"Redneck Mom in the Hood" Running for Cleveland Heights City Council

Cleveland Heights resident Julie Love, an inactive CPA who blogs at redneckmominthehood.blogspot.com, is running for a seat on Cleveland Heights city council.

That doesn't sit well with some residents who worry that Love's political views — a small-government, "anti-Sharia-Law" ideology oft-associated with the Tea Party — will reflect poorly on the inner-ring suburb to the East. 

"If your views align, then by all means vote for her," read a letter signed by 23 Cleveland Heights residents in the Heights Observer. "But if some of her opinions make you feel uncomfortable, think twice. Look beyond the simple messaging. Decide whether these fringe views—for they are indeed fringe no matter where you stand on a simple issue like tax increases—truly represent Cleveland Heights and what we hope is its future."

Love campaigns on a platform based on Cleveland Heights' dwindling tax base. Her stated solution: classic Reagan-era trickle down economics:

"Lower tax rates actually increase government revenue," Love wrote in a May 27 blog post. "People have more money in their pockets, they can then turn around and spend that money at restaurants and buy shoes. All of the businesses make revenue and pay taxes on that revenue. The wealthy flock to areas of lower taxation, bringing in even more revenue. Yes, the rate is lower but because more people pay in on more dollars, tax revenue actually increases."

And though lower taxes may be "broadly appealing," the self-christened "educated voters" of Cleveland Heights aren't crazy about Love's country-girl-in-the-inner-city shtick, or, for that matter, her affiliation with Tea Party media outlets.

(Believe us, Julie: We've been out to Cleveland Heights and know its perils intimately. As for Muslims and their aversion to bacon — we can't say we've ever had an issue.)

From the Heights Observer letter: "As more and more residents visited her site and then expressed their shock and concern on Facebook and Twitter, Ms. Love began slowly removing her most controversial posts, hiding her words from the public instead of owning up to them."

At a candidates' forum earlier this week, when Love was questioned about her views, she reportedly said she is a victim of a "smear campaign."  

Here's her platform and vision (from her campaign site).