The Worst County Commissioners

I like Jimmy Dimora because he always seemed to care, and he never hid his opinions to stab you in the back later. According to the feds, he was corrupt and was charged with 28 counts ranging from accepting bribes and selling his votes. But most people understood that from the beginning that Dimora was a backslapping old style politician that needed some money to grease the wheels. Dimora always seemed to be doing things in what he believed was the best interest of the county. It was a demented and warped sense of loyalty, but still some loyalty. I actually believe that he was the best of the three commissioners. That is how low things have sunk. The guy indicted for corruption might be the best of the commissioners.

Hagan is so arrogant that he could never put the County above his own ego. He seems to just want to be at the right places and wants to hang out with the right people. He protects his friends within the county, but governance and solving problems in Cuyahoga County was never his interest. The only improvement I have seen in the Hagan tenure is the establishment of the Cuyahoga Arts and Culture and the Land Bank, and Hagan had nothing to do with either of those successes. The laundry list of failure is overwhelming. Yet, Arrogant Hagan sits on high passing judgment on media or other critics of the County. He has a tin ear to anything negative, and could never be considered someone who could solve problems facing the community.

Peter Lawson Jones is the biggest disappointment among the three. He is smart and cares about the population, but just does not have time to do his job. He was so distracted with his legal practice and his next job that Cuyahoga County was an afterthought. Lawson Jones dropped so many balls that he could be a starting running back for the Browns. He was rarely around the administrative building except on Thursdays. Again, there was a certain arrogance but also a willingness to just go along. He would wake up once or twice a year to speak out about some marginal issue, but for the most part he was just filling a seat. Lawson Jones was always looking for his next gig as a judge or state lawmaker or some bigger pool to press the flesh.

The County could survive with one of the above personality types on the commission, but to have all three at the same time was toxic. This was the worst combination that led to bad decisions and the inability to control corruption. They could not even put out the scandal fire once it started. Their plan was to just let it burn out on its own. An amazing strategy that led to the downfall of the entire form of government. Epic failure in action!!! They bought a white elephant on Euclid Ave. They got taken to the cleaners every year with the Gateway project. They got fooled into supporting a "Medical Mart." The County commissioner watched as the County population shrunk and poverty increased. They did very little to address the foreclosure crisis, and watched as jobs disappeared for 11 straight years. They allowed the prosecutor to do anything he wanted and never addressed the problems within our judicial system. Political scientists will use these three county commissioners to study failed governments long into the future.

They have to go away as soon as possible.

Max Johnson