East Cleveland leader. [volume] (East Cleveland, Ohio) 1942-1970, 1963-04-18
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State Legislators
Not Measuring Right

1t was Clarence Darrow noted defense attorney who
said "Laws should be like clothes They should fit the
people they meant to serve"
Well in all due respect to Mr. Darrow, would like
twist his thoughts around to what to be going
in the 1O5th Ohio General Assembly to wit:
"Laws not being made to fit the people they
meant to ervebut being tailored for vested interests
with lots of money to spend on lobbying"
Would you say these are harsh words? Yes, they
but ask City Manager G. T. Apthorp, Cleveland Mayor
Ralph s. Locher or Euclid Mayor Kenneth ]. Sims
These stawart public servants and some 900 of their
colleagues in the Ohio Municipal League partc
pating in the most frustrating sport of all.
They representing their communities in the legisla-
ture against some powerful lobby forces.
Cannot Afford Luxury
Aphorp wisely said two at an East Cleveland
Community Council meeting that the problem is the people
afford the luxury of lobbyists Here what the
municipal leaders fighting:
In this session of the state legislature there the
danger of law being passed that would allow utilities
rcumvent the courts and appeal directly to the Public
Utilities Commission.
An example of what this legislation will do is what
would happen neighbor towards the East
Euclid several years passed law requiring cleo
trio carrying $4,000 volts be installed
ground Gel fought this and it went all the way the
IT, S. Supreme Court which ruled in favor of the city
If the "ho wire" bill now being considered in the House
lit already has Senate appova is passed. the ruling of
the highest in the land would be ineffective.
This law has good chance of passing because of the
tremendous influence (sssssl of the utilities:
On the other side of the ledger Cleveland East Cleve-
land and Euclid have fighting for several years now
get home rule liquor control bill passed that would
allow municipalities to regulate the number and locality
The chances of this bill being passed nil because
OF the tremendous amount of influence ($S$$S of the
liquor industry.
Can Expect No More
The hackers of this BILL the Ohio Municipal League
PTAs churches and the people in general expect
from legislature which, the years. has resisted
giving local communities control liquor permits
The liquor question is probably the most irritating in
this because cities have hardly any say on where
tavens be established long quota" is not
reached.
Where liquor establishment goes is not decided by
your elected appointed officials of busi
are-bu by the State Liquor Department in far
away Columbus.
There other perplexing bills before the General
Assembly that keep city officials hopping between the
state capital and their respective communities like three
legged bunnies.
Another proposed law, city officials want to defeat is
that will reduce from 20 SO per cent the
Ohio personal property tax evaluation base retail
and wholesale merchants.
Suffice to say, could and with vested inter-
ess having decisive advantage city officials in
passing laws favorable to them and defeating those that
aren't
We have been witness committee hearing on a
bill where the representing the liquor industry was
given considerable time to state his while CITY officials
representing the people practically ignored
So if we by the adage that claws should be like
clothes and made to fit the people, behooves the peope
to get some new taiors!