Northeast Ohio: Regionalism News & Discussion

[AmrapinVA]

Rocc, I don't think it's as negative as some may think. Here in the DC area....most schools, police and fire are run on a county level. There are a few hamlets that may take control of one aspect or another....but you don't have 45 police departments in one county or 40 school districts. As for the idea that a central government controlling a vast area means less representation or an idea of "big government" is a bit far fetched. We have county reps that represent certain districts that are held accountable for their actions, just like mayors of suburban 'cities'. Looking at the political corruption that has plagued Parma over the last 30 years or so, I'm all a 'regionalism' change there.

[lopsidedfrock]

http://www.cleveland.com/region/wide/index.ssf?/region/wide/region2_0617.html

regarding this link, it's interesting that they leave out wickliffe from the willoughby, willoughby hills, willowick, eastlake, lakeline, timberlake theoretical merger.  unless you are from the immediate vicinity, everyone just calls this area willoughby.  the overabundance of places starting with W just confuses outsiders.  that and the fact that wickliffe and willowick are virtually indistinguishable.  i do realize that these are collections of burbs that share school systems.  wickliffe is the hole in the half-eaten donut of the willoughby-eastlake district. 

[E Rocc]

Rocc, I don't think it's as negative as some may think. Here in the DC area....most schools, police and fire are run on a county level. There are a few hamlets that may take control of one aspect or another....but you don't have 45 police departments in one county or 40 school districts. As for the idea that a central government controlling a vast area means less representation or an idea of "big government" is a bit far fetched. We have county reps that represent certain districts that are held accountable for their actions, just like mayors of suburban 'cities'. Looking at the political corruption that has plagued Parma over the last 30 years or so, I'm all a 'regionalism' change there.

I used to live in Maple Heights, which is one of the worse run suburbs out there (it used to be one of the better ones).  Would I ever have wanted it to merge with Cleveland? No way.  Now I live in Bedford, and the idea of merging with Maple Heights would suck (as anyone who's ever crossed their border after a snowfall could attest).  If I lived in Walton Hills, no way would I want to merge with either....but Maple Heights does WH's building inspection and Maple and Oakwood share fire duties. 

There's nothing wrong with limited sharing, indeed its often a good idea.  But the PD article (and some of our earlier posts) clearly advocated something bigger and more cumbersome, namely the absorbtion of suburbs.  Which exist for a reason.

[the pope]

Now I live in Bedford, and the idea of merging with Maple Heights would suck (as anyone who's ever crossed their border after a snowfall could attest). 

I don't think it works that, there's something called "economies of scale", You don't take good plowing from bedford add in bad plowing from maple heights, divide by two to get "so-so" plowing.........

(and seriously, if snow removal is the worst thing you can say about a city.....)

[musky]

Study: Region must face divisions
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Thomas Ott
Plain Dealer Reporter

To benefit black residents, regional cooperation in Cuyahoga County must go beyond government reform and tackle divisive issues such as housing and education, a new study says.

The study, commissioned by the Presidents' Council, a group of 17 chief executives at black-owned businesses, recommends opening high-achieving suburban schools to Cleveland children.

More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com

Speaking of regionalism
Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Consultants will talk today about their new report, "Regionalism: Growing Together to Expand Opportunity to All," which outlines how regional cooperation can benefit the poor and minorities.

The report was commissioned by the Presidents' Council, a group of 17 chief executives at black-owned businesses The event is at 11 a.m. in the conference center at the InterContinental Hotel Cleveland, 9801 Carnegie Ave., Cleveland. The report's recommendations include:

Curbing sprawl by imposing fees on development in Cleveland's outer suburbs.

Getting rid of rules that discourage construction of affordable homes in outer suburbs.

Offering tax breaks to developers who build less expensive housing and landlords who accept rent vouchers.

Expanding Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority service and building homes near bus and rail lines.

SOURCE: The Presidents' Council

[musky]

PD:

A Region Uniting?
Region's leaders are slow to take the reins
Sunday, July 15, 2007

Our congressional delegation: They collectively bring millions of dollars to the region for colleges, hospitals and other projects, yet most are reluctant to make governments cooperate as a condition for getting the money.

Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, a Cleveland Democrat, says it's not her job to push for local tax sharing or regional planning.

More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com

[musky]

pd:

A Region Uniting?
Regional cooperation? Great idea! Let's do lunch.
So many leaders. Who will lead us
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Thomas Ott
Plain Dealer Reporter

And so it goes with regionalism in Northeast Ohio. Lots of talk, little action. Many acknowledge the untapped potential to streamline government, save money for taxpayers and perk up the economy, but inertia rules.

Who can get the ball rolling? In the third installment of The Plain Dealer's

“A Region Uniting?” series, we name names.

More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com

[musky]

pd:

How regional reforms were achieved elsewhere in U.S.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Thomas Ott
Plain Dealer Reporter

A central city losing population. A region with duplicated services and high taxes. Cries for unity behind economic development.

Sounds like Northeast Ohio. But these were actually factors that drove regional reforms elsewhere in the United States.

The moves, however, did not happen on their own. They required leadership. Here is a look at who led and who helped.

More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com

[musky]

pd:

Hurdles to regional planning: Surrendering power, staying focused
Sunday, July 15, 2007

State Rep. Tom Patton, a Strongsville Republican, on offer ing state money to spur regional cooperation: "It's like the old saying about you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. They still have to do it. At the end of the day, people like being mayor, like being the city council president. . . . Everybody has their own territory, and no one wants to surrender it."

State Sen. Bob Spada, a North Royalton Republican, on where he thinks regionalism ranks: "Some of the things that we're doing, like putting more money into K- 12 and higher education, it seems those are the priorities that we're hearing from our citizens rather than streamlining government. If it got to a point where citizens' priorities became different, I think you would see us respond accordingly."

More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com

[KJP]

I'm sure this will stimulate some discussion!!
_______________


THE EDITOR'S COLUMN:
Think regionally, obstruct locally, stupid planning

By: John G. Cole, Editor, The (Lorain) Morning Journal
07/29/2007

Regionalism, shared strategies for growth and government, has been the professed goal in Northern Ohio for some time now. Sharing services and cooperating on economic development can save money and avoid unproductive competition over jobs.

In theory, it makes sense and I suppose there exist some fine examples of success. But when you look closely at regionalism you see the same bureaucracy, bullies and baloney that are too often more an impediment than a help.

More at
http://www.morningjournal.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=18633805&BRD=1699&PAG=461&dept_id=566374&rfi=8

[musky]

Wow!
I don't even know where to begin with that.
Sadly, that is probably the opinion of many residents outside of the county.

[Oldmanladyluck]

Somebody please get this guy to come to this website and LEARN something, dammit.

[musky]

City Hall Press Release:

From: Office of the Mayor and the Department of Public Utilities
Andrea V. Taylor, Press Secretary (216) 664-4171 or (216) 857-7998
Michelle Watts, Assist. to the Chief of Communications
(216) 664-3999

For Immediate Release:
July 30, 2007

Cities of Cleveland, Lakewood and Bedford
Reshape Business Practices for a Successful Future

CLEVELAND – Through the leadership of Mayor Frank G. Jackson and regional cooperation from the Cuyahoga County Mayors and Managers Association, a Water Service Agreement has been reached between the City of Cleveland and the City of Lakewood, as well as between Cleveland and the City of Bedford. These monumental agreements are rooted in the basic principles of economic regionalism: the participating cities equitably share income taxes when businesses move from one city to another, allowing both to benefit from the move.
“These agreements signify the end of ‘business as usual’ and mark the beginning of how we do business in the future,” said Mayor Jackson.

WHO: Mayor Frank G. Jackson, City of Cleveland
Mayor Thomas J. George, City of Lakewood
Mayor Daniel Pocek, City of Bedford
WHAT: Water Service Agreement Signing
WHEN: TODAY - Monday, July 30, 2007
11:00 a.m.

WHERE: Mayor’s Red Room, (Room 202)
Cleveland City Hall
601 Lakeside Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio

- 30 -

[Jeffrey]

Louisville, Ky. (left):

A bipartisan, grass-roots alliance persuaded voters to merge Louisville and Jefferson County into one city, the nation's 23rd largest when the merger took effect in 2003. Louisville's then-Mayor Dave Armstrong and Rebecca Jackson, the county's chief executive at the time, led the "Vote Yes for Unity" campaign. The consolidation, which passed on the last of four attempts dating to 1956, kept Lexington from passing Louisville as Kentucky's largest city. It also united the county in its attempt to attract jobs.

Historically the big cheerleader for merger was the Louisville Courier-Journal and Louisville Times, as the family that owned the papers were quite progressive and saw this as a positive thing.

Also, in the early days of postwar suburbia, some things were merged, or never allowed to split off.  The sewers were all part of the Metropolitian Sewer District (MSD), and water provided by Louisville Water Company.  When parks were extended to suburbia it was via the Metroparks, which included both the city and suburban parks.  And, most important, planning and zoning was done countywide, not via seperate entititys.   There was also one county school district and one city district (merged in the 1970s). 

There was a plethora of little suburban governments, which started out as tax dodges from the city.  Yet, these were never really viable communitys...in most case they were just incorporated subdivisions, which didnt really have the tax base to provide a full range of services.  They were represented in County government and paid County taxes, so when merger came, they also were represented by merged government, too.

 It is really the paradox of merger that the excessive amount of suburblettes helped make merger more a possibility as "Holly Villa" or "Strathrmoore Manor" or "Plantation" as muncipalities were seen sort of as more neighborhood government (maybe they could afford one cop in a LTD cruiser), while "real" govenment was at the county level.

[E Rocc]

"The most despicable misdeed by NOACA was when they slow danced with Congressman Dennis Kucinich and blocked commuter rail from coming to Lorain and points further west.

The plan was to explore using short, fast commuter trains on the N&W tracks from Cleveland to downtown Lorain and back with quick stops along the way. It would reduce auto traffic, encourage redevelopment of downtown Lorain (including the reclamation project of turning abandoned shipyards into upscale housing), and provide a tourist attraction on the weekends.

But some knuckleheads from the western suburbs, who voluntarily chose to build or buy a house close to the tracks, complained about added noise pollution and safety and Kucinich galloped to the rescue. This self-annointed populist lowered the hammer on NOACA who lowered the hammer on commuter rail. I'd like to lower the hammer on his peculiar brand of political phoniness.

Anyway, a worthy project was buried because an occasional train whistle kept some white-loafered geezer in Bay Village from his afternoon nap.

The truth is, we are being bullied in the name of regionalism. I'm not sure we can do much about it, but at least let's recognize it for what it is."

Hmmm....I suspect some here might have an issue with the blocking of the commuter rail project, and I can certainly sympathize with the antipathy towards those who object to things that were already there when they built/bought their house.

[Mov2Ohio]

Cleveland and suburbs are starting to pull together - an editorial

Sunday, August 05, 2007

When one Cuyahoga County municipal ity gains population and jobs, chances are it's because another lost them.

That's what happens in nongrowth markets. But small signs indicate that this winner-take-all mind-set is starting to change, thanks in part to agreements dealing with water that Cleveland has forged with about a dozen communities.

More at
http://www.cleveland.com/politics/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1186217215124870.xml&coll=2

[E Rocc]

I don't know about Lakewood, but Bedford maintains its own water department.  I suspect that had something to do with this deal.  Other suburbs are already part of CDW/NEORSD.  Which, by the way, is one of the the least efficient local utilities to deal with.  For example, bills can't be paid online and they expect two checks to be sent...one to CDW, one to NEORSD (separate PO boxes).

A lot of the industrial growth in the Twinsburg area isn't in Twinsburg, it's in Twinsburg Township.  A few years ago there was a ballot initiative to merge the two.  It would have had to pass in both (IMO, the way it should be).  IIRC it passed in Twinsburg and failed massively in the Township.

[jpop]

[I know this is a relatively long article, but I agree with so much of what he had to say. It was originally printed 5 years ago, and the PD just re-printed it as a commentary on today's largely unchanged situation.]

Cleveland's problems have been identified; leaders are needed: Richard A. Shatten
Region must move past old complaints
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Richard A. Shatten

Over the last 20 years, I have been struck by the ease with which people offer simple strategies to address highly complex problems.

In the late 1980s, for example, I had occasion to speak across the region on our economy. I would speak to the need for a stronger research base, a better downtown, housing and more entrepreneurs. Virtually without exception, the first solution offered in those days was, "Aren't we going to build a domed stadium?"

More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com

[musky]

pd:

Mayors call regionalism key to competitiveness
Friday, August 10, 2007
Jesse Tinsley
Plain Dealer Reporter

Communities throughout Northeast Ohio, from small struggling townships to economically thriving suburbs, must embrace regionalism if the area is to remain competitive on a national and global level, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said Thursday night.

Jackson's appeal for regional cooperation was echoed by the mayor of Youngstown and a deputy mayor of Akron, who spoke at the Cleveland 365 forum "The Region's New Vision" at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. About 1,000 professionals from the area attended.

More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com

[jpop]

It's great this stuff is finally beginning to happen. It's exciting that communities are trying to think and work together to better this whole region.

[LovesIt]

Just merge Cleveland and Cuyahoga County and get it over with pls.

[MyTwoSense]

no  I don't want a "miami dade county" personally

[musky]

Just merge Cleveland and Cuyahoga County and get it over with pls.

On my list of things to do.

[Mov2Ohio]

no  I don't want a "miami dade county" personally

OK, so merge and rename Cleveland County, Ohio.

[the pope]

Thread has been cleaned. Enough with the image responses.

[musky]

Come on!!!
Less talk - more action.

pd:

Cleveland development chief Chris Warren calls for regional thinking
Development chief devising strategies
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Susan Vinella
Plain Dealer Reporter

Cleveland's new economic development chief said Tuesday that if the city and the region want to grow, leaders should work toward more joint development, shared taxes and mandatory "green" building standards.

Chris Warren, the city's first regional economic development director, said he's working with Mayor Frank Jackson on a game plan for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio that could include:

More at
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/118777312438490.xml&coll=2

[jpop]

Come on!!!
Less talk - more action.

I'm excited by the fact that they are at least getting a plan together. I think it's about time the city is thinking outside the box in some ways, and I definitely applaud their efforts at moving forward on this.

[shs96]

One item I haven't seen discussed much here was the highway/roadway infastructure of the region.  If we are really going to move towards regionalism, we're going to need to be able to travel within the region with a lot more simplicity.  Some of the Inner-Ring suburbs on the East side are simply land-locked.  Trying to get to Cleveland Heights, University Heights, or Shaker Heights from anywhere outside those areas is pretty tough - even Univesity Circle is a challenge.  Road Construction projects seem to take FOREVER to complete. How long has the 480/77 Intersection been under construction?  And aside from resurfacing it, are they actuall adding lanes or doing anything that will improve traffic flow?  What about the Euclid Project?  Or Mayfield Road?  S-L-O-W.

Travelling point to point downtown isn't that easy either.  I will be moving downtown shortly, but don't work downtown.  My company has an office there, but it really wouldn't be any more practical for me to work downtown as I'm a little too far to walk and jumping on the RTA to go across town would be just about as long as driving 15 miles to my office.

I lived in Dallas for 6 years, possibly the dictionary definition of Urban Sprawl.  People would live as far as 45 miles from downtown and still commute.  Why?  Because it wasn't that hard to drive anywhere.  All highways were 4 lanes and even your regular streets were all 2 or 3 lanes.  Why aren't roads like 82 from Strongsville all the way to Twinsburg 2 lanes the entire way?  Or other state routes like 14, 17, 21, 43, 237, etc.  It's almost faster to get to Solon from the airport than it is to go to Bay Village, which is about half of the distance.  State Road and Ridge Road are traffic nightmares.  Why does 480 shrink down to 2 lanes by 71/Airport?  There are just a lot of major roads that aren't as effective at funneling traffic as they could be.

I think part of the lack of a regional feel falls on this problem.  Everyone is so confined to where they can get easily, they aren't able to appreciate the great things various parts of the city (which is all relatively close) have to offer because they are trapped in their own part of town.

[MyTwoSense]

this is why we need express rail in the city.

Getting to shaker heights or cleveland hts via public transportation from downtown is quick and easy!

[jpop]

So are you saying you want to encourage urban sprawl?