Everything Is Local

This is another great episode where Shana and Matt talk about:
• The controversial TIF proposal in Orange Village and why they believe the plan could divert tax revenue that voters intended for schools and other public services.
• The growing criticism of Orange City Council, including questions about whether council members are doing enough to challenge the mayor and scrutinize major decisions.
• The development of new housing in Orange and whether the community really needs more expensive residential units competing with nearby cities.
• The decline of youth sports and recreation programs in local communities, and why access to fields, facilities and organized sports matters for families.
• The debate over Ohio politics, including the upcoming governor's race, candidates' positions on voting laws and transgender athletes, and what makes someone qualified to lead the state.
• The importance of political candidates being willing to communicate, debate and listen to the people they represent instead of simply relying on party politics.
• The influence of wealthy business leaders and billionaires in American politics, along with a larger conversation about Donald Trump, political polarization and whether either major party is actually getting it right.
• Why local government matters so much and why voters should pay attention to their city councils, mayors and local decisions instead of only focusing on national politics.
Subscribe for more episodes like this one!

With Mike currently away with family, this is another great episode where Shana and Matt talk about:
• The history and controversy surrounding Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including the Green Line, Areas A, B and C, and how the Oslo Accords divided the territory.
• Why hundreds of thousands of Israelis live beyond the Green Line and the different political, religious and economic reasons behind the settlements.
• The differences between Zionism and religious Zionism, and how Jewish historical and religious connections to the land influence the settlement debate.
• The 1947 UN partition plan, the creation of Israel, the 1948 war and how those events shaped the borders and political realities that exist today.
• The complicated history of Palestinians, Jordanians and Israelis in the region, including the question of whether the absence of a historic sovereign Palestinian state determines modern questions of sovereignty and political rights.
• The role of religion and history in the conflict, including access to Jerusalem's holy sites and why the city remains so important to Jews, Christians and Muslims.
• The Law of Return, the Holocaust, Jewish displacement and the different ways Israelis and Palestinians understand the history of displacement and belonging.
• Whether Israel can negotiate the future while continuing to change the reality on the ground through settlement policy, and why understanding the nuance and history behind these issues is so important.
Subscribe for more episodes like this one!

With Mike currently away with family, this is another great episode where Shana and Matt talk about:
• The ongoing debate over moving the Beachwood library and what that could mean for the school fields and students who currently use the library after school.
• The problems with the Hilltop and Halcyon roundabout and how Matt finally got the confusing stop and yield signs addressed after years of pushing the issue.
• Why South Woodland and Solon Road needs better pedestrian safety for people crossing to the Solon Road Circle.
• Beachwood football and the excitement surrounding the team.
• The conversation turns national and international as they discuss Israel, the E1 development area, the two-state solution and what E1 could mean for the future of Israel and a potential Palestinian state.
Subscribe for more episodes like this one!

This is a great episode where Mike, Shana, and Matt Hildebrand talk about:
• The three property tax increases Beachwood residents are facing in 2027 and why the average homeowner could see a net increase of about $887.
• Why Beachwood City Council quietly increased the city's inside mills from 1.6 to 4 mills, generating millions of dollars in additional revenue.
• Beachwood's spending, the mayor's new $50,000 car, his salary increases, and whether the city really has a revenue problem or a spending problem.
• The controversy surrounding the city's purchase of the Fairmount Temple property for $8 million and the city's apparent plans to classify the property as a blighted or urban renewal area.
• How an urban renewal designation could allow Beachwood to divert millions of dollars in property tax revenue away from the school district and county agencies.
• Why Orange Village and Cuyahoga County officials have begun pushing back against tax increment financing and other development incentives.
• Questions surrounding Mayor Justin Berns, his brother's involvement in a proposed development, and why the timing of when the mayor learned about his brother's involvement has raised questions.
• Why Bob Hardesty copied Beachwood City Council on his correspondence about the situation and made it clear that the school district could not support the proposal.
• Questions about what was discussed during an executive session and whether the discussion was appropriate given the stated purpose of that meeting.
Subscribe for more episodes like this one!

This is a great episode where Mike and Shana talk about:
• The proposed new Beachwood library and why the plan to build it on the community's main sports fields has become such a controversial issue.
• Why the current library's existing meeting space, the proposed auditorium, and the nearly $30 million price tag have Mike and Shana questioning whether the project is actually necessary.
• The lack of a clear plan for replacing the sports fields that would be lost if the library is built at the proposed location.
• The upcoming Planning and Zoning meeting and why August 27th could be an important date for the future of the library project.
• The lack of transparency surrounding the library discussions and why so many important details have been discussed in executive sessions rather than in front of the public.
• A proposed TIF in Orange Village and a contentious City Council meeting where council members began questioning the administration about the financial details of the development.
• Why TIFs and other development incentives deserve more scrutiny from residents and why elected officials should be willing to question their own administration.
• The differences between Beachwood and Orange Village when it comes to local government, public meetings, transparency, and how elected officials handle difficult questions.
Subscribe for more episodes like this one!