Fitz-O-Meter: Tracking the promises of Ed FitzGerald
PolitiFact Ohio has compiled promises that Ed FitzGerald made during the 2010 campaign and is tracking their progress on our Fitz-O-Meter.
We rate their status as Not Yet Rated, In the Works or Stalled. Once we find action is completed, we rate them Promise Kept, Compromise or Promise Broken. (See our About the Fitz-O-Meter page for details on our ratings.)
The report card at right provides an up-to-the-minute tally of all the promises.
Browse the Fitz-O-Meter:
Promises we’ve rated recently
Offer college scholarships to county residents
The Promise:
"FitzGerald will work with the broad stakeholders in education to design and phase-in a program using all available resources to provide higher education scholarships to county residents."
Post CountyStat dashboards online
The Promise:
"Online-accessible performance measure dashboards will be available on the county's website."
Update March 12th, 2013:
Performance measures for Cuyahoga County departments are now available online through CountyStat
Create a non-compete policy between communities in the Fourth Frontier Program
The Promise:
"Any local government in Cuyahoga County can participate in the Fourth Frontier program, as long as they agree to not provide tax incentives or other public resources to lure companies away from other cities also participating in the Fourth Frontier program."
Review all operations to root out corruption
The Promise:
"My first act as county executive will be to order a complete review of all functions and operations, to root out the corruption once and for all. The parade of scandals and investigations must be brought to an end so we can focus on creating jobs and maintaining services."
Update February 1st, 2012:
Pay slashed for 89 employees after audit of wages in fiscal office
Establish a $100-million economic development fund
The Promise:
Modeled after Ohio's successful Third Frontier fund, FitzGerald's "Fourth Frontier" would use grants and revenues from Cleveland's soon-to-be-built casino to invest in local businesses.
Promote universal pre-kindergarten
The Promise:
"FitzGerald will work with corporate, community, state, federal, and education partners towards the full phase-in of the UPK (universal pre-kindergarten) implementation plan to ensure that all of Cuyahoga County’s children enter school ready to succeed. Additionally, the new county government will work to increase partnerships with Cuyahoga County’s public school districts and local governments to increase local UPK investments and community engagement."
Update October 26th, 2011:
FitzGerald budget plan for 2012 includes funding for expansion of universal pre-K
Establish a $100-million economic development fund
The Promise:
Modeled after Ohio's successful Third Frontier fund, FitzGerald's "Fourth Frontier" would use grants and revenues from Cleveland's soon-to-be-built casino to invest in local businesses.
Update October 25th, 2011:
Cuyahoga County Council to take up legislation creating the developement fund
Establish a Safe Neighborhoods Task Force
The Promise:
The special patrol unit will be "deployed strategically around the county to augment local law enforcement agencies," as part of a "data-driven 'hot spot' approach."
Update October 18th, 2011:
Budget proposal for Cuyahoga County includes funding for community policing
Offer college scholarships to county residents
The Promise:
"FitzGerald will work with the broad stakeholders in education to design and phase-in a program using all available resources to provide higher education scholarships to county residents."
Update October 14th, 2011:
Cuyahoga County budget proposal for 2012 includes scholarship money
Create a non-compete policy between communities in the Fourth Frontier Program
The Promise:
"Any local government in Cuyahoga County can participate in the Fourth Frontier program, as long as they agree to not provide tax incentives or other public resources to lure companies away from other cities also participating in the Fourth Frontier program."
Review all operations to root out corruption
The Promise:
"My first act as county executive will be to order a complete review of all functions and operations, to root out the corruption once and for all. The parade of scandals and investigations must be brought to an end so we can focus on creating jobs and maintaining services."
Update September 28th, 2011:
Inspector general's investigation, sick day analysis, show FitzGerald's review in progress
Save money and increase accountability through a data-based system called CountyStat
The Promise:
"Under the Cuyahoga CountyStat system, departments will develop, measure, track and report specific performance measures that detail service quality and responsiveness."
Update September 13th, 2011:
CountyStat system used to track sick day abuse among Cuyahoga County workers
Appoint a community liaison officer to work with youth
The Promise:
"Part of his public engagement plan will include the assignment of a youth-specific portfolio to a community liaison within the executive’s office to maintain contact with young community leaders and arrange regular meetings between different segments of the youth community and the executive."
Publish a list of gifts received
The Promise:
In a Plain Dealer survey, FitzGerald replied yes to the question, "Will you pledge to make public each year an itemized list of the gifts you receive as county executive and the exact value of each gift?"
Make vacant land, green space and brownfields productive
The Promise:
"Areas of declining population loss create opportunities for a rebirth of neighborhoods by opening green space for recreation and community functions. Smart, coordinated, land use policy will be critical to our success. ... The County Planning Commission will be directed to coordinate with our communities and representative organizations, including First Suburbs and Northeast Ohio Mayors’ and Managers’ Association, to advance land-use planning policies to recognize current population trends, and use sustainability principles to grow our neighborhoods for long term health, prosperity and quality of life."
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