By The Toledo Tribune
There’s a moment in baseball—one that leaves every kid in the stands groaning and every adult quietly nodding in recognition—when a slugger steps up to the plate, tightens his grip, eyes the pitcher, and never gets a pitch to hit.
Four balls. Outside. A deliberate walk. Not because the batter wasn’t ready. Not because the crowd didn’t want the fireworks. But because the strategy demanded something different.
That batter—Barry Bonds—knew the feeling. On May 28, 1998, the Arizona Diamondbacks intentionally walked Bonds with the bases loaded. They gave up a run just to keep the bat out of his hands. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fun. But it was smart baseball.
Sometimes, the situation calls for sacrifice. Sometimes, you don’t get your swing. And that’s where we are right now in Toledo.
We want to swing. We want things to stay the same—every department funded, every job protected, every service untouched. We want that perfect pitch. But this year’s budget? It’s not throwing meatballs.
We’re facing hard choices. Cuts. Eliminations. Restructuring. These aren’t things anyone wants to talk about—but they’re the conversations we have to have. Because real leadership isn’t about wish lists. It’s about stewardship.
As a member of the Budget Committee, I don’t take this lightly. It’s not my money we’re talking about—it’s yours. And with that comes a duty to look beyond personal preferences and think about what’s best for the entire community.
In a previous column, I proposed a new approach to law enforcement—born from over two decades of experience in the field. It wasn’t about weakening public safety. It was about building a system that’s leaner, smarter, and better aligned with what our town actually needs. That kind of shift is uncomfortable. But if we’re serious about sustainability, we have to rethink how we operate.
And here’s the bigger truth: even if I don’t get to swing, someone else is up next. Maybe they bring us home. We’re just one player on a team. And if we’re going to win, we need a strategy that works for everyone—not just for one inning, but for the long game.
Which brings me to the public safety building.
It’s a worthy idea. But is now the time? Do we invest urban renewal dollars into a facility that no longer needs to house dispatch? Or do we turn our attention to Main Street—where empty buildings, weathered facades, and shuttered businesses remind us that revitalization is overdue?
Urban renewal money is meant to fuel economic growth. To breathe life back into our commercial core. Yes, infrastructure counts—but is this the kind of infrastructure that gets us where we want to go?
Are we paving the way for revival—or just patching roads while opportunity moves on?
And here’s the bigger question: what kind of investors are we trying to attract to Toledo? Housing developers? Job creators? Innovators who see potential in a small town with grit and charm? If we’re serious about growth, then we need to ask ourselves—how are we branding our city? Are we building a place worth investing in, or just maintaining what’s already here?
Because the danger of not changing is real. The danger of staying the same is that we pay more and get less. Higher costs, shrinking services, and fewer opportunities. Is that the Toledo we want?
These are not easy questions. But they’re the ones we must ask—honestly, publicly, and without defensiveness.
Toledo is a team. Our success doesn’t hinge on one player, one department, or one project. It depends on whether we’re willing to work together, stay humble, and keep our eyes on the scoreboard—not our individual stats.
So yeah—suck it up, buttercup. Sometimes you take the walk. Sometimes you sacrifice for the team.
But the inning isn’t over. Not yet.
Let’s make sure we still know what game we’re playing—and who we’re playing for.
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