Endorsement - - Thomas O'Grady for Congress

We here at BOTC are disappointed in the lack of response by all the candidates. Issues of infrastructure and its effects upon our urban, suburban, exurban, and rural landscapes + collective urbanims will be at the forefront of the next Congress and many congresses in the future. Since no candidates, including assumed poll leaders Joe Cimperman + Dennis Kucinich, responded to our memo, BOTC will make the best educated endorsement that we muster.

Firstly, we dismiss the candidacies of Rosemary Palmer and Barbara Ferris, since we can find no real interest in issues that concern us here at BOTC. We also dismiss the candidacy of incumbent Dennis Kucinich--Dennis may be a whirlwind of advovacy, but his concerns do not align with ours. If Kucinich does maintain his seat in Congress, we hope that he will be a greater advocate for the improvement of our built environment, civic spaces, and public infrastructures.

So the endorsement choice falls between Joe Cimperman, a Cleveland councilman and Thomas O'Grady, Mayor of North Olmsted.

While Cimperman seems to be "seen as involved" with many revitalization projects in his ward, we wonder where is leadership has really improved the built environment. How much influence does Cimperman have as a mere councilman in a city with a shrinking population? We question his capabilty and potential as our Representative in the next Congress to gain political capital and influence on the Hill to improve Cleveland and its inner ring suburbs. Although we may not support Cimperman's run in 2008, we may support him in future campaigns as he gains, hopefully, more executive experince in urban affairs.

Therefore, we officially endorse Thomas O'Grady, an exprienced mayor and executive who serves on a myriad of boards and committees, who is actually responsible for the contruction, operation, and maintenance of buildings, streets, infrastructures, parks. We believe that O'Grady know that value of investment in civic infrastructures and what it takes to construct such edifices for public use. Good mayors are pragmatists, necessarily avoiding un-needed political squabbles, in order to achieve goals for the greater good.

We believe O'Grady would best assuage our concerns here at BOTC. We understand that Mayor O'Grady is quite the long-shot to win the nomination, but we offer our best wishes and support for his campaign.