THE PLAIN DEALER . SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 1999 5-H OURCENTURY 1981 ATA GLANCE Tax-hike proposal revives a rivalry Beleaguered It was Dennis Kucinich vs. George Voin- ovich again. After losing the mayoralty to Voinovich, Ku- cinich had led the campaign that defeated Cleveland prunes Voinovich’s 0.5-percent city income tax in- crease in November 1980. City Council put it back on the ballot for Feb. 17. The difference this time was that black lead- ers, led by Council President George Forbes, its image got the vote out. The tax that had lost by 14,000 votes in November won by 24,000. Kucinich had been hinting that he would run for mayor in the fall. In May, he announced he ‘Plum’ campaign launched to rescue would not. But who would? After a hunt, Cuya- hoga County Democratic Party Chairman Tim city from the nation’s punch lines Hagan came up with State Rep. Patrick Swee- ney. Meanwhile, there was another issue to be Vail, with a smiling Voinovich beside settled — a June 30 special election on By Fred McGunagle him, throwing out the first plum at a whether to reduce council from 33 to 21 mem- Yankees-Indians game. bers. Council members, desperate to save It didn’t get much of a laugh from their seats, told blacks it was aimed at their the glitterati at President Ronald The Greater Cleveland Growth As- rising power and whites that blacks would win Reagan’s Inaugural Ball. Comedian sociation renamed the south shore of most of the seats. The issue passed nearly 2-1. Rich Little advised Poland that if the Lake Erie the “North Coast” and All 19 white wards voted for it, with the ratio Russians started to invade, “I’d served reporters “North Coast cock- 13-1 in Kamm’s Corners. Thirteen of 14 black change the name to Cleveland — no tails” (Lake Erie water). The city wards voted against it. one ever goes there.” went all out to impress reporters and Sweeney had little money and the media television viewers at the baseball All- weren’t interested in the mayor’s race, cover- But the nationally televised joke got Star Game in August. The banner ing only two of the four debates. So Sweeney a reaction from Cleveland. Fired up headline in the Press wasn’t the out- ran a polite, make-no-enemies campaign. by politicians, newspaper columnists come (The National League won, 5-4), Voinovich won with a record 76.5 percent of and disk jockeys, Clevelanders shot but “A Smash Hit for Cleveland.” the vote. off thousands of letters and phone In a dramatic coup, 11 of the 21 new council calls to Little, his agent, NBC and So sensitive were Cleveland’s lead- members supported Lonnie Burten for presi- newspapers. “I am totally fed up with ers that when sportscaster Howard dent. They made the mistake of announcing everyone taking a shot at our city, and Cosell praised the city during a base- their stand in advance. Black leaders pres- am not going to accept it meekly any- ball game, Voinovich presented him sured black Burten supporters to switch to more,” said one Plain Dealer letter with a key to the city. And when Joe Forbes, who held on to the dais he had occu- writer. Garagiola said nice things during the pied since 1973. All-Star game, the Convention Bu- Little was astonished. He told UPI reau scheduled a civic luncheon in • columnist Vernon Scott: “I guess the his honor. The Illuminating Co. avoided a nine-figure people of Cleveland have become a Actually, Clevelanders weren’t as antitrust verdict in 1980 only because one ju- little touchy.” At his next national PLAIN DEALER FILE PHOTO ror held out for 13 days, forcing a retrial. The television appearance, on the Johnny down on their city as the media city once again set out to show that CEI had Carson show, he protested that, “In thought:A survey showed 65 percent George Voinovich throws out the first plum at an Indians-Yankees used “dirty tricks” to try to force Muny Light all sincerity — I really mean this —I of Greater Clevelanders were very game, launching a campaign to sweeten Cleveland’s image out of business. After three months, the jury love you, Cleveland. For some reason satisfied with life here. In fact, 57 nationally. came in with a verdict in less than five hours: or other,” he added, “whenever they percent had been very satisfied in It found for CEI. write a joke about a city out here in 1978, the year of default. Hollywood, they use the name Cleve- And Cleveland’s national reputa- • land.” tion wasn’t as bad as some thought. A After a lengthy trial, U.S. District Judge Clevelanders — conscious of a national poll rated Detroit as the city Frank Battisti revoked the citizenship of John string of national black eyes that in- with the worst image, with New York Demjanjuk, a Ukrainian who had served in the second. Cleveland was fifth-worst. Soviet army in World War II. The government cluded default and the second-largest population loss of the 1970s — were charged that, after the capture of his unit, Los Angeles was convinced it had in no mood to laugh. Both newspapers Demjanjuk served as a guard at German death the worst image. So were Great Lakes appeared to have assigned their gos- According to Town camps. Demjanjuk said he had been forced by cities from Buffalo to Milwaukee; sip columnists to monitor the media the Germans to perform other duties but had their columnists and disk jockeys and Country for mentions of Cleveland. not been at the camps. complained they were being put magazine, George He admitted lying on his citizenship applica- The Press caught Willard Scott down by out-of-towners. So did Voinovich’s Operation tion, but only because he feared execution if making a disparaging remark at 7 Parma; Mayor John Petruska com- Improvement Task he were returned to the Soviet Union. The trial a.m. on the “Today Show.” Appar- plained about its portrait as a city of Force under E. prompted demonstrations by Jews against ently, the network was paying atten- white socks and pink flamingos. Demjanjuk and by Ukrainians for him. Mandell de Windt, tion.A few days later, the Press Meanwhile, the New Cleveland right, was “the most • breathlessly reported “The NBC ‘To- significant day Show’ mentioned Cleveland fa- Campaign, a promotion agency The school feuds continued. Battisti briefly formed in 1978, was sending out news undertaking in jailed board member John Gallagher and vorably on three different shows last week.” The Plain Dealer found a releases bragging about Cleveland’s Cleveland since Treasurer Paul Yacobian for contempt. When virtues and proudly circulating re- Moses Cleaveland the board was so divided that it could not set- knock in the Hollywood Reporter. But somebody had something nice to say prints whenever it got a favorable stepped ashore on the tle on a choice to fill a vacancy, the job fell to a story. Probate judge, who named Alva T. “Ted” in a newspaper in Fort Lauderdale, bank of the Cuyahoga Bonda, the Indians president and an executive Fla. Unfortunately, to show how much River in 1786.” at Apcoa Inc. In September, Bonda declared Boston Mayor Kevin White caught the “new” Cleveland had improved, it that Battisti himself was an obstacle to solving flak for saying that his city’s financial had to stress how bad the old Cleve- school problems. situation was going “from Camelot to land had been. It dwelled on the 1969 The news media, which had been loath to re- river fire, though industrial river port criticism of Battisti, had to report that. Cleveland.” Mayor George Voinovich protested. White was unabashed. He fires had been common before pas- The blast aroused business leaders, who had sage of the Clean Water Act, and the ignored school problems once busing turned wrote Voinovich that Boston had sur- vived facetious remarks from Mark 1978 default, even though New York out to be peaceful. They helped elect three had defaulted on 300 times as much reform-minded board members who, with Twain to Johnny Carson. “I am sure Cleveland will also,” he said. in 1975 (New York called it a “mora- Bonda, formed a majority. torium.”). • Out-of-town newspaper columnists discovered they could get material The campaign hit the jackpot in Oc- Cavaliers Coach Stan Albeck departed after for a week by making fun of Cleve- tober with the society magazine Town quarreling with new owner Ted Stepien. Step- land. Cleveland disk jockeys read the and Country. “Cleveland’s Come- ien hired Bill Musselman, who quickly became columns and listeners sent barrages Around” told how “businessmen, law- a target of fan discontent. After Stepien traded of outraged letters. Cleveland colum- yers and concerned citizens” rescued away four future No. 1 picks, NBA Commis- nists kept the feud going by making Cleveland from “the petulant, pugna- sioner Larry O’Brien temporarily banned him fun of other cities. cious Dennis Kucinich.” It called from trading. Voinovich’s Operation Improvement Stepien was castigated by the media, espe- The media leaped to Cleveland’s Task Force under E. Mandell de cially Pete Franklin of WERE. Stepien ended defense. Smythe-Cramer Co. ran a se- Windt “the most significant undertak- WERE’s contract to broadcast games, causing ries of ads with pictures captioned ing in Cleveland since Moses Cleave- the loss of popular radio announcer Joe Tait. “Take Another Look. It’s Cleveland,” land stepped ashore on the bank of “Joe Tait Night” drew a crowd of 20,175 to suggesting anything nice-looking the Cuyahoga River in 1786.” It also cheer Tait and boo Stepien.