During his first State of the City address on Feb. 24, Mayor Mike Bell said Toledo’s situation is dire, comparing the current budget problems to a 3- alarm fire.

The city faces a $48.2 million general deficit, declining revenues and population as well as little to no regional economic development outreach, he said.

Bell said he has heard lots of complaints about proposals to raise funds and cut costs for the city, but the city has to do something about the $48.2 million deficit. While citizens and even the unions, are resistant to the change that must occur to combat the deficit, everyone must be part of a solution, Bell said.

“There is no easy one-step thing that a mayor can do in this time to be able to solve this. It is going to require us to dissect into our system and try to do things that are least painful to everybody,” Bell said.

The city cannot make the appropriate adjustments to balance the budget without a little bit of pain being felt by all, he said.

The city reached its current state because it’s like everywhere else in the country and has been involved with some bad business ventures, Bell said.

The city is currently paying $1.1 million a year, and will continue to pay that bill until 2028, for Commodore Perry, Hillcrest and Museum Place. Another business venture, the Erie Street Market, makes the city $200,000 a year, but costs $300,000 a year to maintain.

While the intent of those projects may have been to make the city better, the city needs to change the way it does business, Bell said.

Despite the citiy’s problems, Toledo’s potential is unlimited, Bell said.

The city has some of the biggest ports anywhere in the United States, being unutilized. The city hasn’t been working with regional partners. These resources need to be used, Bell said.

The city is working to mend broken ties with surrounding communities as well as explore ways to make Toledo more businesses friendly, he said. The mayor proposed ideas of partnering with Detroit to create an economic partnership like those of Tampa- St. Petersburg and Minneapolis- St. Paul.

“We think too small here. We’ve been geared not to believe we can do things that are so big,” he said.

The mayor was optimistic, predicting 3,000 new jobs coming to Northwest Ohio in the next 18 months.

It may take a few months or a few years to get things corrected, but Bell said he has no doubt in his mind that the city will turn around.

“If we come together and we decide to work together to make Toledo better. we can do it,” he said.

Among the big headlines this week were the consumer confidence numbers, which came in surprisingly short of expectations, sending ripples through the financial markets. Fortunately for investors, consumer confidence, just like market sentiment, tends to be a good contrarian indicator.

Looking back over history, markets near a bottom are also typically near a bottom in consumer confidence – when consumer confidence should be high, in expectation of the coming recovery. Similarly, consumer confidence tends to be high near market peaks, when it should be low, reflecting fear among investors of the ensuing market decline.

However, what we’ve seen even more rampant in markets recently is widespread complacency. Investors remain hopeful that the market will not turn back towards its lows set in March of 2009, but they are plagued with uncertainty.

This uncertainty has led to, rather than changes in investor portfolios, to investors simply sitting on their hands and a general refusal to do anything, namely shying away from or taking on additional risk. This ‘out of sight, out of mind’ approach can be extremely damaging to investors, just as it was in the fall of 2008.

We would equate the results of this mindset to the old adage about boiling a frog. Unfortunately, this is precisely how markets tend to operate. While things can happen quickly in the market, trends develop over a longer period of time, and then one day people wake up only to realize that half their savings are gone.

Case in point: By the time many market commentators finally began coming out and saying that they thought the stock market had made a bottom in March, the market was already halfway to the highs it set last month.

Another example of this anomaly is with regard to the US dollar, which has lately been seeing increased strength as trouble spreads through European countries and doubt grows as to whether the Euro will survive.

Recently, many experts have begun saying that they expect the dollar to strengthen in the future, and we agree. However, we were forecasting relative strength in the dollar before it gained 10% against a basket of major global currencies.

Many of these developments in the markets are extremely difficult to time precisely, and given the violent market swings, due at least in part to government intervention in financial markets, which has seen a marked increase since 2008.

However, we have encountered a good deal of investors who, despite current circumstances surrounding the economy and financial markets, remain accustomed to the returns they were earning for several years leading up to 2008, when things were still booming.

Since 2008, much has been said about the ‘new normal’ and the need for investors to adjust their investing strategies to fit the new landscape. Investors need to adjust not only their strategies, but their expectations as well.

For several years, 20%+ annual returns were not uncommon among competent financial advisors. Many investors, as a result, became unrealistic in their financial expectations, just as many became unrealistic with regard to how large a home they should own, or how nice a car they could afford.

Just as is the case for consumer spending in this country, investors need to hunker down and adjust both their strategies and expectations for the growth of their savings and their prospects of retirement. It may not be what anyone wants to hear, but it’s something they need to hear if they are to climb their way out of the hole in which they now find themselves.

Dock David Treece is a stockbroker licensed with FINRA. He works for Treece Financial Services Corp (www.TreeceInvestments.com) and also serves as editor of the financial news site Green Faucet (www.GreenFaucet.com) and as a business commentator for the Toledo Free Press (www.ToledoFreePress.com). The above information is the express opinion of Dock David Treece and should not be construed as investment advice or used without outside verification.

Winter time on the Wii means indoor Olympic style sports and party games.

Family Party: 30 Great Games Winter Fun (D3 Publishing)

This Wii exclusive party game series continues with the third installment, Winter Fun. Players get multiplayer options for the first time in the series, but developers automatically populate any remaining slots with CPU players so there are always four players chosen from several characters with customizable winter outfits. The automatic player population prevents head-to-head actual player showdowns, but the unlockables, challenges and easy interface provide a solid experience. Players can choose from several events including: snowmobiling, bobsled, ice canoeing, cliff climbing, rappelling, giant slalom, cross country, snow tube, biathlon, figure skating plus snowball fight, snowplow, Santa Claus, and penguin drift. Event areas include stadium, slope (using the nunchuk) and mountain area. A few events, like ice mining are initially exciting, but quickly grow cold due to underdevelopment. For example, in ice mining, the layout often blocks player view and developers don’t provide an outline or shadow to make the player’s character visible.

Players can participate in separate challenges, make customized event lists in the Battle mode or fight friends in multiplayer mode, which also has co-operative features. Developers guide younger players with helpful audio prompts, but miss some expected crowd participation noises, which leaves the game feeling a bit empty and artificial at times. A good value at $19.99 with continuing opportunities to improve player performances with medals, scores, records and leader boards (**1/2, rated E for comic mischief).

Vegas Party (Storm City Games)

Cash and movement points are the main motivators in this Wii exclusive board based party game. Players compete in fight to the finish on “A Race on the Strip” where players must stay in the black and avoid the mob to survive in quickplay and multiplayer competition modes. This game has 15 minigames with special hotels containing three mini games each. Players choose from eight largely stereotypical characters including Sam the Warrior, Marvin the Geek, and Karl the Tourist. It’s a basic setup, but the unexciting experience falls short. Casinos, stroke of luck bonuses and natural disasters compete for your attention, but can frustrate or overwhelm at times. More development within each mini game would enhance this collection (**, rated T for simulated gambling).

Hasbro Family Game Night 2 (Electronic Arts)

Mr. Potato Head hosts players in this classic game collection, which expands basic gameplay elements into the player friendly Wii console. Reaction time challenges and skills increase in this sequel, which features five game remediations: Operation, the wood blocked Jenga, the mixed image puzzler Pictureka, Bop It and Connect 4×4, which expands with power-ups and different chip types. Players can also incorporate their Miis into the games and even customize Mr. Potato Head. Developers add solid strategic elements, more speed/dexterity challenges and appealing options for up to four players. Players can also get special bonuses if they already have the first installment, Hasbro Family Game Night (***, rated E for comic mischief, also available on Nintendo DS).

When TV begins to broadcast live golf tournament coverage from places like Hawaii and Palm Springs in January and February I develop annoying and involuntary muscle reactions. An unwary butter knife may become a substitute for a golf club on which to practice my overlapping grip. I stand in front of mirrors and mimic a golf swing. Checking the position of my hands at the top of my backswing, full complete turn of my torso, and that syrupy smooth follow through. Yep, just like Freddie Couples. In other words I get an uncontrollable yen to get onto a golf course. If your stimulus check got lost in the mail and the current economy doesn’t allow room in your overstretched budget for a quick get away to warmer climes here are some solutions that you can afford right here in snowy and cold northwest Ohio.

How would you like to play Pebble Beach, The Old Course at St. Andrews, or even Spyglass without ever leaving town? It is possible at Tamaron Country Club’s Indoor Golf Center. This oasis in the heart of Toledo is not a mirage. Through the wonders of technology 38 different courses can be dialed up for you to play. The Indoor Golf Center is equipped with About Golf Simulators that are manufactured right here in Maumee, Ohio and are the leading graphic and golf simulators in the United States. In addition to providing an enjoyable golf outing these simulators offer a learning opportunity. Golfers can receive feedback on swing speed, spin rate and launch angle. All of which can help when you buy that new $500, 460 cc, graphite shafted, weapon of mass destruction that will take 5 shots off your game and make you the envy of your foursome next summer.

Weekday rates are only $25 per hour, slightly higher on the weekends. You and your favorite foursome can split the cost, which makes this outing even more affordable. Call Tamaron at 419-474-0501 for more information or to make a tee time.

Another option for a golf fix is the Dome at South Toledo Golf Club on Heatherdowns. Even if the wind is howling and the snow is blowing The Dome provides an enclosed and protected driving range with individual stalls to work on your game. It also offers a putting green, a sand trap for bunker practice and one of the most complete pro shops in Toledo. The dome is an excellent place to concentrate on your short game or full swing trajectory. Pick a spot on the wall or in a corner and groove your swing to make a consistent ball flight at the target every time. Owner, Greg Fish, or Head Professional, Nick Szymanski, are available for club fitting or lessons.

So cheer up, April showers are just around the corner, and northwest Ohio’s golf courses will be green and lush before you know it. Lay down that remote, get off the couch and go hit some golf balls. It will do wonders for your attitude and help to prevent those uncontrollable twitches and muscle cramps between your ears. I’ll catch you on the “Back 9.”

Almost everything is set in stone, except where it’s totally up in the air. (No pun intended.)

As we’ll see, most Oscar predictors seem to be solid for the vast majority of the major categories — you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who disagrees about any of the acting awards or Best Director. It’s the big one that is still a huge question mark. Thanks to a year of major upheavals in the nomination and voting process — ten nominees, a new “ranking” system — Best Picture is still decidedly undecided. “Avatar” and “Hurt Locker” stand as the favorites, but a solid case could be made for two, maybe three other movies to take the top slot, as no one knows what the implications of all the changes will be. If the Academy wanted viewers to find Oscar less predictable, the mission mostly failed. But for the last award of the night, mission accomplished.

Best Original Screenplay:

First things first: “Inglourious Basterds” is, indeed, an original screenplay. Even though the movie’s title is based upon a previous Italian film, the two movies have almost no real connection beyond that. Okay? Cool. Now, onto business — “Basterds” and “Hurt Locker” are the two real favorites here. “Locker” just won the Writer’s Guild award, which should be a solid indication, but some members of the Academy may want to honor Tarantino for “Basterds,” and this may be their best chance. Could be, but I think the “Locker” bandwagon is too strong right now.

Prediction: “The Hurt Locker”

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Here, it’s less of a race. The two front-runners are almost certainly “Precious” and “Up in the Air.” As much praise as “Precious” has received, it has almost no buzz for its screenplay, and it has a bigger award coming up here shortly. Meanwhile, “Up in the Air” is also very highly regarded, but other films are clearly slated for the larger prizes, so if the Academy wants to honor it, this is the place. Besides, it also won the Writer’s Guild.

Prediction: “Up in the Air”

Best Animated Film:

“Up.” Bank on it. It won’t win Best Picture, so it’ll win here. If you’re looking for a long-shot bet for the Oscar pool, the spoiler may be “Coraline,” but most probably not.

Prediction: “Up”

Best Supporting Actor:

Here’s our first complete no-brainer. “Invictus” fell totally off the radar, so Matt Damon isn’t winning. Woody Harrelson would be a great story, but how many saw “The Messenger?” Ditto Christopher Plummer. Stanley Tucci is one of our best actors, but his work was at the service of a pretty reviled film in “Lovely Bones.” Meanwhile, here’s Christoph Waltz, who it was said would win Best Supporting Actor back when the film was first screened at Cannes, and nothing in the interim months has changed that impression.

Prediction: Christoph Waltz

Best Supporting Actress:

Again, you gotta follow the crowd on this one. Penelope Cruz’s work is overshadowed by the fact that almost no one really liked “Nine.” Maggie Gyllenhaal was a crucial part of “Crazy Heart,” but her co-star is slated for a bigger prize. Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick both were huge parts of “Up in the Air,” but traditionally co-nominees in one category cancel each other out. That leaves Mo’Nique, who stunned many viewers with her powerful work in “Precious,” and this is basically the Academy’s lone chance to honor the film.

Prediction: Mo’Nique

Best Actor:

The spoiler here may be Jeremy Renner, amazing in the electrifying “Hurt Locker,” but that film has a bigger prize (prizes?) in store. Colin Firth isn’t winning, neither is Morgan Freeman — even if “Invictus” had more of a buzz around it, Freeman won just a few years ago. Clooney was a major contender for this award when “Up in the Air” first screened, but then folks saw “Crazy Heart,” and Jeff Bridges has been so good for so long, and he’s never won the big one. This is his year.

Prediction: Jeff Bridges

Best Actress:

Well, here’s a fine reversal of fortune. Despite boasting Helen Mirren, who has long been one of our finest performers, and two tremendous newcomers — Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious” and Carey Mulligan in “An Education” — the solid front-runner for this award seemed to be Meryl Streep for many moons, despite the relatively flimsy nature of “Julie and Julia.” Then, the public started seeing “The Blind Side.” And seeing it. And seeing it. And making it a Best Picture nominee. And putting Sandra Bullock right at the head of the pack. Streep may still pull it out, but Bullock’s got the momentum and is the better story. And she really has the audience to thank for this one.

Prediction: Sandra Bullock

Best Director:

Kathryn Bigelow for “The Hurt Locker.” She’s got history (she’d be the first woman ever to win the award) and tradition (she won the Director’s Guild award, which is almost always an accurate predictor of this category). And she made the best film of the bunch.

Prediction: Kathryn Bigelow

Best Picture:

Let’s assume that we can narrow our gaze to the five films also nominated for Best Director, as most everything else on this ballot are really long-shots at best. “Precious” is probably the least likely of those contenders. “Up in the Air” was a solid contender two months ago, but time seems to have dulled its chances. “Basterds” may be the spoiler —if the top two contenders end up splitting the votes, that may open the door for a film that gets high marks from most everyone, but no real “top” rankings, to win the award. It may not be likely, but with this year’s bizarre new rules, who knows?

But the biggest contenders here are two films that could scarcely be more different. “Avatar,” now the reigning all-time box-office champ, a big-budget sci-fi blockbuster about the colonization of another world. “The Hurt Locker,” a small thriller that has scarcely cracked $16 million worldwide, about a bomb squad in Iraq. Both are quality films, both deserve to be in this position. Both have many reasons they should win. In a traditional year, the logic leans toward “Avatar,” which has won the endorsement of its audience and has all the momentum in the world behind it. Usually, a film as small as “Locker” is a major underdog against a cultural juggernaut.

But “Locker” has several big factors going for it. One, it’s the critical darling, and has won almost every critics’ award there is. Two, it also has a major amount of momentum, with wins from the Producers Guild and the Directors Guild. Three, Bigelow is certainly winning Best Director, which usually indicates Picture. Four, there is a distinct backlash brewing against “Avatar,” even among those who admire it, indicating it may have peaked too early. Five, of some importance, “Locker” is indeed the best of the ten films nominated here.

But, biggest of all, the new judging system may tilt things in “Locker”‘s favor. Anti-”Avatar” sentiment may lead some voters to put the film toward the bottom of their rankings, thus skewing the math against it. That means that, in a traditional year, “Avatar” may have won Best Picture by getting the most votes for it. But this year, those may end up being offset by those who vote against it. Ironically enough, in a year where the Academy changed everything and bent over backward in a transparent attempt to give more “mainstream” movies a chance, those new rules themselves may end up costing the biggest mainstream movie ever the top prize.

Prediction: “The Hurt Locker”

And the rest…

Leaving out the short subjects and Best Foreign Language film, as I haven’t been able to see any of the nominees. (Note, however, that I’m rooting for “A Matter of Loaf and Death,” the new Wallace & Gromit film, to win Best Animated Short. Go, Nick Park!)

Art Direction: “The Young Victoria.” is my guess, though a technical awards sweep may give this to “Avatar.”

Cinematography: “Avatar,” though how much of it was actually “filmed?”

Costume Design: “The Young Victoria.” Always go for the period piece.

Documentary Feature: “Food, Inc.”

Editing: “Avatar.”

Makeup: “Star Trek.” Always go for the one that used the most latex.

Original Score: “Avatar,” probably, though I’d love to see “Sherlock’s” original orchestrations win this one.

Original Song: “The Weary Kind” from “Crazy Heart.”

Sound Editing: “Avatar.”

Sound Mixing: “Avatar.”

Visual Effects: “Avatar.”

Jeff McGinnis is featured at 7 a.m. Wednesdays on the 92.5 KISS FM Andrew Z show.

Making it through the Hollywood rounds, Crystal Bowersox, of Elliston, has the chance to showcase her talents as a top “American Idol” contestant.

The 24-year-old received a unanimous vote from the judges placing her in the top 24 contestants, where viewers begin to vote for their favorites.

Crystal Bowersox

Twelve women and twelve men remain in the competition. Bowersox will compete live against other female contestants on Feb. 23. The following evening, Feb.24, will be the male competition. Two men and two women will then be eliminated during the results show Feb. 25.

“American Idol” can be watched at 8 p.m. on FOX Toledo.

Bowersox grew up in Elliston, located in between Toledo and Port Clinton. She attended Oak Harbor High School before graduating from the Toledo School for the Arts (TSA).

Her former choir director at TSA, Jamie Dauel, said Bowersox has what it takes to become the next American Idol.

“She’s not only a wonderful singer, but also a wonderful songwriter. She has a gift for writing good songs, songs that stick in people’s mind and tell a solid story. If one of her pieces was on the radio it would immediately be popular,” Dauel said.

Dave Gierke, Bowersox’s former TSA music teacher, echoes his colleague, describing Bowersox’s talents as “raw.”

“She is by far one of the most talented students to walk into [TSA],” he said.

Even the critical Simon Cowell complimented the single mother during week one in Hollywood.

“You’re infectious. People like you,” he said. “You have a head start. You’re real.”

Bowersox, who played the guitar and harmonica during her last performance, lists Glen Hansard, Janis Joplin, Jewel, Melissa Etheridge and Bobby May as her musical influences.

Bowersox has played at venues throughout Northwest Ohio including Nagoya Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi, Basin Street Grille, Village Idiot, Erie Street Market and Ottawa River Yacht Club

“I think she’s earned it and I think she real. There’s nothing bubble gum about her,” Gierke said. “American music has become cheesy sampled-out crap and needs originality. I think Crystal can bring that to the competition.

Fans can join Bowersox’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/CBowersoxAI9, or follow her on Twitter at CBowersoxAI9. For more information about Bowersox, visit www.americanidol.com/contestants/season_9/crystal_bowersox/.

The 82nd Annual Academy Award will be televised live on Sunday, March 7 on ABC. Here are my winning picks (in bold).

Best Picture

Avatar, The Blind Side, District 9, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire, A Serious Man, Up, Up in the Air.

The first year with 10 nominations can make everyone happy with a nice mix of realism and escapism. Blind Side was a surprise as Star Trek didn’t make the cut. No Julie & Julia or (500) Days of Summer either. Avatar is the frontrunner here.

Animated Feature Film

Coraline; Fantastic Mr. Fox; The Princess and the Frog; The Secret of Kells; Up.

Many didn’t see Secret while the obvious frontrunner Up also got a much deserved best picture nomination. Will Pixar’s incredible string of hits ever end?

Director

James Cameron, Avatar; Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker; Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds; Lee Daniels, Precious…; Jason Reitman, Up in the Air.

Clint Eastwood (Invictus) didn’t make the cut while Bigelow hopes to be the first female directing winner. Cameron’s already king of the world with a statue for Titanic.

Actress

Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side; Helen Mirren, The Last Station; Carey Mulligan, An Education; Gabourey Sidibe, Precious…; Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia.

British actresses swapped as Mirren replaced Emily Blunt for Young Victoria as Last Station gets some much deserved attention. Bullock gets her first nomination and a likely win.

Supporting Actress

Penelope Cruz, Nine; Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air; Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart; Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air; Mo’Nique, Precious….

Cruz got the only major nomination for the little seen musical Nine while Up in the Air had a double dose of great actresses. Mo’Nique’s realistic and dramatic portrayal is the best here.

Actor

Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart; George Clooney, Up in the Air; Colin Firth, A Single Man; Morgan Freeman, Invictus; Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker.

Bridges is long overdue for a win after multiple nominations while newcomer Renner (S.W.A.T.) gets a much deserved nomination.

Supporting Actor

Matt Damon, Invictus; Woody Harrelson, The Messenger; Christopher Plummer, The Last Station; Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones; Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds.

A great set including men who could also headline any film. Plummer caps off an incredible year, but Waltz’s mesmerizing performance wins out here.

Visual Effects

Avatar, District 9, Star Trek.

Usually the film production who spend the most money win here, but District 9 could pull an upset because they did a lot with a limited budget.

Special congratulations to filmmakers nominated for their work in the documentary (short subject) The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant, set in Moraine, Ohio.

The Lucas County Board of Elections voted Feb. 22  to deny the voter registration challenge made against Lisa Cherry and stated no fraudulent voting took place by her or Ruthann Cherry.

The board found that Lisa Cherry, as a student who has “every intention of returning home,” has the right to be registered in Lucas County and denied the challenge against her voter registration.

Ruthann Cherry removed her voter registration in Lucas County in a letter submitted to the BOE on Feb. 22. The board found through investigation that no fraudulent voting had taken place and decided to not recommend an investigation by the Lucas County Prosecutor’s office.

Lisa and Ruthann are daughters of Ann Cherry, a Waterville councilwoman.

The Lucas County Board of Elections (BOE) had a video camera running all day Feb.18, the deadline for May primary petitions.

Linda Howe, BOE director, said the camera tri-pod was set up in the morning to film the entire day, with switching of tapes periodically.

“I heard all kinds of things that happened in 2008 before I was here. People feeling mistreated. This way, if someone felt they were mistreated, it would be on camera,” she said.

The camera would also help Howe, who isn’t up front all the time, review BOE procedure on deadline day and see if anything can be done more efficiently, she said.

“The tapes weren’t against anyone in particular. It was a peaceful and orderly day,” Howe said.

A state trooper, who is normally on duty inside Government Center, was upstairs at 4 p.m. making sure there were no problems with people trying to file petitions after the deadline. People in line before 4 p.m. were allowed to stay inside and finish turning in their petitions, but no one else was allowed in after that, Howe said.

Toledo’s future will be determined within the next 24 months. The opportunity to save our city is before us, and if we Toledo residents fail to take the necessary steps to save our city, we will lose it. The long-term consequences of fiscal emergency would be an embarrassing legacy. There exists no simple or painless solution. We did not get into this fiscal nightmare overnight and we will not get out of it instantaneously. Our course must be long-term with measured steps and discipline. If we have the will to see it through, I honestly believe Toledo can rise to even greater heights than we have ever experienced.
Let us begin with the root causes for our current state of affairs. Toledo residents lost pride in our city and for the past 50 years have been moving to the suburbs, thus relinquishing their identity as Toledoans. The Toledo city government looked down on the suburban communities as small and unworthy of respect and recognition. The population of Toledo declined from a peak of 383,818 in 1970 to an estimated 310,000 in 2005. My question is: “Does this sound like the identical path Cleveland took in the 1970s and Detroit is following now?”
The political process in Toledo has been stifling and both political parties are to blame. Our city has experienced and continues to experience a political dominance that serves the officeholder first, the party second and lastly, if there is room, the constituents. I have seen how some of the elected officials from Toledo have an attitude that the citizens are fortunate to have them as office holders, and believe the constituents must give them the respect and adulation they deserve.
Toledo has lost its major manufacturing base, which was established in the early 1900s when we transitioned from an agriculture-based society. Toledo blossomed because of this transition, in which the corporate giants took a direct hand in shaping Toledo as a stable municipality.
Today, the corporate giants are gone and we are struggling to transition to a new paradigm: technology-based and knowledge-based paradigms in a global economy.
The charlatans who operate behind the scenes are ever present. There are certain personalities who thrive on their ability to manipulate the visible leaders. They operate “under the radar” and leave no evidence of their presence. Their comfort zone is playing both sides against each other and never being identified.
Perhaps the worst root cause is that we are a city where hardly anyone votes. Only 16 to 22 percent of the registered voters determine who will lead us. The outcome in too many cases is cronyism and sophomoric political gamesmanship.
But it is not too late for Toledo to recover. I have confidence that Toledoans can “connect the dots” as to the root causes of the decline and rise above the problems. First, let’s remember our identity as Toledoans. We must now capture a sense of pride in our community and commit to the goal that failure is not an option.
Toledoans must take an active part in selection of elected officials by “speaking with their feet” and going to the polls.
The leadership in Toledo, public and private, must step up and have the vision to see Toledo’s potential. In a world of international commerce, we must compete by having the insight to reinvent Toledo and partner with our sister communities. This can be done if we have honest communication built on respect and relationships built on trust. No responsible business will come to Toledo until there is stability in the municipal government.
We must see a new level of buy-in from the local news institutions. Toledoans deserve fair and balanced reporting; that is, news that is free of sensationalism and political bias.
Toledoans will determine the future of Toledo; if we lose our city, the failure will be on us. To save Toledo, all of the stakeholders, private and public, must commit to a disciplined and ego-free strategy. The outcome can be a Toledo our children and their children’s children will be proud to call home.

D. Michael Collins is a Toledo City Councilman representing District 2. E-mail him at dmichael.collins@toledo.oh.gov.