Welcome to Toledo Blog.  I’ve created this blog to be a hub for all things Toledo.  A place to gather and share ideas on everything from art to the The Toledo Zoo.  Feel free to put your feet up and laugh at the crazies that stop by to share whatever crazy thoughts happen to be brewing or add a comment to my latest post that pissed you off.  Make yourself at home.

Toledo Blog Rules

As with any type of open media source, I do have to establish some ground rules.

1. Respect your fellow Toledoan.  ALL views are welcome except those that condone bigotry of any kind.
2. Spam will not be tolerated in comments.  Leave your links some place else please.
3. No profane or adult oriented pictures and videos.
4. No running, jumping or diving around the pool.
5. Please keep arms and legs in side the ride at all times.

As this site grows, I would like to open the blog to guest bloggers as well as take article ideas from readers.  If you have some ideas on what you would like to see covered here, maybe a burning desire to add a post about a local business you own, or know of a business we should stay away from, then drop me a note at John@ToledoInternetMarketing.com

Why Have A Toledo Blog?

The Toledo Blog is being created as a live example of what an interactive web site can do to push a business’ on line web presence.  Toledo Internet Marketing is my local website advertising consulting company.  We look at search engine marketing and optimization as if it were a blood sport.  Without getting into a sales pitch, lets just say that the Internet is the future of marketing if you own a small to mid sized business anywhere in America, but especially here in Toledo.

I have several sites that I offer free web marketing tips and information if you look around I’m sure you’ll find a link to Toledo Internet Marketing Blog.

There, now that I’ve gotten the gratuitous link out of the way, lets get busy.

With the city of Toledo’s general-fund budget potentially $40 million out of whack, Mayor Mike Bell said Tuesday he will have his first sit-down Thursday with the leaders of city unions to discuss fixing the problem. The mayor said he would discuss concessions with the unions but declined to offer specifics. >>

Well it seems that Mayor Bell has his work cut out for himself.  No surprise there! So for those of you that weren’t paying attention.  Former Mayor Carty Finkbeiner managed to hand over a budget to the Bell administration that is at least 40 million in the hole.  What really is scary is that local experts have found that the number Carty was using for income tax revenue seems to be short some 10 million to begin with.

As with all budgets there may be some padding of the numbers that Mayor Bell will be able to cut, which is what he is in the process of doing at this moment.  I believe that he has the right idea in searching where he can effectively trim the fat and to distribute the pain evenly but I also believe that he needs to be careful in asking the Unions to shoulder any significant portion of this deficit.

As stated in the article, the Unions already stepped up over the last 6 months to help put a dent in this budget and that obviously was a waste of their money and good will.  I would also suggest that the new Mayor keep in mind that distributing the pain should be a lesson in equality for all of Toledo’s residents.  Coming out of the gates and tipping your hand to the working man is not going to be the most effective way to get the people of the City of Toledo behind your cause.  Where is the talk of concessions and added tax burdens to the higher incomes of the Toledo area?  Or even those who live just over the boarder?  How about some concessions from the major corporations that do business in the city and have been coddled for the last 10 to 15 years?

Yes Mayor, you are right when you say, “What it is about is equal pain” but lets not jump on the backs of those who have already given to the cause.  If the people of Toledo wanted Finkbeiner politics you wouldn’t be up there on the 23rd floor.
Lets stay creative and not resort to the same ol same ol.

As I was sitting at my computer this morning, listening to Andrew Z on 92.5, I was reminded that these folks are really making a difference in the life of a Toledo neighbor.

The show this morning was in the throws of saying good by to their beloved Trish, who has been a mainstay on the morning show for several years now.  It was during their goodbyes that they mentioned the Love for Lupe project.  It was just a simple shout out to those that are freezing their asses off in the cold to build a house for this fellow Toledoan, but it made me realize that I had done nothing to contribute to this project.  I heard about it at it’s conception but failed to act. I had every intention to make myself available, but didn’t follow through.

I’m sure there are many of us that see a wonderful act of kindness like Toledo Love For Lupe and adopt an attitude that, “it is being handled by someone already” and that,” they don’t really need me”.  I think this is just our way of rationalizing the fact that we have been inept in doing our fair share.  There is no excuse for me or anyone else not to take a moment and do what they can to help make a difference in someone’s life.

So lets take some action!  The Charles Boyk law offices have a page set up to make of donation of your time or money. You can find it at this link Toledo Love For Lupe.  If you have a Facebook account or Twitter account, go ahead and copy that link and put it out there to all your friends.  I would like to make the term “Love For Lupe“  a viral keyword on the internet.  The more we can get folks like yourself to post the above link or book mark the Charls Boyk site the easier it will be for the search engines to find. Also look for a Love For Lupe group on Facebook to join to show your support and  keep up with the happenings of this project.