Mike O’Shea Fundraiser!!
You may have heard of this guy, I’m told he’s pretty friendly. We should probably help get him re-elected. Please come out and support Mike in his run for law director of Rocky River, Thursday April 10th from 5:30-8pm at Tartine Bistro (19110 Old Detroit Rd, Rocky River).
Support the Lake Road/Clifton Blvd Enhancements!!
Our friend Patrick O’Connor shared some great information about how the Lake Road/Clifton Blvd bridge enhancements, a project that would decrease Lake Road between Linda Street and the Rocky River Line from four lanes to two, adding bike/walking lanes, which has been deemed “not a priority” by our city administration. Please engage your Rocky River City Council and make sure they know it IS a priority–City Council will be discussing this project and the feasibility for our citizens. Lakewood’s City Council has already passed their portion and now it is in the hands of Rocky River. Please try to attend the city council meeting on Monday April 7th at 7pm at City Hall. This is a “non-participation” meeting, but we hope you can observe and show our support for this important project–the April 14th City Council meeting at 7pm will be open to comments from citizens.
Patrick’s message:
“Dear Neighbor, the Clifton Boulevard/Lake Road Enhancement is a once in a three-generation opportunity. The project would expand opportunities for non-vehicular traffic. All parties agree that it will dramatically improve the city’s multi-modal infrastructure, creating a safer, more connected and more pedestrian and bike friendly community.The estimated cost of this improvement project is $13.6 million. The City of Rocky River’s investment responsibility is only about $540,000. Although the city has identified funding sources it has yet to secure its funding. Time is of the essence. The project should go out to bid in August 2025 and work could begin March 2026. However, Mayor Bobst declared that right now this project is not a priority. I am urging you to write and call our city leaders and urge them to move quickly to secure our share of the funding, $540,000. Contact info is attached. Please reach out to the Mayor, Council President, the three Council-At-Large Members and your Ward Representative. Thank you for your participation. And please share this message with your friends and neighbors.“
Please see the attached presentation below from Trevor Hunt, Senior Project Manager for the Clifton-Lake Rd Project, that he presented at last week’s Rocky River Green Team.
Find your ward and contact your councilperson HERE!!
Please reach out to us with any further questions or concerns!
Protect Our Libraries!!
The Ohio House of Representative’s proposed budget will dismantle the Public Library Fund – replacing it with an unstable funding structure that could severely impact the ability of public libraries in Cuyahoga County to offer programming, resources, services and spaces – just as the demand for these services is growing. Learn more and take action HERE and HERE!!
Westshore Spring Party!! Mark Your Calendars!!
On Monday, May 19th, we, along with our friends in Bay Village, Westlake, Fairview Park, and North Olmsted, will be holding a Spring Event at the Rocky River Civic Center (21016 Hilliard Blvd Rocky River, Ohio). The event will be from 6pm-9pm in the Memorial Hall.
Our featured speaker will be Dr. Amy Acton, Ohio’s first female Director of the Department of Health, who helped guide Ohio through the COVID Pandemic, and candidate for Governor of Ohio in 2026. You will not want to miss this event!!
Space is limited! Please RSVP early HERE!
West Side Resistance Fair!!
We had a great turnout and great time at the West Side Resistance Fair last Saturday–we hope you had a chance to come out and support our democracy!!
Tariffs and More from the News
Please read this insightful article HERE about Donald Trump’s dismantling of constitutional democracy.
Also, this article HERE about tariffs and Trump’s plan for the economy.
More information about the terrible Senate Bill 1 HERE, which seeks to overhaul public education in Ohio.
2025 Primary Elections and More Radical Legislation!
Important dates to know for the May 6, 2025 Primary Election
- Mon/April 7, 9:00 pm – Voter Registration Deadline
- Tues/April 8 – Early Voting Begins (Absentee & In-Person)
- Tues/April 29, 8:30 pm – Absentee Ballot Request Deadline
- Mon/May 5 – Absentee Ballot U.S. Postmark Deadline
- Tues/May 6, 6:30 am to 7:30 pm – Primary Election
Election details at boe.cuyahogacounty.gov.
From the League of Women Voters of Ohio:
PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THIS:
Statewide issue that will be on the May 6 Ballot:
A statewide issue that asks voters to approve billions of dollars for local government projects is now Issue 2.
“TO FUND PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS BY PERMITTING THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND”
Passage of Issue 2 would allow the state to issue $2.5 billion in state bonds over the next 10 years, financed through tax revenues the state expects to bring in over that period. The monies from the sale of the bonds fund the State Capital Improvements Program (SCIP), which provides local governments with grants, loans, loan assistance, and local debt support to invest in public infrastructure projects like roads, bridges, sewer systems, and waste facilities.
Issue 2 is a proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution, initiated by the General Assembly. Our legislature passed the joint resolution needed to trigger the process of getting the issue in front of voters. If passed, the amendment would be a renewal to the amendment passed in 1987 that established SCIP and authorized the Ohio Public Works Commission to be program administrators; the 1987 initiative was written to be renewed by voters every ten years. Since then, voters have approved bond renewals three times (1995, 2005, and 2014). If voters reject this Issue 2, the original amendment would expire, taking funding for future capital projects with it.
You can read the ballot language for Issue 2 here, its explanation here, written by a legislative committee, and arguments against here, written by the Ballot Board because that duty falls to them when there is no organized opposition to an issue.
SAVE Act!!
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| Last week, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson had planned to hold the vote on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would not only require proof of citizenship to vote, it would require voters to have their present ID match the name on their birth certificate. But after nine Republican Representatives voted with Democrats to allow proxy voting for new parents in the House, he cancelled business for the rest of the week. This means we have more time to urge NO votes! Tell Congress: REJECT the “SAVE” Act The “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility” Act would require citizenship documentation to register to vote even though voters in every state are already required to affirm or verify their citizenship status when registering. House Republicans want to make voting harder. Call your representative and urge them to reject the “SAVE” Act and actually protect voters. It is already illegal for non-citizens to register and vote in federal or state elections. The bill’s requirement of a document to prove American citizenship to register to vote in federal elections is unnecessary and would waste state and federal resources that could be better spent on effective election security. But most importantly, the SAVE Act would create huge barriers to voting. It would require all Americans to prove their citizenship status by presenting documentation in person when registering to vote or updating their voter registration information. This would be the end of registering to vote online or by mail for most voters. What’s more, many eligible voters don’t have easy access to the necessary documents. State driver’s licenses, REAL ID, and veterans IDs would no longer be accepted. Women are especially vulnerable to being disenfranchised, as millions change their name when they get married or divorced, so their birth certificates would not show their current name. The SAVE Act would not make voting more secure; it would just make it harder for millions of Americans to vote. SAVE is expected to pass in the House, but this pause gives us another opportunity to shout our opposition to our Congressional representatives, so this week’s action alert is another push to U.S. House members and Senators Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted. If SAVE does pass out of the House, it will head to the Senate; the Senate companion bill is waiting in the Rules and Administration Committee. Because the threshold for passage is 60 votes, we believe we can win, but it will be close, and we need everyone to continue being active in our opposition. CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE CONTACT MORENO AND HUSTED When you call, you could say something like this: “My name is ____ and I’m one of your constituents from [CITY]. I urge you to oppose the anti-voter “SAVE” Act because it would scare newly naturalized citizens out of voting and make it harder for millions of eligible voters to cast a ballot. Please reject this legislation.” If no one answers, be sure to leave a message! |
Membership Drive!
We are currently in our membership drive for 2025! If you have not renewed your membership, see one of us at the next meeting, or you can renew online HERE
Due to the rising costs of postage, scheduling of events, and other club duties, we unfortunately have had to raise our membership rates only slightly–individual memberships have increased to $30 (from $20), and family memberships have increased to $40 (from $30)–senior and student memberships will remain the same, at $10 and $5, respectively. While we hate to have to raise rates, it will go a long way to help us stage events, including postcard parties and community gatherings, maintaining the website, room rentals, printing, and sponsoring get-out-the-vote events and yard sign drives!
As always, if you can add more, it will cover someone who can afford less. Everyone is welcome at the amount you are comfortable contributing.