Sarantou Votes to Raise Toledo Taxes Again, Votes Against Law Enforcement

My opponent in the May 2nd primary again demonstrated that I am the only Real Republican in this primary race by voting to increase Toledo's special assessments and to cut the funding for the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.  Sarantou again supported an increase in special assessments for Toledo residents, the next in a long line of votes supporting a 36 per cent in special assessment taxes during his time on Council.  Special assessments are a hidden method of increasing taxes, with Toledo City Council unilaterally increasing Toledo residents' taxes without a vote of the electorate.  The special assessment monies will be used to expand Toledo's government by adding new employees to perform the basic city functions of street and alley cleaning, snow and leaf removal, tree trimming and street lighting.  Even democrats on Toledo's City Council opposed this tax increase and urged Sarantou and the Mayor to find the money elsewhere in the $235 million dollar budget.

Government has to make choices, and the easy choice is to always do more and tax more.  There is no end to the good work that government can do, but we can't afford the taxes to do everything.  Taxes kill business development!  Government needs to set priorities, do those essential tasks that government must do, and decide what it will and won't do.  The tough decisions are the ones to hold the line on taxes and select the things that will get done, as well as what won't. My opponent doesn 't get it.  I do.

At the same time Sarantou decided to cut the City's funding for the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council over the objection of the Chief Judge of the Toledo Municipal Court, Republican Judge Gene Zamuda.  The CJCC provides the technical