By Thomas L. Schlachter

Special to Toledo Free Press

There was a time, not too long ago, when Toledo was the industrial capital of the Midwest.  No less than seven Fortune 500 companies called Toledo home.  We had a national identity as the Glass Capital of the World, and all was good with our economy.

Industrial leaders such as Rene McPherson, Jerry Barron, W.W. Knight and Ed Dodd provided private sector leadership in Toledo. They supported government, assisted government and served as a resource for government because they saw it as their civic duty.  It was a symbiotic partnership between the private and public sector that made Toledo one of the finest urban centers in the nation.

Slowly, those Fortune 500 companies began to move away. With them they took that private sector leadership that had been so integral to the success of the city.  Nobody stepped in to fill that void.

Slowly, the city that once proudly proclaimed “You Will Do Better in Toledo” devolved into a city that was outright hostile to business.  Burdensome regulations were put in place.  Taxes and fees were increased.  Obstacles to new business were erected by city government, while what was left of Toledo’s private sector leadership remained silent.

The result is the city we know today: a city with a moribund downtown, a city with double digit unemployment, a city whose leadership is hostile to business.

It would be easy to blame the sad state of our city on government alone, but the business community bears some responsibility.  We stood by silently while career officeholders and professional political hacks slowly disassembled our economy.  We will be silent no more.

Take Back Toledo was founded by leaders in the business community with three purposes.  First, we want the recall of Mayor Carty Finkbeiner whose gaffes, guffaws and hostility toward business have exacerbated Toledo’s declining economy.

Second, we want to endorse and support business-friendly candidates.  Finally, we want to examine the structure of Toledo municipal government to determine what changes can be made to create a more efficient government.

We did not enter into this political foray lightly.  We all own or operate businesses which require our full-time efforts.  However, like most of you, we love Toledo.  We do business in Toledo and to be successful, we need Toledo to be successful.  Toledo will not be successful while Carty Finkbeiner is mayor.

Whether it was the garbage tax, the imposition of burdensome regulations or enactment myriad fees, Carty Finkbeiner has been hostile to business.

Carty has brought embarrassment to Toledo.

We were nationally humiliated when Carty unceremoniously tossed a Marine Corps division out of Toledo, leading some political pundits to refer to us as the “Berkely of the Midwest.”

Travel anywhere in the nation, and he and Toledo will be instantly recognized as the mayor who wanted to move deaf people to the airport.  I know that, as I travel around the country, I am tired of being embarrassed by our mayor’s irrational behavior.

Many people have asked us, “Why recall him when he’ll be out of office in three months anyway?”  Why should Toledo tolerate for three months, three weeks, or three days a substandard mayor that brings nothing but shame and misfortune to our city.  I’m not willing to settle for a substandard mayor and neither should you.  Interestingly, nobody has said, “You should not recall Carty Finkbeiner because he’s a good mayor.”  It’s not just the business community Carty has alienated.

We want to make a statement to all elected officials in Lucas County: If you will not listen to business, work with business and take into account our needs and concerns, you will pay the price at the ballot box.

The days of Toledo’s business community being passive are over.

For Toledo to be successful, for businesses to create jobs, for our region to rebound in the global economy, business must reclaim its rightful place within Toledo’s civic affairs.

Like those business leaders of the last century, we do this not for our own reward or gain. We do it because we love Toledo; we love its people, and we want to reclaim it for our children and grandchildren.  For that to happen, Carty Finkbeiner must go.

Please join us in our effort to take back Toledo!

Take Back Toledo operates a Web site at www.takebacktoledo.com.

This entry was posted on Friday, January 9th, 2009 at 3:00 am and is filed under Guest Column, Opinion.
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