By October 16, 2015 Read More →

Lakewood Law Director Responds to Dennis Kucinich’s Latest Episode of Political Theater

I’ve reviewed Dennis Kucinich’s latest manifesto to the Federal Trade Commission and offer the following response:

When the plaintiffs in the lawsuit twice sought a court injunction, eachDennis Kucinich time unsuccessfully, they and Mr. Kucinich demanded intervention from the state government. Having heard nothing from the state, they’re now looking to Washington to swoop in. First they want a judge to run the hospital, then the Ohio Attorney General, and now the Federal Trade Commission. What other measures should we expect that serve to deny Lakewood residents their right to a local democracy?

What Mr. Kucinich and others ignore is this: The local government—the elected representatives closest to the citizens of Lakewood—most acutely recognize the danger of taking no measures to rethink healthcare here in the face of a failing hospital. Our officials have concluded that preserving the status quo at the privately-run Lakewood Hospital imperils the viability of the city, its finances, and all the progress Lakewood has made over the past eight years in terms of economic vitality and increased home values. Because of that risk, our officials are negotiating a deal to ensure our citizens continue to have access to cutting-edge healthcare by a world-class provider at a location that furthers the resurgence of our commercial and residential neighborhoods.

Every political stunt that attempts to impose undue delay, every effort to stop the century-old legislative process in our city, and every thinly veiled attempt to create a circus atmosphere in an election season further jeopardizes the future of healthcare in Lakewood. It would be comical if it weren’t so dangerous.

Lakewood Hospital is private, not public, and so our public role as the landlord to the hospital is not to pretend we’re experts at running it, but instead to maximize what we emerge with from these negotiations. That’s what we’re doing—and notwithstanding the latest half-baked sideshows created by Mr. Kucinich and others, that’s what we’ll continue to do until we’ve gotten the best deal we can get.

Best wishes,

Kevin M. Butler
Director of Law
City of Lakewood | Law Department
12650 Detroit Road
Lakewood, OH 44107

Posted in: Politics

1 Comment on "Lakewood Law Director Responds to Dennis Kucinich’s Latest Episode of Political Theater"

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  1. thomasmetzner says:

    Take off those blinders Kevin. Jump off the train before it details. Thank the Clinic for slowly pulling apart the hospitals top paying departments and moving them to other hospitals. Oh yeah, they call that progress.