"MOVIN ON" bad company

As some of you probably know, on June 12, 2012 the Lake County Tea Party will have a 'meet the candidate' night at Harvey High School. One candidate to speak will be Councilperson-at-Large Lori Dinallo. She is making her first run for a State Representative seat against Lake County Commissioner Dan Troy.

Mrs. DiNallo filled out a candidate questionnaire for the Tea Party and I posted the whole questionnaire in its entirety below for you to read. You can find it for yourself on their website. Dan Troy (wisely) decided not to attend and did not fill out a questionnaire.

Some things in Mrs. DiNallo's  answers jumped out at me.   For instance: "As a member of council I: Initiated the creation of a Utilities Commission to research and offer advice to city leaders on the purchased power options." Well, at last night's council meeting [06/04/12] I asked the Council -President if there has been an initiation or a creation of a Utilities Commission. He, as well as the rest of council, looked at me as if I had asked whether Painesville was creating a Space Station.  The word Mrs. DiNallo should have used was 'proposed', so as not to leave the impression that something was there that wasn't.
Another example: Protected residents from fee increases designed to increase revenues that were not proportioned to the cost of doing business. As my Mom found out (along with anyone else living alone), the city water portion on her utility bill went up almost 100%. Mrs. DiNallo voted yes on the $8.00 city fee hike last year. [06/06/11 Ordinance 26-11 section 933.191]. Am I to believe it was proportioned? Why make this statement when you voted Yes?

A question concerning last fall's Issue 2 that repealed Senate Bill 5 that took away from communities and school boards the opportunity to recoup some of the dollars that were lost from the general government fund coming from Columbus. Question: Are there any parts of Senate Bill 5 that would be beneficial to the people of Ohio and therefore should be enacted into law?
Answer: "Although I do not disagree with collective bargaining...." Wait...whaaat?  Lets stop there for a second...  the main purpose of SB5 was to END collective bargaining by government workers. Kind of like being for the death penalty, just as long as long as no one has to die.

She also has some interesting views on  Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Free market solutions, anyone?

I have to ask whether the intent of of the United States Constitution was to be involved in removing Heads of  State of foreign governments? I remember reading something about not getting involved with foreign entanglements You have to wonder if President  Washington, or any other founding Father would have listened to the advice of some guy named "Curveball"?
 Do you believe that we could explain to Thomas Jefferson the need for the Federal government's involvement with the Interstate Highway System? Be careful how you might answer these questions.

Personally  I don't agree with most views of the Tea Party but I believe they are astute enough to see through some of these answers. I  look forward to this meeting, it will  be almost like attending a Bingo game at Homestead II. Social Security, and Medicare for us, but the rest of you... well, you're just "socialists"!

 Read the questionnaire. I don't want to be accused of putting words into anyone's mouth again.

LAKE COUNTY TEA PARTY

CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE

Name: Lori DiNallo

Date: May 2012


1. Please explain your general position on fiscal responsibility as it applies to the federal government, how it applies to the office of state representative, and how you have personally demonstrated fiscal responsibility (preferably in public office, but otherwise if necessary).

Fiscal responsibility is necessary for securing our freedom and independence and is an issue of national security for the Federal Government. Our State Constitution requires a balanced budget. It is the responsibility of State and Federal Government to secure our safety and adhere to the requirements as outlined in the Constitution. As an elected official, I take pride in being a key member of the leadership team responsible for an award winning financial record proving that sound, conservative fiscal approaches to budgeting are being done, even in a strangled economy, without forced tax increases.

As a member of council I:

 Initiated the creation of a Utilities Commission to research and offer advice to city leaders on purchased power options.

 Minimized recommended increases for building permits, fines and variances to cover cost and reduced penalties for property maintenance violations from 4th degree misdemeanors which carry a criminal record to a minor misdemeanor which carries no record.

 Protected residents from fee increases designed to increase revenues that were not proportioned to the cost of doing business

2. What is your position on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act? Do you think it is a good thing or not? How do you think it will impact Ohio’s budget or will it have an impact? Please explain.

Health care is one of the most pressing issues today. The federal health care overhaul has raised more questions than answers. I am committed to providing Ohioans the right and ability to remain in charge of their own health care.

The federally mandated approach will affect Ohio's budget in ways the State cannot control.

3. In Columbus there is talk of creating an ObamaCare exchange for Ohio in order to give Ohioans more flexibility when it comes to health care choices. What is your position on the creation of such an exchange? Please explain.

I do not support the creation of an exchange. However, if the United States Supreme Court finds ObamaCare constitutional I will do me best to implement the exchange in the most cost effective way for Ohioans.

4. Please explain your position on whether the Constitution of the United States should be interpreted as a living, dynamic document in light of today’s culture, or if it should be interpreted with the intent of the original founders?

The United States Constitution should be interpreted with the intent of the original founders.

5. The vote last fall on Issue 2 that repealed Senate Bill 5 took away from local communities and school boards the opportunity to recoup some of the dollars that were lost from the general government fund coming from Columbus. Are there any parts of Senate Bill 5 that would be beneficial to the people of Ohio and therefore should be enacted into law?

Although I do not disagree with collective bargaining, I do believe that the taxpayer is an important stakeholder in public employee contract debates. Therefore, I believe that locally elected leaders, endowed with the responsibility of making sure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and efficiently, should have some authority to engage in contract negotiations. I also believe that local leaders already have the ability and should work to remove any barriers to this ability to take part in these negotiations, which may include charter changes at the local level as well as changes in the Ohio Revised Code.

6. Please explain your position on United Nations Agenda 21 as it relates to the concept of regionalism. What do you see as the advantages or disadvantages of regionalism? (Specifically, “regionalism” here is defined as the planned creation of a new administrative framework pooling all taxes collected by county and local governmental entities in each quarter of the state and administering all governmental functions through an appointed “administrator” and a new bureaucracy.)

I am a proponent of local control and do not support the United Nations Agenda 21 as defined in your questionnaire. I do not see any advantages to regionalism in this definition. However, I am not against removing barriers to shared equipment and/or services between local townships and cities when it is feasible and agreed upon by communities. I do not believe we need an additional level of government or COG’s to participate in these shared services.

7. Funding for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid as well as how to provide health care are important national issues today. Do you favor government or free market solutions to these problems? Please explain.

I favor free market solutions to problems associated with health care, and feel that government is overstepping its authority when it takes on the responsibility of enforcing citizens to purchase any goods or service and creating bureaucracies that implement programs.

8. Should the character of a candidate be considered in an election? Why or why not?

Yes, the character of a candidate should be considered in an election, as it is what gives us distinction and defines us.

9. The “Occupy” movement developed last year and is seen by some as the counterpart to the Tea Party movement. How would you compare the Occupy Movement to the Tea Party movement?

I would not compare the Occupy Movement to the Tea Party.

10. What do you see as the two most significant challenges associated facing Ohio today? How would you propose to address them?

Job creation and business growth are the two significant challenges facing Ohio today. If elected it is my intention to support the creation and retention of good, high-paying jobs, and reform our current system of taxation and workers’ compensation so that Ohio can be an even better place for small businesses to thrive.