Let's just say you're a graduate student at CSU and you are about to have a class next week with former Cleveland Mayor Mike White.  Barring the obvious questions about cronyism and corruption, what questions would you like to have answered?  The focus of the class is neighborhood planning and development, but I'd say we're allowed to get off topic, if need be!

 

How did the city envision Jacob Field & Gund Arena to fit within the city's plan to attract residents and keep people within the city (on a nightly basis)?

"Barring the obvious questions about cronyism and corruption, what questions would you like to have answered?"

 

Well then what would be the point? :roll: Who is he? Dubya? What's he afraid of? A little honesty?

 

I'm sorry - as a resident of the city of Cleveland (aka a taxpayer, aka the boss of anyone working in City Hall be they mayor or street sweeper), who is to suggest that it wouldn't be proper to rake a public servant (current or past) over the coals for their shadyness? Are your instructors afraid that Mike White might be a little miffed when he's confronted with such questions? Jesus H. Christ, the man appointed high-level cabinet members who had their degrees from a non-accredited online "University". Jane Campbell had to spend the first year of her administration wiping up his sh!t. 

 

I'm hardly Roldo, but dear god if there's any political figure in Cleveland that deserves every bit of scrutiny he gets, it's Mike White. Perhaps a non-verbal statement might be appropriate... :finger2:

^let's just say that this class has been informed that he might possibly go on the attack if such questions are presented. Let's also assume the the professor greatly admires the ex-Mayor's ability to scare banks into investing in the inner city.

 

Magyar,

 

Could you explain your question more thoroughly? I think that you could guess at what his response would be. In order to pose a better question, how would you respond to White's potential response that Gateway has done a lot to keep people downtown and encourage residential development? (by the way, wasn't Gateway approved during Voinovich's reign?)

Here's a question: Think of all things that were being built downtown in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and even more downtown buildings (Progressive, Gateway office tower, Warehouse District construction, Nieman Marcus, etc.) that were planned but never built. So how was it that downtown seemed to be such an economic development magnet in the first few years of his administration yet slide to virtual inactivity and even losses (BP, May Co., Higbees) in the last years of his term? What went wrong?

 

What were the reasons that drove building Browns Stadium on the lakefront versus the Norfolk Southern site? If cost was the driving factor, why would it have cost less to demolish the old stadium and regrade the land rather than build on an already vacant site? Don't you think that the valuable lakefront land is wasted on a stadium that sits unused 355 days each year?

 

Are you satisfied that RTA is building a busway down Euclid Avenue, or would you have preferred to see a rail line built instead?

 

I'll think up some more.

Has the retail consolidation theory of neighborhood retail that was pursued throughout the 90's resulted in an overall strengthening or weakening of the city's retail?  What does he think are the strengths and weaknesses of this approach compared to emphasizing smaller retail scattered throughout a neighborhood?

^was this one of his policies? 

^ I know it was the planning commissions agenda. I had some former guy that used to have alot of clout, and was on the plannin commission, lecture on about urban planning. I am 100% positive that he was around still when white was.

I'm not sure if it was a White policy, or just a policy of his era.  But it was the neighborhood planning dogma of the 90's.  It is the policy that resulted in Glenville Town Center, Church Square, and the like.

At what point did the "Public/Private partnership" break down, who walked away first? 

(I would like to see if he mentions BP moving)

How much of a distraction was the Browns leaving?

What led to the sour relationship with Plain Dealer, and all of Cleveland media?

What is up with Forest City, why won't they develop Scranton?

 

Why in the hell did you unqualified people into vital positions in city government.  Specifically airport and finance?

Wimwar, Gateway was voted in when White was mayor.  He really campaigned hard for it.  If it was not for him, it probably would not have passed.  Even still it passed in the suburbs, not the city proper.

Wimwar, Gateway was voted in when White was mayor.  He really campaigned hard for it.  If it was not for him, it probably would not have passed.  Even still it passed in the suburbs, not the city proper.

 

Punch,

 

You're right. For some reason, I thought that he was elected in 1992.

I would not want to ask him the hypothetical question what he would do if a virus put down his entire heard of Alpacas and he was asked by the (not any specific person) Mayor of Cleveland or County Commissioners to oversee an approach to any form of regionalism, specifically any possible merger with Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.

Sheeesh... I would never want to ask him that again (hypothetically, of course :wink:).

Thanks for all the thoughtful replies and discussion folks!  I was outta town and this is my first chance to check up on this thread. 

 

Just to clear up what MayDay was so vehement about, I meant to say that questions about cronyism and corruption were obvious...not that we weren't allowed to ask them.  Our professor, Norm Krumholz (former City Planning Director and all around font of wisdom), advised us that we might want to steer clear of such questions because White would likely tear us a new one if we opened up that can.  Now, if someone came in ready for a throw down, it might be a good fight...but I don't see anyone in our class having the marbles to do so!

 

Personally, I'm going to stick to planning related questions...and hope that Norm will stoke the fire a little in regard to other issues.  He's been known to do that!

 

We'll report back tomorrow!

 

 

"I meant to say that questions about cronyism and corruption were obvious...not that we weren't allowed to ask them.  Our professor, Norm Krumholz (former City Planning Director and all around font of wisdom), advised us that we might want to steer clear of such questions because White would likely tear us a new one if we opened up that can."

 

Thank you for clarifying - I see your professor's point. I suppose if I were under investigation by the FBI, I'd be a little testy too :-)

i hope he has a lawyer with him that has to consult him on every question.

Maybe I'm a little young to have formed a very critical perspective on Mike White...or maybe I'm just a sucker...but the class on Tuesday night was great!  No matter what anyone can say about his credibility, achievements, management style, and ethics, no one can deny that he is a masterful public speaker and has charisma that was perhaps unequaled in City Hall past and present.

 

Since our class deals primarily with neighborhood development, White talked a lot about his administration's efforts to build quality, competitive housing in every neighborhood in the city.  And really, if you look at how much housing was being built in the city at the beginning of his time as Mayor and what was being built by the end, you have to admit that he was successful in changing the mentality of developers, banks and many residents regarding Cleveland as a place to build, finance and buy homes.  Still, he acknowledges that during his tenure, more than 60,000 Cleveland more residents made a decision to leave the city than to move in, so there's still much work to be done.

 

We talked a lot about schools and public education and about labor unions, public service and leadership.  He was very candid, engaged the class, called us by our names (or nicknames that he made up while with us) and mentioned that if any of us are ever in the market for an alpaca, he knows a man who might be able to hook us up!

 

There was no talk of scandal or anything like that (which was just fine with me), but he did spend a lot of time talking about his battles with administrators (like George Voinovich), the press and the unions.  It was very interesting and I enjoyed the class very much!

 

Funny story too...apparently, White and our professor, Norm Krumholz, duked it out quite a bit during his time in City Hall.  Each sent letters to the press and administrators calling for the others termination/resignation during those 12 years.  Today, they say goodbye with a hug and a handshake!  Nice to see that bygones can be bygones...

no one can deny that he is a masterful public speaker and has charisma that was perhaps unequaled in City Hall past and present.

 

Very true. But those types of personalities can cause people to jump up and down with enthusiasm at the same time you've fallen asleep and they're picking your pocket.

 

of course...and they don't tend to be the best at listening either.  They're very driven...so you'd just better hope that what they're driven to do will be in everyone's best interest!