We Won 41% of the Vote! But the Flogging Continues!

The votes are now in. Even though opposition to the Tiffin University's Miami Street project was defeated in the election, a whopping 41% of Tiffin Ohio voters sent a clear message to our civic leaders.

What is the message? A very LARGE group of voters are NOT buying the stench of destructive politics that continue to waft through Tiffin City Council Chambers and the Mayor's Office. If they thought responsibly about it, those who voted 'YES' would NOT buy it either.


Now, Cherubim and Saraphim, Grandillo and Marion, have been exalted-by-vote as the official powers to run Tiffin City Government and inure the use of our tax dollars to lock-in political power and to line the pockets of their favorite contractors. Last April, Marion predicted he would win the day, when at Tiffin City Council's Public Hearing, he declared Tiffin Citizens to be "irrelevant" minions. Nice guy, huh. Must be real smart.

Is the Cherub and his boss really that smart? No. Smart has nothing to do with them winning the vote. Having unfettered access to a rich cache of campaign RESOURCES won the vote. This is pure political power! Economic power, too!

If you listen to the "buzz" around town, the total fully loaded cost of getting the YES vote was over $200,000! This included, Tiffin City Government employee time, TU employee time, paid political consultant time, ipod prizes, education channel advertisements, billboards, A-T Ads, direct mail, collateral materials, "dirty tricks", etc.

The Responsible Citizens for Tiffin opposition, headed by Monaco family members, with a small group of mostly elderly neighborhood and local church member citizens was able to deploy only a very small portion of resources that TU had at its disposal.

Why did Grandillo and Marion expend so much time, money and effort to ensure the win? Remember, Tiffin Citizens were deluged with political ads, mailers large, billboards, cable-casts played over-and-over. There was so much in-your-face activity, even our own supporters were saying how nice was the billboard drawing of the Monaco Family home. This has got to be the biggest, most expensive campaign in Tiffin...EVER!

Why so much effort indeed! If Tiffin University lost the Miami Street Project, they knew that they would loose a lot more than the $800,000 federal tax subsidy for Miami and closing Jackson St.

How so? Well, TU officials have been raiding the Tiffin Ohio "Cookie Jar" since about 1990. Ask any council person whether Tiffin University always has its "hand out" when approaching Tiffin Officials for anything. If they are honest with you, our official will admit the complicity. If they are NOT honest with you, you are probably asking someone who has profiteered from activities greased with Citizen Tax Dollars, or official approvals for seeking state or federal tax subsidies. If you don't think so, please stop reading here, open one eye wider, and then the other.

I would NOT object to any of this if it were NOT for the abuses to individual Citizens and "back door" politics that EVERYONE complains about, yet does little-to-nothing to stop it. So much for civic leadership in Tiffin! I'm embarrassed for Tiffin's so-called civic leaders. You should be, too. Did I say DARK?

Millions have been spent in the past. Millions of tax dollars will be sought by Tiffin University Officials in the future. And, like their Miami Street Project, Citizens will again and again be made to pay...sometimes for abuses to themselves by the use of TU's Tax subsidies...all approved by Tiffin City Council and our Mayor. Just "follow the money". The Mayor warns of a $1.8 Million Deficit. Duh!!! (Hey, those referendum-winning 'YES' votes will now raise taxes. Get out your calculator, and remember what was earlier written about tax abuses in this blog. Tiffin voters have done the equivalent of asking for the flogging-stick from Dr. Marion while he happily suggests to his buddy contractors that they can sit down, kick back, and watch the "irrelevant" Citizens flog themselves out of their own money!)

Tiffin University HAD to win the vote on the referendum! If it did not, everyone from Marion and Grandillo to their subordinates would find it harder to get tax subsidized cooperation from Tiffin City government for projects that frequently include abuses such as those opposed by citizens in or near the Tiffin University neighborhood. They HAD to win so bad, their bag of "dirty tricks" turned from a campaign resource to get 'yes' votes, to a resource for DESTROYING their political opposition's attempts to participate in an orderly campaign for the 'NO' vote. Politics in Tiffin has a dark side. The recent events, when de-coded from the local politico-speak, are NOT for children or innocent-minded adults. If you bother to get into the middle of any the sordid affairs of our leadership, it in part, explains why Tiffin is hemorrhaging its population of regular residents. Like I said, Tiffin is no place for the innocent-minded...and certainly not our children.

So, let us talk about how our children get abused. Think about it. The three 23 year old councilmen act like they really got voted onto city council for their wisdom, anticipated youthful contributions, and personal strength of their ideology! The abuse? Well, the sick joke played on them is that they are on city council as the political boy-toys of about a dozen "advisers" who subtly and confidently provide them with the trappings of local political power. Want to know who is really calling the shots? You can get actual names! Just ask around in Tiffin. Many are the Tiffin political machine. Someone needs to tell the children. It would be silly if it wasn't so sadistic. Who will disabuse the children of their mistaken understanding? Probably no-one. Just follow the money! It is so pathetic.

Am I making this stuff up? I don't have to make up anything! Marion, Grandillo, and their smiling young minions are so "drunk" with political and economic power, they have failed to cover-up documented facts of their dirty tricks...that are clearly irresponsible, and in at least one case, criminal. Yes, I said CRIMINAL! Remember? I don't have to make this stuff up! It is instructive what you can learn from a little reading of Tiffin University's or Tiffin City Government's documents provided by their own hand.

But, I can NOT explain further until the Tiffin City Police, the Secretary of the State of Ohio, or the FBI apprehend the person who committed such an egregious act that even Dr. Marion is speechless and unable to repudiate an act that clearly indicts his campus organization. For me, I am sickened by what has happened. Because of it, I am compelled to do three things:

1. Request, from the Tiffin Police, the procedure for purchasing a hand gun,

2. Request, from Tiffin Police, the procedure for registering a gun as a concealed weapon, and

3. Inviting all Responsible Citizens of Tiffin who have a permit to carry a gun in Tiffin Ohio to send a comment to me that I will not publish to this blog. Indicate your willingness to stand with me and others in an organized attempt to demonstrate our 2nd and 4th amendment rights in the face of people who would declare us so "irrelevant". I am making the same appeal to area members of the NRA.

I will explain more, in a later blog article, or privately if you provide full contact information.

So, we won 41% of the votes, yesterday! I thank all of you who voted with us on principle! You ARE the Responsible Citizens for Tiffin. I'm proud of what we were able to accomplish with so few resources.

I regret that the flogging will continue.

Thank you,

Joe Monaco
Registered Voter in Tiffin Ohio

Mayor Divides City by Supporting TAX Abuses

In his recent Letter-to-the-Editor, Mayor Boroff joined Tiffin University president, Paul Marion to advance TU's Miami Street BUSINESS interests while again disregarding the “abusive” aspects of it.

Knowing that Tiffin Citizens are divided on TU's Miami Street issue, his letter is improper in the least. It fuels the very division of Citizens he attributes to others. At worst, he is redefining the term "local political corruption". And I used to like Mayor Boroff . Most regular Tiffin Citizens are so used to absorbing abuses of some civic leaders, they quietly endure most incidences of "corruption" when it shows it's smiling face. Below are the concerns of Responsible Citizens for Tiffin as they address each numbered point of Mayor Boroff 's letter.

Referring to facts he does NOT agree with as "mis-information and rumor", Mayor Boroff 's writing is adding public insult to injury. Yet, now it is clear that Mayor Boroff needs to serve the power brokers in Tiffin, or he will soon enough be “power brokered” out of his job. I really don’t want that to happen. I do expect our Mayor to be a model of leadership to protect elderly people, such as my elderly mother, your parents, and other regular Citizens who have few resources to oppose those Tiffin business interests that will harm them. Mayor Boroff ’s Letter-To-The-Editor in the Advertiser-Tribune does NOT protect us, but takes a firm hold of the flogging stick. His writing attempts to render "irrelevant" the facts underlying Tiffin Citizen opposition to the unnecessary abuses of Tiffin University's Miami Street Project!

The matter is simple: Remove the abuses to Tiffin Citizen rights, and there will be no need to vote 'NO' on Referendum Ordinance 07-70. Even the formerly aggrieved would vote for the Miami Street Project, because EVERYONE would get their interests satisfied. Our Mayor is not working for us when he publicly chooses sides on this issue.

Each of Mayor Boroff's numbered points in his letter requires a response. So the record can be set straight from the vantage point of the regular Tiffin Citizens, I am compelled to provide information our Mayor conveniently left out of his letter. In this way, I hope we voting Citizens will use our voice in the face of Mayor Boroff 's obvious contempt for our concerns. Plan to vote 'NO' accordingly on the Referendum 07-70 issue. Please read on.

[For the complete text of Mayor Boroff’s letter see the Advertiser-Tribune link at: http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/page/content.detail/id/510089.html?nav=5008]

Here is each numbered point the Mayor writes with my commentary immediately following.

1). This project will be paid entirely from federal highway funds. The city has made it clear not one dime of local taxpayer money will be used. If the funds are scaled back, the project will be scaled back accordingly.

Everyone knows very well that TIFFIN TAXPAYERS pay local, state and FEDERAL TAXES. This was emphasized as "public input" at the April 21st Tiffin City Public Hearing.

Remember, one of our regular Tiffin Citizens, Tim Shock, said he did “NOT want” any of his FEDERAL TAX dollars used for closing Jackson Street without property owner permission. My 35 minute statement and that of others gave similar “public input” in support of Mr. Shock’s clear objection. Yet Mayor Boroff suggests that we, the “local taxpayers”, are somehow not paying for a Tiffin University Project with our TAXES. What part of the "public input" that said ‘NO’ does our Mayor NOT recognize as the "public input" he is obligated to regard?

Further, suggesting “If the (Miami Street) funds are scaled back, the project will be scaled back accordingly” must be taken from some secret Mayoral code book because this idea was NEVER discussed with ANYONE I know in Tiffin. Mayor Boroff is trying to “spin” us with this “left field" comment. I’m starting to feel the abuse coming on, again. To me it is simple. A ‘NO’ vote means we do NOT want to see TAXPAYERS flogged out of their homes and streets on Jackson and Miami, when there are alternatives.

2). No private property will be taken under eminent domain. This was never a part of the plan, nor would I, as mayor, support in any way, shape or form the adverse acquisition of any private property for such a project.

This is very “crafty” of our Mayor as he attempts to master the art of empty political rhetoric. Need I remind Citizens that while Mayor Boroff was a Councilman, Tiffin University was permitted to take an EMINENT DOMAIN action and successfully forced the sale of the privately owned Rosenblatt Property (scrapyard) on Miami Street? Again, Tiffin University Officials have now taken preliminary EMINENT DOMAIN action against the Monaco property on Jackson Street. At least one local and prominent Tiffin Ohio banker told me, “Tiffin University wants the Monaco property real bad”. Yes, he used the word “bad”. It says a lot. Tiffin University has used Eminent Domain once. They have NO qualms about capturing property in any way they can; just NOT associated with “such a project” as our Mayor is very careful to specify in writing.

How many Tiffin Citizens would want to know that they will be forced out of their Family Home because our so-called civic leaders don’t have the decency to use their political power for good-faith community action? This is harming my family and others, any way Mayor Boroff spins it.

3). If this project is completed, the cost of any subsequent sewer separation in the Miami Street area will not cost the citizens any additional money. Sewer separation in that area is not scheduled in the foreseeable future at least 12-15 years from now. If we were to halt any current project that might affect another project a dozen years down the road, nothing would get accomplished in the city.

How many more projects does Mayor Boroff plan to administer under such highly controversial, divisive, and abusive conditions near Tiffin University? If nothing is getting accomplished at city hall, then I don't think it is because our Mayor is paying much attention to his most important civic duties.

Mayor Boroff would have us believe that he did NOT hear Councilman Steve Lepard who, during every public meeting on Ordinance 07-70, explained the “additional money” TIFFIN TAXPAYERS would have to pay! Additional TAX money would be needed because the special and expensive features of the Miami and Jackson street project would have to be destroyed and re-constructed a second time because of sewer separation.

Mr. Lepard, who SPONSORED Ordinance 07-70 Miami Street Project, is the Chair of the Street, Sidewalks & Sewers Committee. Tiffin University introduced Ordinance 07-70 through Mr. Lepard in 2007. Mr. Lepard has since discovered the abuses to regular citizens such as the additional tax money and the closing of Jackson Street without private property owner permission. Since before the April 21^st public hearing, COUNCILMAN LEPARD HAS BEEN ACTIVELY OPPOSING THE VERY ORDINANCE THAT HE SPONSORED FOR TIFFIN UNIVERSITY! Mr Lepard is acting on good, community-minded principles. Our Mayor is NOT.

Further, Mayor Boroff is "spinning" at full speed when he says, “If we were to halt any current project that might affect another project a dozen years down the road, nothing would get accomplished in the city.” P-l-e-a-s-e !

The extremely controversial Miami Street Project is vigorously opposed by Responsible Citizens for Tiffin ONLY because it contains civic abuses that can be easily remedied by Tiffin University Officials…who have publicly refused to consider ANY alternatives to closing Jackson Street. Not getting anything accomplished may be because Tiffin University has "pushed the envelope" on acceptable public actions way to far.

Mayor Boroff is now abrogating his DUTY to hold up this ONE project that would UNNECESSARILY ABUSE SOME TIFFIN CITIZENS OF THEIR RIGHTS. Notice that Heidelberg College has no intentions of abusing anyone and the money for their project is coming from the same TAX appropriation. Our Mayor’s duty is not to pick sides as he did based upon personal, political and financial expediency. His job is to help arrange for a good-faith, negotiated solution that can bring our community together in the best interests of all concerned. If Mayor Boroff is not going to serve the regular citizens of Tiffin on community principles of fairness and those of our democratic republic, we need to make his actions irrelevant by voting ‘NO’ on the Miami Street Project Referendum 07-70.

4). No house will lose convenient access to city streets. Yes, the intersection of Jackson and Miami streets will no longer be in existence, but residents will have full access to Jackson and the new cul-de-sac from Clay Street.

Mayor Boroff is presumptuous to decide for the Monaco Family what is or is NOT convenient.

The “public input” from at least four Citizens at the April 21^st public hearing clearly opposed closing Jackson Street. The Monaco’s are quite satisfied with the current arrangement of through traffic, as it helps the elderly Mrs. Monaco supplement her income by annually merchandising her apartments to people who “drive through” Jackson Street. If you close Jackson Street, you prevent her from the very economic advantages you say you want to provide for Tiffin Ohio. In this regard, the elderly Mrs. Monaco IS Tiffin Ohio.

Further, if the Tiffin University does not alter its plan to close Jackson Street, the Monaco Family Home would be land-locked into identifying with the Tiffin University’s Campus. This would clearly be a CONSTRUCTIVE EMINENT DOMAIN action that our Mayor said he would not support, as follows: “This was never a part of the plan, nor would I, as mayor, support in any way, shape or form the adverse acquisition of any private property for such a project.”

Constructive Eminent Domain would be an extreme inconvenience to the Monaco Family. To maintain the integrity of his written word, Mayor Boroff needs to publicly reverse his support for Tiffin University's Miami Street Project abuses and encourage all Tiffin Citizens to vote ‘NO’.

5). The Wall Street railroad crossing will not be closed. Again, this is something the city of Tiffin would not support in any eventuality. That crossing is critical to traffic in that area.

I trust Mayor Boroff’s intentions in what he has said in #5. However, let’s look at the facts.

Although Tiffin University removed the closing of the Wall Street railroad crossing from Referendum Ordinance 07-70, TU did so ONLY after the Monaco Family objected at two Tiffin City Council Readings of Ordinance 07-70, and then made a deal with City Council and the Mayor. Fact is: Closing Wall is off the Miami Street Project Referendum 07-70 FOR NOW. The written plan for closing of the Wall Street railroad crossing still exists in its original form in City Council’s files. Tiffin University has reserved their right to initiate another Tiffin City Ordinance, at a time of their choosing, to close the Wall Street railroad crossing. Although our Mayor is well intentioned on this matter, Tiffin University’s political and financial power goes all the way to Washington. Tiffin Citizens are wise to "question" the unfettered political and economic power of Tiffin University Officials.

6). Truck traffic will be maintained on Miami Street. In fact, the street will be designed to greater facilitate truck traffic and make the area more pedestrian-safe.

Once again, our Mayor is well intentioned on this one. He hasn’t talked to any of the truck drivers I know. Their concerns are all those planned trees lining Miami Street that will surely, when grown, obstruct a clear view of pedestrians. They are also questioning whether the street will be wide enough to forgive any steering mistakes, and whether the curbs would be sturdy enough to keep from crumbling when hit by a heavy, loaded rig. With a tree-lined median splitting Miami Street, this engineering would certainly create TWO opportunities for students to possibly get slammed by a truck or car.

As far as “Pedestrian-safe” goes, this is again empty political rhetoric and “spin”. I will keep saying this as long as Dr. Marion and Dr. Grandillo continue to assert misinformation that does NOT stand up to facts in evidence.

A compelling argument was made at the April 21, 2008 City Council Hearing that demonstrated clearly that there was NEVER A PEDESTRIAN SAFETY PROBLEM, except as fabricated by Dr. Grandillo and Dr. Marion. “Pedestrian Safety" on Miami and Jackson Streets is well-known around downtown Tiffin to be a ruse. See the public hearing video for particulars of the hearing and how Grandillo and Marion are in so deep with their misinformation on pedestrian safety that they would NOT be able to save face if they came clean.

This too, defines "local political corruption". Just ask one question to decide the authenticity of their "Pedestrian Safety" assertions: "If closing Jackson and altering Miami Streets will "improve pedestrian safety", then, by how much?"

This is NOT a trick question. It does NOT require any understanding of mathematics beyond simple addition and subtraction. It does NOT require anything accept a "raised eyebrow". Given the facts, the ONLY correct answer is "Zero". If it was more than ZERO, don't you think the Tiffin University Officials would emphasize the actual number that might justify the great fun they would have spending $800,000 in TAX Subsidies?

If he was working for ALL Tiffin Citizens, Mayor Boroff would NOT call facts and conclusions that he does NOT agree with as "misinformation", "rumor" and "half-truths. This is preposterous.

So, when you are alone in the voting booth, please use the above facts and conclusions to inform your decision to vote 'NO on Tiffin University's Miami Street Project Referendum Ordinance 07-70. It is the right thing to do for this small town community we call Tiffin Ohio.

Thank you for your consideration,

Joe Monaco

Registered Tiffin Ohio Voter

5 TAX Reasons to Vote 'NO' on Miami Street Referendum 07-70

Whichever way you decide to vote on Tiffin University's Miami Street Project Referendum, please be clear that our TAXES WILL GO UP if the referendum passes! Below are 5 tax reasons for which we should ALL vote 'NO'.

Tiffin University's Miami Street Project Referendum 07-70, if allowed to pass, will INCREASE TIFFIN RESIDENT'S TAXES in the immediate AND long term future. You can verify these key reasons if you have the time and inclination to study the public records at Tiffin City Council. Many of these written public records contain reasons to vote 'NO' ... and were provided by Tiffin University Officials and Tiffin City Council! Keep in mind that the deluge of printed information, phone calls, billboards, and half page advertisements to Tiffin Citizens is because our so-called civic leaders have hired an expensive, nationally recognized political consultant to "spin" all of us. So, please be clear on what your vote will mean regarding taxes, as follows:

1) Tiffin City Tax Payers will pay for the "sewer separation project". This sewer project will happen at Miami and Jackson Streets AFTER 2010, and AFTER the University, if permitted, would spend the $800,000 appropriation from our federal TAX Dollars. So, AFTER Tiffin University Officials would spend the Tax money on their project, much of the new street scape will have to be destroyed to make way for the two separated sewer lines. The cost of destruction and reconstruction of Miami and Jackson streets has been estimated to exceed $300,000, not including direct sewer separation costs. In their Miami Street Improvement Cost Estimates, Mr. Grandillo told engineers from Wolpert to NOT include any federal funds for sewer separation in their project. They knew from experience that the extra cost of the 2nd excavation and re-landscaping would be born by the unsuspecting Tiffin Ohio TAX Payers.

2) The PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS on Miami and Jackson Streets pay property taxes now. Tiffin University does NOT pay any property taxes on more than 200 acres of land. Since TU Officials have already taken preliminary Eminent Domain action to force the sale of the Monaco Family Home, if successful, the property taxes from that one property will then have to be born by other TAX PAYERS…NOT Tiffin University. This is only one property in a line of nearly 100 that TU already carries at the expense of TIFFIN TAX PAYERS. At their recent rate of growth, it is not absurd to conclude that TU will own all the current rateables on the west side of Tiffin in about 60 more years! If you don't vote 'No' now, consider the silly possibility that the taxpayers on the EAST side of Tiffin will have to carry the burden...if they can afford to live in Tiffin at all. Did I say absurd?

How many more properties should TU be allowed to own at TAX PAYER EXPENSE? [I resent this civic corruption Tiffin University Officials and others have inspired. Yet, there is BIG money and a lot of powerful political influence involved, so most people in Tiffin quietly suffer the fact that they might believe themselves to be "irrelevant" as Dr. Marion declared. Not being one to quietly suffer any obvious and pervasive injustice, I am NOT going away on this one...no matter how the referendum vote turns out.] On this matter alone, I urge YOU to please don't believe Dr. Marion's conclusion about us. Declare yourself and other TAXPAYERS relevant by casting your 'NO' vote. It wil stop this kind of abuse.

3) Without private property owner permission, Drs. Marion and Grandillo made a back-room deal with our local government to waive the normal requirements for “vacating” the public Jackson Street. They have ignored the normal rules everyone followed for more than 30 years. For example: About 20 years ago, they closed, through a “vacate” ordinance, part of Jackson Street that is now the walkway of north campus. “Vacating” the many alleys and streets near Campus has always been understood to be a fair and democratic government procedure to protect individual property owners from being abused by powerful corporate interests. But now, if TU Officials are not held to normal rules, TU’s campus will close a public neighborhood street without private property owner permission, turn it into a campus asset, yet that part of the campus will legally have to be maintained by Tiffin City through our TAX DOLLARS…because Tiffin City still owns it. This is improper, to put it mildly.


4) Here is the real danger to Tiffin Tax-Paying Residents: We know from their own publicly-available documents that Tiffin University Officials have misrepresented facts, obfuscated, delayed and unfairly manipulated nearly every important aspect of the Miami Street project.

Starting with Mike Grandillo’s 2004 application to the United States Congress, it was demonstrated with written facts TIFFIN UNIVERSITY PROVIDED, at the April Tiffin City Council public hearing that Grandillo mislead the US Congress (and now Tiffin Citizens) into believing that there was a "pedestrian safety" problem. (That's right, NO pedestrian safety problem exists on any official record of ODOT, our own Tiffin City Police Department, or at the Engineering Department! According to ALL uncontested statements at the public hearing, "pedestrian safety" is an imaginary problem fabricated by Grandillo, and repeated over-and-over again by Marion and some of his employees and students.) What hubris!

At the April Tiffin City Council Hearing, I presented the written facts from Tiffin University's own documents, and without saying the word, accused him of "lying". My public hearing statement, with 17 equally scathing facts, was accepted by the City Council, Mayor, and all of the rest of the 60 participants. As it is difficult to argue against facts, to this day, no one refuted one word of my facts as "wrong" or improperly stated! Given the formal chance to rebut my facts in his closing statement at the hearing, even Dr. Marion simply declared my concerns, along with all others to be "irrelevant". He did not refute one of the facts or conclusions. It was all cable-vised for viewers to see. So, dear reader, you decide how you are going to vote.

Our Tiffin University Leaders, no matter how much good they have done in the past, have finally succumbed to the temptations of "power" and mostly unfettered local political influence. To me, and a great many regular Citizens for Tiffin, the action of those involved in administering the Miami Street Project defines the term “Local Political Corruption”. The corruption has spilled over to the private sector where it is now difficult to tell the difference between Tiffin University Officials and the private businesses from which they profit BECAUSE of their close association with Tiffin University or our local government.

If the Miami Street Project is NOT stopped now, ALL of these actions will set a precedent for further TAX-Funded Projects that will just add to the many that the Tiffin University has already funded through our TAX Dollars. The long-term consequence is a continuing spiral of more taxes to subsidize the already financially successful Tiffin University. TU simply does NOT need this help from financially struggling Tiffin, Ohio Taxpayers...or any other tax payers.

5) Finally, there is the “Citizen Abuse Tax” quietly born by Citizens who do NOT have the same influence and political power of Tiffin University. It is the tens of thousands of dollars collectively paid by the regular Citizens as they try to oppose the influential and deep-pocketed business interests such as those represented by TU Officials on the Miami Street Project. It is money that Citizen Volunteers need to pay for gas as they went door-to-door for petition signatures or to inform the public of the unfair treatment. It is the money needed to make hundreds of phone calls, have an occasional meeting, print literature, and hire lawyers so those being threatened from their homes and streets can get a minimal amount of legal representation. It is the cost of a web site and the hundreds of costly hours needed to design it and keep it up to date. Unlike Tiffin University, regular Citizens cannot wright-off these expenses or charge them off to someone’s corporate budget.

The abuse tax is also the $14,000 cost to the Elections Board to get The Miami Street Project Referendum printed the November 4th Ballot. It is no secret that the people actively mobilizing to oppose the abusive aspects of the Miami Street Project are mostly elderly citizens. Although some volunteers and opposition supporters are fortunate enough to have the financial clout to participate, many live on fixed incomes or social security. They are making a serious sacrifice with this “hidden tax burden”. It should NOT be so difficult for these Citizens to participate in Tiffin City Governance. It should NOT be possible to suffer the “Citizen Abuse Tax” just because TU Officials, have misled the public and declared their concerns to be “irrelevant”.

Look elsewhere in this blog for links to no-spin, no-rhetoric information about the facts of the Miami Street Project and a rare view of Tiffin University Officials.

On November 4th, please vote ‘NO’ on the Miami Street Project Referendum 07-70. If you don’t, our taxes will go up because of it!...and you might be in line for the next tax-financed flogging sponsored by Tiffin University’s Dr. Marion and his powerful, influential associates.

Joe Monaco
Registered Tiffin Ohio Voter

Tiffin University NOT a Democracy?

Tiffin University governance - of employees and students - is NOT an exercise in Democracy.

Nor should it be.

When faced with opposition to its own mission and policies from within, No University President will deny that a more "heavy-handed" approach is necessary. To allow dissidence within Tiffin University's campus could result in yet another Ohio College going defunct.

At independent colleges, such as the Tiffin University, long term survival is often dependent upon bold, deliberate, and decisive action to carry out their mission. The mission is usually stated in a formal Strategic Plan that, if not substantially executed. can result in bad things happening. For example, the University could lose accreditation, loss of revenue from students who won't come to an unaccredited college, and the President, along with some staff will certainly be fired from their jobs for their lack of effectiveness! In the higher education industry, it is considered fair, necessary, and just that Universities are NOT Democracies.

If you are not familiar with this basic University governing philosophy, here's a link that gives a very rare look into the ongoing NON-DEMOCRATIC governing philosophy and practices of Tiffin University Officials:

http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/protect/academicfreedom/investrep/2002/Tif.htm

Although I do NOT agree with the methods he has chosen because they hurt Tiffin University neighbors, with the abusive aspects of the Miami Street Project, I can sympathize with TU President, Paul Marion's "rock-and- a- hard-place” situation.

He is on a mission. He has a Board-approved plan that he MUST carry out to keep University accreditation, his job, and that of other high-paid staff members. All of this is VERY STRONG motivation to do everything possible to ensure Tiffin University's Institutional survival...even if it means "bending the rules; or giving up your personal sense of integrity. Dr. Marion and company are very effective in ensuring their survival and prosperity BECAUSE they carry out their mission and plans in a much focused way, without consideration for any issues they are known to call "irrelevant". Herein lies the rub.

Nothing about governing Tiffin University's resources is Democratic. If you are employed here, you either "tow the company line" (and don't oppose any University policies), or it is quite clear that you
will be fired from your job. If you don't believe this, you haven't spoken to enough of Tiffin University’s 180+ employees, or their relatives who will quietly tell you some version of their own fears that their loved one can loose their job, if they "speak-up" about any TU related indignity. [Why else would nearly every TU employee who was asked, say to us, "No, I work for Tiffin University, I would be fired, so I can't sign the Referendum Petition!” ].

If you are a student, please don't assume that the $25,000+ you bring to the University gives you any license to proclaim your objections to important indignities you might notice on campus or off. You too will have to suffer silently, or you will quickly get a lesson in dark power-politics that will scare out of you any trust and esteem you might have accorded your institutional Officials. If you are intent on having your young innocence thus violated, you might be best-served to patiently wait for other dark University-inspired events to take their toll on you. In this way, probability suggests you will be spared most indignities. The link above, gives but one account of how this affects would-be activist students at Tiffin University.

Remember, through the energetic, fresh and smiling faces of TU students, this “fear” dynamic quietly permeates the Tiffin University's campus. Do you think Dr. Marion and his key subordinates, such as Dr. Grandillo, are also subject to it? If you are highly paid, or highly compensated in some other way, it is easier to rationalize or encourage the indignity. If you know anyone not-so-privileged who has ever been out of a job, this is tough to take in an economically depressed city like Tiffin, Ohio. It can change your values and re-order your priorities in a way that most of us are not proud to admit.

TU Officials are extremely effective at governing this NON-Democracy known as Tiffin University, with its attendant dynamic of silent fear and oppression among their own rank-and-file…as well as their own fresh and smiling young students.

Why do TU Officials act like they have a right to subject Tiffin, Ohio Citizens to the same abusive methods of governance?

What makes them act like they actually expect our Tiffin City Council and Mayor to act as a cartel on their behalf?

Why do we allow the pervasive influence of Tiffin University Officials to virtually "dictate" abusive actions of more than just one or two Tiffin City Officials?

We need to separate this currently confused mission of Tiffin, Ohio governance from the governing philosophy and self-interested influences of Tiffin University Officials. Encourage and allow the University to survive and prosper on its own merits. The abuses should NOT be subsidized at the TAX expense of regular Citizens. Responsible Citizens for Tiffin objects to subsidizing publicly disputed TU projects with Citizen tax dollars...or with Tiffin Citizen’s neighborhood streets...or with our homes.

Just like any private enterprise, Tiffin University Officials are legally allowed to fire their employees and to dictate the rules every employee (and student) is required to follow. If employees don’t obey Tiffin University rules, or protest them in public, Tiffin University Officials have a documented history of silencing them into the ranks of the unemployed. This is the punishment for speaking up!.. even if employees would have a family, a modest mortgage on a home, and are now headed for certain financial ruin.

However, I am hard-pressed to find any Responsible Tiffin Citizen who does not clearly condemn the same philosophy and practice when applied to the governance of Tiffin Citizens. Even though a few Seneca county businesses will benefit financially, the resulting abuses to the rest of us are nothing short of outrageous!

If YOU vote ‘NO’, TU will NOT suffer in any way,. The simple act of voting ‘NO’ will be a powerful show of citizen action that will mark Tiffin Ohio Citizens as vital patriots of our country, protectors of our constitution, and protectors of those among us who would be abused because they have been declared “irrelevant” by TU’s top official. These are civic principles that will also save $800,000 in TAXES that would otherwise hurt some individual citizens.

Responsible Citizens need to take back our City and place it into the hands of those elected council members and the Mayor who represent us! This is one example of where your “NO’ vote can make an immediate difference! It does NOT cost you one additional penny. Your ‘NO’ vote does NOT cost the Tiffin University one additional penny either!

Please mobilize with the Responsible Citizens for Tiffin on November 4th, and vote "NO" on the Tiffin University's Miami Street Project Referendum Ordinance 07-70. Your employer is probably NOT a Tiffin University Official, so YOU can't be fired for voting "NO". All others, when you are alone in the voting booth, practicing your constitutional right as an American Citizen, please consider voting "NO", too!

Joe Monaco
Tiffin, Ohio Voter

Referendum Disclosed by Mayor: Vote 'NO'

I'm delighted to see that Mayor Boroff has offered us a preview of the referendum language that is expected to see the Tiffin University's Miami Street Project defeated on November 4th.

As you know, the Tiffin University is so financially and politically powerful, it does NOT need TAX SUBSIDIES from financially struggling Citizens. Our 'NO' vote on the referendum will send a strong message to University Officials that the Citizens of Tiffin are responsible TAX PAYERS; we do-NOT want to see Jackson Street or Wall Street closed without permission of neighborhood property owners; and Tiffin Citizen concerns are NOT "irrelevant", as the President of Tiffin University declared at the public City Council hearing.

So, in the A-T ( http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/page/content.detail/id/509703.html?nav=5004)
Mayor Boroff says the following is the "referendum language" we will see on the ballot...for which Responsible Citizens for Tiffin will vote 'NO':

"Ordinance Authorizing city administrator to prepare specifications, advertise for and receive bids, and recommend and execute contracts for the Miami Street near Tiffin University improvement project that includes converting the portion of Jackson Street between Clay and Miami Streets into a cul-de-sac closing access to Jackson Street from Miami Street. Shall Ordinance No. 07-70 be approved: Yes / No".

You can make an immediate and decisive impact on our Tiffin City government by casting your 'NO' vote. 'NO' is a good thing for Tiffin Citizens. 'NO' is a responsible use of our tax dollars.

When you are alone in the voting booth, please choose to vote 'NO' on 07-70.

Thank you,

Joe Monaco
Tiffin Ohio Voter