DEAD CENTER: Well, it wasn't exactly an act of political courage. But it was an act of definitive common sense. And it will cost her politically, though not as much as the thumping she would have taken on Election Day if she'd stuck with the plan. So... two cheers from the bleachers for Mayor Campbell for pulling the plug on a Convention Center sales tax.

The Plain Dealer, in its usual tin-eared fashion, editorializes that "Public support for a tax increase to build a new convention center evaporated, in part, because public officials made the fatal error of never trying to convince their constituents of the need for such a facility." Wrong, wrong, wrong! Public support never existed for a tax increase for this thing, and no amount of "arts and culture" window dressing was going to change that. Despite endless hours of friendly public forums, and acres of front-page newsprint, the real Convention Center enthusiasts -- the Growth Association, Cleveland Tomorrow and the PD editorial board --never made their case in a way that made a lick of sense to ordinary voters. Why did they expect City Hall to do it for them?

We expect a lot of things from elected officials, but telling us what to think is not usually on the list. Nor is walking the plank for something their constituents just don't want.

So the Mayor has spared us an expensive, annoying and pointless election fight. It's the right thing to do, no matter how awkward it looks and no matter how much abuse she's letting herself in for. And politicians who do the right thing deserve some applause.

So here's mine. Good for you, Mayor!

Now can we move on to some real issues? We've got this water plant that needs a backup power supply...