The News-Herald

Election Questionnaire

09/17/2013
Date questionnaire completed: _______________
Council Member, Ward 6, City of
Office sought: _____________________________

Democrat
Political party: _____________________________
James
J.
O'Hare
Name: _____________________________________________________________________________
56
12/18/56
Cleveland
Age: __________
Date of birth: ___________________
Place of birth: _______________________
311 Lloyd Road Euclid 44132
Home address: ______________________________________________________________________
32 years
@Ward6Euclid
Length of residence in that community: _______________
Twitter: ______________________
www.jimohare.com
Facebook: ____________________
Campaign Web site: ___________________________________
Marketing & Custom Publishing
BioMedia, LLC
Occupation: _________________________________________
Employer: _____________________
same as above
Business address: ____________________________________
2011 - 13 Councilman, Ward 6, Euclid;
Elected office experience: ______________________________________________________________
Chair,Housing, Building and Neighborhood Committee;
___________________________________________________________________________________
Executive and Finance Committee, member;
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Public Service Committee, member;
___________________________________________________________________________________
Euclid Housing Task Force, member.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Non-elected office experience (boards, etc.): ______________________________________________
Advisory Board, CIO (Chief Information Officer) Symposium;
___________________________________________________________________________________
Co-chair, Lucy Kollar Developmental Fund;
___________________________________________________________________________________
Director, Media and Broadcast Services, Rockwell Automation
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Director, Reliance Electric Brand
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Education (Please only list schools youve graduated from and list degrees if applicable):
___________________________________________________________________________________
St. Joseph High School
John Carroll University, BA, Education certificates - English and Computer Education
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Married
Joyce
Marital status: ______________________
Name of spouse: _________________________________
Kevin(31), Molly (28), Bill (26), Pete (25)
Name and age of any children: __________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Cleveland City Club, Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE),
Organizations: _______________________________________________________________________
Northeast Ohio Software Association (NEOSA), BioOhio.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

Euclid

James OHare Euclid, Ward 6 Council

(Three specific areas to change/address, improve, or further research)
1. Strengthen Euclids Neighborhoods: Euclid is a city of nearly 50,000 people in
just over 10 square miles on a shoreline that borders Lake Erie for about 4 miles.
But mostly, Euclid is made up of neighborhoods, streets and homes. So much of
the well-being, security and sense of community we enjoy results from strong
neighborhoods filled with people who know each other, lend a hand, show mutual
respect and enjoy good times together.
One of the ways to further strengthen our neighborhoods is the work of the
Neighborhood Engagement Office, enacted via legislation by City Council just a
few months ago. We are already seeing the positive fruits of this efforts. Plans for
2014 call for at least a 50% increase in neighborhood group engagement,
especially via regular meetings of street associations, increased resolution of
nuisance issues, and so on..
The second way to improve neighborhoods is by protecting and enhancing our
housing stock. I would like to add at least one housing employee whose dedicated
function is to more actively crack down on nuisance and blighted properties. If
expanding on some public/private partnerships that are already in place can help, I
am all for it. I also want to lead a statewide initiative to dramatically streamline
Ohios foreclosure process we are way behind many states in implementing this.
This is not about tossing onto the street citizens who have fallen on hard times
due to personal health or financial emergencies we have many programs to
assist these neighbors.
However, this initiative is all about cracking down on the many shady characters
that are gaming the current system to string out the foreclosure process for their
benefitto the great detriment of citizens who pay their mortgages and taxes and
care for their property. Lets reward the good citizensby getting rid of the bad
actors.
2. Financial Management and Economic Development: Though his entire tenure,
the Mayor and his financial staff have done an admirable job in navigating some
pretty tricky financial waters that have swamped other cities since 2007. Of
course, we face some even greater challenges dont lie ahead new waves of
financial cutbacks courtesy of the state will hit us next year. It also doesnt mean
we cant improve we need to improve and adjust, every year, often every
month. And we need to do it without raising taxes for the general fund. We also
need to ensure that city services provide fair and lasting value for the revenues
you give us. One of the ways we can improve is by diversifying our economy and
tax base, and via the work of the ad hoc financial review committee which we
formed this year to help devise new strategies for management of city finances.
We also have the opportunity to attract new companies, in industries that we

might not currently be well-represented in our city, and in new ways: through
incubators and partnerships with private investors.
3. Improved Communication: At wedding ceremonies and company meetings, its
a phrase thats tossed around like confetti: We have to communicate better.
Like many trite statements, though, theres so much truth in those few words.
Rarely does any organization communicate too often or too clearly. Recently,
many great strides have been made the Euclid Connect/Blackboard system is a
good example for emergency and other issues, and the soon-to-be-published
simplified city financial statement (PAFR) which I have championed represent
real progress. Clearly, though, we need to do more. Id like to establish and
publish a city-wide e-newsletter, at least monthly. Those with access to the
internet at home, through work or through a neighbor, relative or friend is close to
100%. I still miss the weekly Sun Journal, too, but other publications like the
News-Herald are stepping in as well. And of course, good old fashioned walking
and informing residents of whats going on whenever possible is important, too.
(Why should voters re-elect me?)
I guess I became convinced that I remained the right person for this job in early July.
Until then, I had not declared my intention to seek re-election. Almost at once, though, a
great number of people contacted me in person, on the phone, via email. I was told that I
represented them, the ward and the city very well. Citizens, city employees, business
owners, even some outside the city made it clear that while the city has challenges, the
direction of the city was generally positive and that I was a key part of that direction and I
was making a difference and getting things done whether in Council meetings, in the
Housing Task Force, at neighborhood association meetings or in personal calls and
emails.
I bring long and varied experience: as a neighbor, a father, a small business owner, a
corporate director, a teacher, a consultant, a problem solver and in general someone that
cares, someone who is not afraid to ask, why? or why not? and also not reluctant to
say thanks to recognize a job well done.
So with that, I say Thanks to all I have served over the last 20 months and thanks to
those who support my re-election this fall.