Berger...

Okay, so I don't live IN Lima, I actually live in Shawnee, a much nicer place mostly because BERGER isn't mayor here. But still I grew up in Lima and Tim works in Lima therefore I get to benefit from that whole taxation without representataion things as he has to pay City taxes everytime he gets a job within its limits. Plus this is MY blog I can say whatever I want. Could the city of Lima actually believe that Berger is still the best person for the job?? After all the jobs we've lost under his watch- shouldn't it be time he feels the sting of unemployment? Don't get me wrong I am sure someone out there is still making $100,000 and feeling really good about having him kept in his place, but since we know he won't be changing his own vote for himself I hope the rest of Lima at least can wake up, smell the coffee on the way to the unemployement office (figuritivly speaking as we don't even have a open unemployment office in the area anymore) and take a look at some of the issues. The big election with all the tax debates... did anyone stop to think that the reason Findlay tax produces more revenue is because their average income is almost twice as high? Can you name all the companies that have picked up and left Lima in the last years? And on top of it whether you agree with Beck or not- some of the housing conditions in Lima are BAD, and when businesses looking at Lima have to drive Kibby street to access town, what kind of opionion do they get? Not that I blame the residents- although there are some that could pick up a little. But least be honest MOST people would live in better conditions given the $100,000 a year Berger's racking in. Hey I went to Lima Senior, I seen the bad of the bad and yet I still believe that given education (worth the school its taught in) and a opportunity to succeed, 99% of people would choose that over the conditions they live in now. But really how far can one get working at a fast food joint? It's not just the jobs Berger has let leave, or the ones that replace them. Its about the respect that a man working at a factory looses when he if faced with working at McDonalds to support his family. Now Tims union and I always complain about the lack of work he deals with during the winter- but did anyone else notice that at the peek of unemployment rates locally, there where dozens of out of town amish guys all happy bulding things? Does anyone get that as the city permits this we lose work not only for our own construction labors- both union AND non union, but that the money they make is shipped out of town. We loose on the taxes which they don't pay, on the commerce sales because they don't buy here and on and on. And don't tell me not to pick on the poor Amish, when its my husbands union "family" or my non union family losing jobs- I have free speach to complain that the politcal officals are not proecting or providing for their own voters. Wake up Lima- there are people who work for you and people who don't. It doesn't matter if you sign their checks to them. Take a look at your friends and family- can you really say that theor lives have improved since November 7, 1989 when the City elected Berger? Sometimes, no matter what we think of a person as a individual- we have to think of the greater good of the people. Isn't it about time for a change? Do you really want a town employed soley by fast food joints and dollor stores? Or are you willing to work towards finding someone who can help bring the Lima area back to the town it was with gainful employment opportunites and fewer slums? Look around, how has your neighbor hood prospered in the last few years? We have three great schools Northwestern, Rhodes and Ohio State Lima, shouldn't be be ensuring our kids that after they finish their educations there will be good jobs availalbe to them without having to leave the area? Shouldn't we be concerned when our school become surrounded by drug houses? Shouldn't it be time for the City to pick up its shattered peices and bring the greatness that was Lima back into it? Is this how you want to live? "Allen County, at 6.8 percent, was the highest in the region.." Thats the unemployment rate for Allen County