BREAKING! --- Fred Sokol Now at ‘Phase Two’ of His Rocky River Mayoral Campaign – Seeks To Place a Charter Addition To ‘Limit Rocky River City Government Spending, Surplus, Taxes and Refund Surplus Back To Taxpayers Annually’ -- On Rocky River’s Ballot For Voters To Pass in 2008. 

 

·          As I collected signatures from voters to place me on the Ballot for Mayor of Rocky River for 2007, (I filed my petitions with The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections on Monday July 9, 2007 and not heard if I am an ‘official candidate’ for Mayor yet.)  I told residents I stood for less tax, less city government and more freedom and a refund check at the end of the year for money not spent.

 

I am now gathering support for a ‘charter addition’ when passed would do just that … ‘limit Rocky River city government taxes, spending, surplus and refund city government surplus back to ‘Rocky River Real Estate Taxpayers and Rocky River City Income Taxpayers’ annually!

 

• Several years ago a petition to amend the State of Ohio’s Constitution to ‘Limit Spending, Taxes and Surplus’ of the State of Ohio Government and Ohio’s Local Governments was signed by approximately 515,000 voters throughout the State of Ohio. 

 

• The petition wording that was signed by the said voters is similar to what I am now proposing for Rocky River city government. 

 

• To the skeptics that think this proposal to ‘limit Rocky River city government spending, surplus and taxes’ by charter addition will not pass once it gets on the Rocky River Ballot – are in my opinion ‘spitting into the wind.’  In other words, it will pass!

 

You may wonder if I am capable of bringing to the Rocky River ballot what I just promised. 

 

·          Yes I am capable and so are other residents.   

 

·          I even circulated a petition for two (2) days to put a person on the ballot for Rocky River Ward Council.

 

·         I also had surgery on my foot on May 2, 2007 and did it stop me from getting signatures and for me filing my signatures for mayor of Rocky River with the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections on Monday July 9^th, 2007?  No!  I started collecting signatures on May 18th, 2007 and finished collecting signatures by June 30th, 2007 with 300 signatures on my petitions.  By the time I was getting warmed up collecting signatures, I was finished. 

 

·         I also thank Rocky River residents who took the time to sign my petition as well.  I also thank Tom Spagnoletti my treasurer, for without his help none of this would be possible.

 

·          Over the course of my community activity in Rocky River since 1993 I have been directly involved in six (6) city wide ‘November Decisions’ for Rocky River voters.  

 

·          I ran in three (3) citywide elections.  I ran for council-at-large in 2003, I ran for mayor of Rocky River in 2005 and now in 2007. 

 

·          I also initiated and brought to the Rocky River Ballot three (3) City-Wide Rocky River Municipal decisions for Charter Additions in 1993, 1999 and in 2001.

 

·          I know what to do, to prepare for a citywide election and to go to the November Ballot, doesn’t matter if it is for public office or to allow voters to decide a Rocky River charter addition.

 

Yet why would Rocky River Voters even want to put the charter addition that would ‘Limit Rocky River City Government Spending, Taxes and Surplus’ to the Rocky River Ballot?

 

• It would limit city government spending to the rates of inflation and population growth combined, or 3.5 percent a year, whichever was greater - that means less city government spending and less city taxes needed.

 

• It would also require voter approval of tax increases beyond the cap.

 

• It would require everything in ‘the city budget reserve fund’ exceeding twenty percent (20%) of specified city expenditures from previous year – shall be refunded to Rocky River Real Estate Taxpayers and to Rocky River City Income Taxpayers.

 

• It would also bring ‘Fiscal Control, Efficiency and Discipline’ to Rocky River city government – again, that means less city government spending and less city taxes needed.

 

Yet I also understand Rocky River’s Political Establishment’s Fear of my ‘limiting Rocky River city government’s spending, taxes and surplus’.

 

• Yes, it will force Rocky River city government to live within its means, and yes, it will also limit their power.

 

• Yet my answer to these fearful city officials is, “Aren’t you elected to represent us?” 

 

• Yes, I believe it is time to rein in Rocky River city government and limit their liberal city government spending.  Rocky River city government should not grow at a faster rate than the private sector. 

 

In closing I know the People of Rocky River hold the Power to better their lives either by voting for the right Mayoral candidate this November, 2007 - and by supporting a Rocky River charter addition that when passed will ‘limit Rocky River city government spending, taxes and surplus and bring tax relief to residents and businesses.’ 

 

• Finally, just for a final moment, I would like you to imagine that one day … Rocky River taxpayers will be known as paying some of the ‘lowest taxes’ in Cuyahoga County and perhaps in all of Northeast Ohio, and we will also be known as regularly getting money back when revenues get too high.  Rocky River will also one day be known as the model of ‘fiscal discipline and efficiency’ to other communities.

 

It will happen.  So Help Us God!

 

Fred I. Sokol - Resident – Rocky River, Ohio - 440-521-5452 + scrdhrt2@cox.net  + www.votesokol.com

 

CC: Rocky River City School District, Rocky River City Government, Rocky River Chamber of Commerce, WestLife , West Shore Sun, Plain Dealer Newspaper. Westlaker Times, Fred Sokol’s Weekly E-Mail Recipients +  www.votesokol.com     

 

Paid by: Vote Sokol Committee - Thomas J. Spagnoletti, Treasurer - 1459 Prospect Avenue, Rocky River, Ohio 44116