Editorial Response: Melissa Decaro - 19 Action News|Cleveland, OH|News, Weather, Sports

Editorial Response: Melissa Decaro

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(WOIO) -

I am Melissa Decaro responding to Bill Applegates's privatizing the West Side Market editorial.

The West Side Market is important to the people of Cleveland.  One hundred small business owners occupy the buildings.  It is the only municipal market in the country. 

Customers and vendors have complained about the public bathrooms, the parking, and the plumbing.   It's a city building and things take time to get done correctly. Everyone is frustrated.

The market has had the same hours for one hundred years.  Leave it alone!  Different hours do not mean more shoppers.

In his editorial, Mr. Applegate asserts "a few hundred dollars and you are in business". To sell cut fruit, one needs a license that cost four hundred eighty two dollars per year. My rent alone is over twelve hundred dollars per month, before buying any product or paying utilities.  It costs more than a couple hundred dollars to open a business. 

In my opinion, privatizing the market won't necessarily make things better.                       

Thank you. 

Copyright 2013 WOIO. All rights reserved.

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