an
expanded and costly "regional" sewage treatment
plant.
We may pay for
city government to build a new multimillion dollar
Rocky River City Hall and new Jail Facility.
How then, can
Rocky River even pay to fix the problem of our aging
and sagging city wide sewer system, waterline system
and streets throughout our neighborhoods.
Rocky River says
their 2002 estimated resources are $58,129,719.43.
A 14% increase from 2001's estimated resources of
$50,779,355.44.
Yet Rocky River
lost tax money from three major businesses. If not
business, whose tax money increased the 2002
estimated resource total?
Our 2002
estimated resources will not save us. They are
estimates!
Our solution is
to cut needless spending and get out of the
courthouse, gymnasium and regional sewage treatment
business. These city monuments are tax money pits.
Then saved money
will be placed into a new super money reserve. This
will be for city emergencies and for a total city
infrastructure overhaul. If not, Rocky River taxes
will increase to pay for these future surprise costs
later.
Finally then . .
. cut the city income tax! Give tax money back to
Rocky River taxpayers for their future and the
future of Rocky River.
Fred I. Sokol,
Resident - Rocky
River, Ohio - www.rockyriverfred.com
(Note to Readers: I read this letter into the City
Record at the Rocky River City Council Legislative
Meeting 2-25-2002.)
Rocky River City Hall February 25,
2000
21012 Hilliard
Boulevard
Rocky River, Ohio
44116
Rocky River’s Citizen Council
Mayor, Council Members and Fellow Citizens,
Rocky River’s
20,735 residents will form a Citizen Council to stop
our community’s disintegration.
Rocky River officials
sadly look to the Chamber of Commerce to stay
competitive. Rivers’ city officials don’t have
answers and need residents’ help.
Nearly 93% of Rocky River
students plan additional education. 42% of River’s
working residents are in professional or managerial
positions. We can help.
Yet should smart Rocky
River residents just go their own way to vacation,
wash/wax their cars and boats, mow their lawns,
watch T.V. in their free time?
Are we too comfortable to
ignore our city’s decline and not create laws that
can benefit us?
We can write and pass laws
to raise our standard of safety, restrain city
spending, cut taxes, preserve our neighborhoods.
Residents will join a city
wide citizen council to write and pass these laws to
preserve and stop River’s disintegration.
Fred I. Sokol,
Resident - Rocky River, Ohio -
www.rockyriverfred.com
Rocky River City Hall January 16,
2002
21012 Hilliard Boulevard
Rocky River, Ohio 44116
Rocky River Tax Cut - 2002
Dear Fellow Rocky River Residents,
Rocky River needs a big cut in city income tax
to cut waste.
This will force
Rocky River government to spend tax money for
logical city services and workers’ pay. No more
wasting millions of tax dollars for un voted and
unwanted city facilities.
Tax cuts will
correct Rocky River’s economic slump. We will spend
our tax savings to stimulate our local economy.
Hello?
Tax cut refunds
will help pay for our house, cars, boats, a new
washer/dryer, perhaps a new home security system.
Why would residents
oppose a Rocky River tax cut? First, money is power.
Second, they want money to fund big government.
Rocky River’s new
Economic & Community Development Director is
$68,761.57 yearly! "The position has no power or
authority." Pork may be at Rocky River City Hall
paid by taxpayers’.
Tax cut opponents
say Rocky River government needs our tax money. It
is our money! Try guessing who opposes this tax cut?
Tax cut opponents
want Rocky River government to get more tax money.
Stop whining and write them a check.
Other residents, employers/employees, and
investors will cut Rocky River’s income tax.
Fred I. Sokol,
Resident - Rocky
River, Ohio - www.rockyriverfred.com
(Note to Readers: I read this letter into the City
Record at the Rocky River City Council Legislative
Meeting 1-14-2002.)
Rocky River City Hall January 14,
2002
21012 Hilliard Boulevard
Rocky River, Ohio 44116
We Are Rocky River Citizens!
Mayor, Council Members, and
Fellow Citizens:
We grasp to be extraordinary. We choose not to
be typical.
We never accept the easy way out. We embrace
occasions to excel.
We are proud of our independence. We will not
allow anyone to make us dependent.
We take the risk; to dream, to plan, perhaps to
falter till we succeed.
When we help someone, we never sell them out.
We prefer life’s
challenges to fulfill our existence.
We run from the
nothingness of the status quo.
We will never kneel before any master. Nor be
quiet to any threat.
It is our birthright to stand tall, proud and
courageous and to think and act for ourselves.
We know we have the right to be someone, and to
live and work for our community.
We enjoy our accomplishments while working with
others.
We are not afraid. We are patient. We will not
back-off.
Our goal is to benefit
others. Even to benefit those who criticize our
efforts.
This, fulfills our
struggle.
Then we proudly face our community and say, "We
have done this, with our Creator’s help."
This is what it means to be an American and a
Rocky River Citizen.
Fred I. Sokol,
Resident - Rocky River, Ohio -
www.rockyriverfred.com
(Note to Readers: I read this
letter into the City Record at the Rocky River City
Council Legislative Meeting 12-17-2001. This
meeting was the last Rocky River City Council
Meeting of the Year 2001.)
Rocky River City Hall
December
17, 2001
21012 Hilliard
Boulevard
Rocky River, Ohio
44116
ROCKY
RIVER VISION
Dear Mayor, City Council Members, and Fellow
Residents,
Will Rocky River
officials in 2002 let residents think and lead on
what is best for us. Why?
Officials spend our tax
money for big ticket items and tie up tax burdens on
our shoulders.
They will not lift a
finger to lighten our tax load with new tax cuts.
Yet they consider helping others get tax-free bonds.
They worry about the
gnat-like cost for an election. Yet swallow the
whale-like cost for a non voted taxpayer-funded
facility.
Officials further plan
enriching the city’s coffers by increasing our tax
base through destruction/ redevelopment of our
neighborhoods.
They also lock city
government from everyday citizens by not supporting
our insight, leadership and agendas.
Yet pepper their names and
comments in print promoting their agendas.
Photo-ops show their works to all.
Officials pledge
allegiance to our Flag-to Liberty and display
Patriotic bunting. Yet oppose fellow residents
seeking more freedom.
No one should try to
criminalize those who walk on Rocky River’s public
and private lawns.
No one should try to force
residents with gravel driveways to pave them.
No one should try to
privatize our city services while residents pay high
taxes for city workers to do the same.
Officials, let go of the reigns of Rocky River
government. Let residents’ visions and leadership
shine for their future. Let Rocky River see!
Fred I. Sokol,
Resident - Rocky River, Ohio -
www.rockyriverfred.com
November 8, 2001
Rocky River Mushrooms!
Dear Letter-To-The-Editor,
Rocky River is failing.
"Mushroom Voters" sent old officials back to office
and rejected Issue 64 to control re-zoning in our
wards.
All because "mushroom voters"
think Rocky River is number 1.
In 2001, Cleveland Magazine
disagreed and listed Rocky River 20th in
their safety ranking. They rated Rocky River’s
"property taxes" within the "fifteen highest" among
Cleveland area suburbs.
"Mushroom Votes" will also
allow River government to hire an Economic
Development Director to recommend re-zoning our
neighborhoods. Hello??
Our "mushroom candidates" want
destruction/construction of Rocky River’s
neighborhoods for redevelopment. "Mushroom Voters"
wave bye to Olde River.
Rocky River residents deserve
more - higher safety ranking, lower property taxes
and control of neighborhood re-zoning. Our
"mushroom candidates" don’t agree with this
concept. Ask them.
A "people candidate" will run
next time and Voter Approval of Zoning Changes will
be on the ballot.
Fred I. Sokol,
Resident - Rocky River, Ohio -
www.rockyriverfred.com
October 2001
Vote "Yes" for Issue 64
Dear Fellow
Rocky River Residents,
Vote "Yes" for Issue 64, which would make
zoning changes in Rocky River subject to voter
approval. Voters want to approve councils' rezoning
approvals citywide and in affected wards. City Hall
wants to keep its vote control.
The opposition says residents can file a
referendum against a zoning change. Ohio laws
governing a citizen referendum are tricky and
sometimes stopped by legal errors.
The opposition thinks a ward vote for rezoning
is unfair minority control. The mayor-appointed
five-person Planning Commission recommends
re-zoning, while the seven-member City Council
passes re-zoning laws. This is unfair minority
control.
Opponents say
ward voters shouldn't decide rezoning that is
important citywide. Yet ward voters bear the burden
of rezoning near their homes and should decide it.
The opposition says a rezoning vote will
impede Rocky River from developing and competing
while other suburbs attract residents and revenue.
Yet 10 of Cleveland Magazine's top 15 suburbs for
2001 have a form of Voter Approval of Zoning
Changes, including Bay Village and Highland Heights.
Opponents want the good old boys to keep
control of Rocky River rezoning. Rocky River's
destiny is not petty rule but responsible River
residents who protect our neighborhoods and city.
Fred
I. Sokol,
Resident - Rocky River, Ohio -
www.rockyriverfred.com
September 11, 2001
OUR FREEDOM
ATTACKED!
Dear Fellow
Rocky River Resident,
Today We Sit With Heavy
Hearts,
But Tomorrow We
Will See,
That Terrorists of
Any Kind,
Cannot Dictate to a
Democracy!
Remember. Past Americans have felt the heel of
Terror as well!
Yet today
it's O.K. for all Americans to cry for what has
happened. We and Our Freedom were attacked - on
9/11 Tuesday.
You see, in the
midst of the World's hate, selfishness and envy of
our American Freedom it infuriates some, and a
stumbling block to others. They want to control
us. They try it by terrorizing us - thus destroying
our way of life, our way of thinking - destroying
our Freedom.
Freedom is about
being able to move about freely, to speak freely and
feel safe in our surroundings. If we allow others
to terrorize and scare us, we stop moving about
freely, speaking freely and feeling safe in our
surroundings. We create our personal prison of
which we can't leave. Especially when we have the
"unalienable right to be free" key!
Though, we live
in a world where people want to control us by
terrorizing us, no one can take our freedom away
unless we let them!
My prayers and tears are for those Americans who
lost their lives, their Freedom - on 9/11 Tuesday!
Fred I. Sokol,
Resident - Rocky River, Ohio -
www.rockyriverfred.com
