Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1951-02-23
TOLE EDoa9UNION JOURNAL
Think Ii Over
Think II Over
City Politics Should Be
Everybody's Business
BY Pete Zvara

BY Pete Zvara
yT,HE MORE THINK of it the more come to the
conclusion that politics every level, pre-
cinct ward, township city, county, state and fed
eral, should be everybodys business And by this
/ don't mean only during hectic election campaigns,
but every single day. Not that this is new idea.
Far from it. But it ought to sink home Particularly
when it comes to labor unions who, especially in
organized communities like Toledo, numer-
GUS and encompass SO many Of our people
If for example would pay more attention to
what is going on in City Council and in our City
Administration; if would follow closely the
tions of representatives-electedo or appointed
would find it very simple, indeed, to vote for
the right people" come election day Sadly enough
don't do these things and, therefore, many Of
people don't know which of our officials really de-
serve to serve our community.
X X
7 ADMIT READILY that most of the time don't
know what City Council is doing. Consequently
actions are taken - or not taken - that are not
always in the best interests of our people Some of
these actions relatively Insignificant in their
nature, unimportant to many but vital to certain
groups of our people.
In this connection cite the simple story of
traffic light that requested by the WHY'S
Overland plant management and our Union to be
installed before their plant For best known
to them, certain city officials and councilmen
were opposed to this request. It took weeks to
able Councilman Berlacher to get ordinance pass
ed-the first time it was defeated-to instruct the
City Traffic Dept to install this light Paradoxical
nance adopted, nothing happened mo money"
Berlacher was told, though at least two other
traffic lights installed in other parts of the
city-traffic lights that were requested and voted
upon long after his ordinance accepted
ing the W-O traffic light. Well this little affair
unimportant to most of the city, but vital to the
thousands who compelled to cross Central Ave.
daily to and from their work at the W-O plant dur
ing the height of rush-hour traffc-isnt conclused
yet At least the light hasn't been installed to this
moment although We are told that it is now but q
matter of short time before it goes up.
Why the delay? That's what we ought to find
out
X
LAR MORE IMPORTANT is matter like the pro-
posed high level bridge in our Northend. To
make way for this new super highway and bridge,
many homes will have to be raZed and the question
raised here is how will the present owners be
pensated for their homes? In normal times, of
course, this wouldn't be much of a problem The
homes would be properly appraised, paid for and
eventually replaced elsewhere. Today, however,
prices unstable; requirements are so uncer-
tain that the actual value set these homes must
take into consideration Replacement value" Now,
we are told, some councilmen-we don't want to
name them at the moment-are arguing about a
simple problem of this nature. It is possible
that some of citizens might suffer financially,
not to mention in every other when forced to
vacate their homes once construction this pro-
posed bridge and highway commences.
OF course l do not mean to suggest that any
sort of funny business is going in City Hall.
But do say that should pay far more attention
to what is going on in city government than up
to now.