John Curry: 2005 Cane and Coal nominations; Paul Kostyu flashback: 2003 Cane and Coal

December 20, 2005
From John Curry:

Do you have any Cane and Coal nominations for 2005? I do:

Cane: Dennis Leone and John Lazares for representing those "non-entitled" STRS stakeholders (both retired and active) each month at 275 East Broad St.

Coal: Damon Asbury's answers which really aren't.

Cane: To the award winning investigative reporter, Paul Kostyu, who steadfastly has kept an eye on the deeds and misdeeds of STRS and reports to the public.

Cane: Kathie Bracy for her excellent website of STRS commentary. http://kathiebracy.blogspot.com/ (Thanks, John! KB)

Coal: Governor Taft for his ethics convictions.

Cane: The OFT for defeating the OEA candidates for STRS Board.

Cane: The OEA's Columbus Education Assn. for backing the OFT STRS Board candidates instead of the OEA candidates.

Coal: For OEA's Gary Allen not extending his hand to Dennis Leone in an effort to work for the benefit of all teacher retirees. More coal for Gary not explaining why he felt Dennis's motives were unclear!

Coal: To the OEA members who staged a bum rush at the STRS's public speaker podium for a "once only" appearance in front of the Board to tell the Board how pleased they were with the current excellent health benefits that are currently offered by STRS. Their OEA logistically engineered speeches forgot about the premiums and spouses, didn't they?

Cane: The appearance of David Freel-Ohio Ethics Commission- for speaking to CORE members at the Palace.

Coal: To current and former STRS Board members and associates who are still knowingly awaiting their subpoenas to appear before the Franklin County Municipal Court on ethics violation charges.

Coal: To STRS former Executive Director Herbert Dyer who was convicted of an ethics violation for work performed during his tenure at STRS.

Cane: To Stan Chesley who managed to get at least a paper settlement with Medco -- we still haven't received the money yet and won't for quite a while -- if ever.

Coal: To Jim Petro who likes to take the credit for what Stan did so as to pad his vita for the governor's seat.

Cane: To all of the STRS retirees who caused Dennis Leone to win the STRS retiree seat on the STRS Board.

Coal: To some on the STRS board to which Robert's Rules of Order might as well be placed on rolls and perforated every four inches.

Cane: To all the new CORE members statewide who have finally "seen the light."

Cane: For those among the ORTA leadership who recognize reform when they see it.

Coal: For those among the ORTA leadership who haven't yet realized that they've been "taken to the cleaners" by admiration of former STRS leadership.

As far as Damon -- How about a little cane and lots of coal!

Nominations from Kathie Bracy:

Cane: John Curry for his monumental efforts as a one-man communication center and information clearing house. Without him (and all of you who write in), I would have no blog to share with you.

Canes: For John Lazares and Paul Boyer, who both knocked themselves out to get to Dennis Leone's swearing-in on Sept. 15, showing up in wheelchairs! More canes: to John for keeping up his attendance (and fight) at all the Board meetings while on crutches and still in great pain, and to Paul for keeping up the fight with his fireball letters to those who "deserve" them (the "coal" people).

Cane: The CORE of the CORE and many others for their constant perseverance in "keeping their feet to the fire."

A TRUCKLOAD OF CANES: For Dennis Leone, who started it all, refusing, with John Lazares, to compromise his unflagging determination to see that ORC 3307.15 dictates every action by the STRS Board; a battle that should never have had to be waged in the first place.

Canton Repository, December 19, 2003 (Flashback) Here’s short list of who has been naughty and nice By PAUL E. KOSTYU Copley Columbus Bureau chief COLUMBUS -- It’s a well-kept Christmas secret that journalists help Santa Claus. Really, I’m not making this up. Sure, kids write to the jolly elf to tell him what they want and whether they have been naughty or nice. And he pretty much takes them at their word. But who keeps an eye on the adults? Claus has subscriptions to every newspaper. A staff of elves, many of whom got rotated out of the toy department, peruse headlines and stories about the good and bad. The Internet has made this much easier, but Claus doesn’t believe in downsizing. In fact, he may be the only employer who is adding jobs. Instead of taking a trade mission to Japan and Taiwan next year, Gov. Bob Taft might want to consider a North Pole jaunt to get some of those Claus jobs in Ohio. Claus pays particular attention to journalists in state capitals because he needs an honest assessment of what politicians and lobbyists are up to. He’s worried Ohio lawmakers will require him to put a goofy-looking red, white and blue Ohio Bicentennial license plate on his sleigh. Thus, he has come to depend on this annual column about who deserves candy canes and lumps of high-sulfur Ohio coal. He also knows he might as well pack plenty of coal. Cane: Taft for threatening to veto concealed-weapon legislation so that more access can be granted to permit holders’ records. Anyone who defends the right of access to information deserves a whole bag of candy canes. Coal: Taft for signing a bioterrorism bill that restricts access to information. Make that a big bag of coal. Cane: Rep. Scott Oelslager, R-Plain Township, for taking a deliberate and reasoned approach to tort reform, despite pressure and criticism from Taft, fellow Republicans and lobbyists. Coal: Akron-based FirstEnergy for starting the massive blackout that affected most of Ohio, the Northeastern United States and a good chunk of Canada. Coal: Taft for staying well-lit in a part of Canada that had lights, while Ohioans suffered in the dark. Cane: Sen. Robert Hagan, D-Youngstown, for his persistence in getting Ohio’s Best Rx, a broad prescription drug plan, enacted. Cane: Taft and Rep. John Hagan, R-Marlboro Township, for seeing the wisdom in offering Best Rx as a drug plan better than the Golden Buckeye Card plan, which took forever to get going. Coal: Former Consumers’ Counsel Robert Tongren for ordering an expensive report at taxpayer expense, then ignoring it before destroying the public record, all the while going along with a plan to allow additional costs on consumers’ bills. Coal: The State Teachers Retirement System and the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund for their extravagant spending. A $100 million building and not a single chimney for Santa to make his delivery. Coal: Former STRS Executive Director Herb Dyer for instilling a culture of entitlement and arrogance. Cane: Interim STRS Executive Director Damon Asbury for making changes in that culture, cutting expenses and helping to restore confidence in the system. Cane: Chillicothe Superintendent Dennis Leone and others for bringing the excesses at STRS to light and remaining vigilant about what’s happening at the fund. Coal: The rabid critics of STRS who ignore the reasons the STRS headquarters and its expensive artwork are not going to be sold and the day care center shouldn’t be closed. Get over it and move on; there are other issues to focus on. Cane: Lawmakers who saw a need for pension fund reform and acted quickly. Coal: Lawmakers who screwed up pension fund reform by trying to give the state treasurer superpowers over appointments, and for requiring a Buy Ohio provision. Cane: Rep. John Boccieri, D-New Middletown, for honoring his commitment to his country when his Air Force unit was called up to serve in Iraq. Cane: Sen. Kirk Schuring, R-Jackson Township, for trying to move up the date when a prescription drug repository could begin operating in an effort to save money and help the needy. Coal: Rep. Mary Cirelli, D-Canton, for voting against the new start date and then trying to explain that vote by saying she thought the Legislature was in session for another week, which makes no sense at all. Go figure. Claus actually gets a longer list than this. He said it’s OK to share the rest next week.