Comments on: The “alternatives” don’t add up

By: clevemedmart

clevemedmart — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 18:46:21 +0000

The tax increase will enable the county to construct a long-needed convention center. The investment of the residents in the convention center is what will attract outside investors, like Merchandise Mart Properties Inc., to invest in Cleveland. This is our “something else”. We’re building on our strengths in healthcare and biotechnology and we’re attracting new money from investors and visitors, which will create jobs.

By: Chris C.

Chris C. — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 19:34:59 +0000

TAX! TAX! TAX! The people are tired of it. Let’s try and think of more creative ways to come up with this money. To start why does the city of Cleveland have 20 some city council men and other larger cities have less. I think Detroit only has 9. That is just one example on how money is well wasted in the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. I agree it will help out NE Ohio greatly to have a Medical Mart. NE Ohio should be the medical capital of the world since we do have some of the best hospitals in the world. We need to bring people back here and create more jobs. Large industry is gone, NE Ohio needs something else. The Rock Hall and the pro sports is not enough to drive the city.

By: Why a Sales Tax? « Cleveland Medical Mart

Why a Sales Tax? « Cleveland Medical Mart — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 19:44:00 +0000

[...] If you take the increment on the bed tax that the commissioners can levy, which is 2%, in today’s world that will get you about $5 million a year. You have $5 million versus a sales tax at $42 million. They could take a look at the real estate conveyance fee which generates significant money but I believe that source is in the teens. [...]

By: clevemedmart

clevemedmart — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 02:05:52 +0000

The quarter percent increase in Cuyahago County appears to raise enough funds for this project.

There is an incredible sense of urgency with this project. Dr. Toby Cosgrove, CEO of the Cleveland Clinic orginally got the idea and presented it to Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. (MMPI) about two years ago. After carefully studying the healthcare market, MMPI decided that they agreed with Dr. Cosgrove and they determined that CLEVELAND was the best place in the nation for the project. But if we delay, we could lose the Medical Mart. Although Cleveland is the ideal spot, we’re lacking an important element–a modern convention. Cuyahoga County Commissioners are attempting to act swiftly and take advantage of this opportunity. If we are delay, there’s a good chance that another city, such as Pittsburgh (which already has a modern convention center), would jump at the chance to have a Medical Mart.

Amanda Marko

By: John McGovern

John McGovern — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 21:30:41 +0000

Since the entire Northeast Ohio REGION will benefit from the proposed Medical Mart, it seems only fair that the entire region should help to finance the Mart.

Has anyone gauged the possibility of funding a portion of the Med Mart with a small tax increase from other counties in Northeast Ohio? How much money would be raised if Geagua, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, & Summit chipped in a 1/4 % ?

Or, how about the more radical idea, that better serves our regional interests, of having the aforementioned six counties contribute to our REGIONAL public transit infrastructure and the med mart? Perhaps a 1/2 % towards regional mass transit system (with commuter trains) and 1/4 or 1/8% towards the Med Mart proposal?