Northeast Ohio: Regionalism News & Discussion

[jpop]

The mayor of University Heights sounds like an old coot.

Can you elaborate on that?  It's hilarious as is, but I'd like to know more.

LOL.

Maybe I just want regionalism to happen so badly that I'm having a hard time seeing her side of things. I mean, she does have good points, and she did say that she's open to collaboration, and possibly even merging together with another suburb other than Cleveland Heights. But, I dunno .. there was just something about her tone that sounded very stuck to an old way of doing things, instead of really being open to a real conversation. Maybe she is. Honestly, I don't know much about her, so it's unfair for me to say.

[327]

I can't listen to the mp3 till this evening.  What is her problem with Cleveland Heights?

[jpop]

Basically, she says that Cleveland Heights has essentially ignored them until now, and she's accusing them of wanting to merger to get enough people to be eligible for a CDC block grant. She also brought up concerns that they would lose their identity as a community because of this. There's more, but I can't remember. Honestly, it just all sounded like the storied "this is my land, and no one's gonna take it from my grubby fingers!" instead of seeing the greater good of the region. Clearly, not everyone sees regionalism as a good thing, and it's a very sticky situation.

But like I said, maybe that's just me .. so don't necessarily read too much into that last part.

[Foraker]

Would Cleveland Heights merge with University Heights?  Seems most logical since the schools are already together.  But in many ways Shaker is a better match.  An even better match would be Cleveland itself.

[along with what jpop said...]
The Mayor of University Heights also favored collaboration over merger.  She also said that they would be more likely to merge with South Euclid, and that they would merge with Cleveland Heights when hell froze over. 

I talked to a University Heights resident the other day and she expressed her concern that the merger would harm her property values.

I think we should be careful not to underestimate fears of lost identity from a merger.  I think we're seeing it in the church closings as well.  More and more collaboration probably is a good place to start while we figure out the best way to maintain peoples' sense of community identity.

[jpop]

[Here's a small snippet of the conversation from the aforementioned mp3. This was posted on wcpn.org.]

University Heights Mayor Rejects Merger Bid
Posted Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Topics: Economy, Politics

In this corner of the state, where one party dominates local politics and regionalist slogans abound, elected officials rarely offer public rebukes or rejections of neighboring communities. But that's exactly what happened on Wednesday's Sound of Ideas®;. Ideastream's Dan Moulthrop filed this report.

Mark Tumeo is a councilman in Cleveland Heights, and he recently touched the third rail in local politics. In a council meeting, he suggested his suburb merge with University Heights. He followed it up with an op-ed column in the Plain Dealer. And on the Sound of Ideas, he explained his thinking. He says costs for city services are only going up.

Mark Tumeo: For sound economic development, in my opinion, you can’t tax the citiznery into submission, so we need to find a way expand our income base. It’s a standard business approach. And so for a government--we live on incvome tax, you need to increase people.

That explanation fell flat on the other side of the University Heights border.

Mayor Beryl Rothschild, University Heights: We have nothing to gain by joining Cleveland Heights.

Beryl Rothschild has been mayor of University Heights for 32 years.

Rothschild: We are not as a city experiencing the economic downturn in the way that Cleveland Heights is. We have a balanced budget...we are doing fine.

Mayor Rothschild also said that because University Heights has less than a a fourth of the population of Cleveland Heights, the needs of her constituents would be subsumed by those of Cleveland Heights.

But, whether local municipalities consider mergers, collaborating on city services or going it alone, they all face the same challenge: rising costs and fewer taxpayers. Mark Rosentraub teaches at Cleveland State University’s Levin College of Urban Affairs.

Mark Rosentraub: We’ve lost over 100,000 since the 2000 census, and some of us fear in the 2010 census we’ll be down 150,000 from 2000… You can’t lose 150 thousand people and continue to do business exactly the same way.

[jpop]

I think there are a lot of fears of lost identity from any merger.  I think we're seeing it in the church closings as well.  More and more collaboration probably is a good place to start while we figure out the best way to maintain peoples' sense of community identity.

It's true. I think collaboration and consolidation of things like city services is a good place to start.

My fear is that these communities (and I mean any community in Northeast Ohio, for that matter) will be so interested in self-preservation/protection that nothing will happen to move true, deeper collaboration forward. Because I personally don't believe that consolidation of city services is enough. I personally feel like that's a case of just trying to cut costs, which is only part of the solution. Cutting costs is a defensive move. What also needs to happen is doing new things to WORK TOGETHER to move the region forward .. to stop this mentality of me, myself and I, and to consider the larger problem of the region as a whole.

In a sense Cleveland's problems aren't unique. But I think the depth of the problems are, in many ways, unique .. and unique solutions need to happen to save the region and move it forward. Maybe regionalism in its fullest sense isn't necessarily the answer for Cleveland. But the region needs to be willing to work together on this one, that's for damn sure.

[Matches]

Something about her response makes it sound there is some personal and long-standing gripe on the part of UH towards CH.  What would they really stand to gain by merging with SE?  South Euclid also larger (though not by much), and does not have nearly the reputation or character of Cleveland Heights.  "The City of Beautiful Homes" merging with a city of dull bungalows?  Seems odd. 

UH seems more of a match with Beachwood to me.  Or Shaker Heights.  I guess the school system thing is pretty major, which is why South Euclid and Lyndhurst should think about tying the knot.  They already share  a school district and a recreation department.  The logistics behind actual mergers seem so intricate that it's very hard to imagine.  At the very least it's impossible to imagine two politicians (mayors) getting behind an idea that will cost one of them their job.

[palijandro7]

Just wait a couple of more generations until these places fall in further decline.  Then they'll merge out of necessity. 

[audidave]

That seems like a great idea of South Euclid and Lyndhurst merging.  That could be the Cuyahoga County testbed.  Its barely perceptible except from the sign, when driving on Cedar, that you've crossed the border from one city to the other.   

[MyTwoSense]

Something about her response makes it sound there is some personal and long-standing gripe on the part of UH towards CH.  What would they really stand to gain by merging with SE?  South Euclid also larger (though not by much), and does not have nearly the reputation or character of Cleveland Heights.  "The City of Beautiful Homes" merging with a city of dull bungalows?  Seems odd. 

UH seems more of a match with Beachwood to me.  Or Shaker Heights.  I guess the school system thing is pretty major, which is why South Euclid and Lyndhurst should think about tying the knot.  They already share  a school district and a recreation department.  The logistics behind actual mergers seem so intricate that it's very hard to imagine.  At the very least it's impossible to imagine two politicians (mayors) getting behind an idea that will cost one of them their job.

CH & UH along with portions of SE are already joined at the library and school system.  To me CH and SH are much better matched.

or CH, SH & UH merge since UH uses the Shaker Courts.

[jpop]

Summaries of the 65 Project Abstracts Submitted to EfficientGovNow

The Fund for Our Economic Future, a collaborative effort to strengthen regional economic competitiveness in Northeast Ohio, received 65 project abstracts from partnerships of governmental entities looking to compete for EfficientGovNow awards. Summaries of the project abstracts, which will be posted in full on the EfficientGovNow web site on May 1 for public review and comment, can be viewed here.

[McCleveland]

Those who know Chris, know he is not just blowing smoke for some job.  He truly loves this place.  And I hope when the time comes, there are enough people who understand that will vote for him...

NE Ohio must change course and adopt a smart growth strategy
by Chris Ronayne
Sunday April 26, 2009, 5:00 AM
Ronayne is president of University Circle Inc.

Northeast Ohio is a microcosm of a growing American problem. We've spread our metropolitan region and its shrinking resources dangerously thin. We're sprawling without growth, when we should be growing smarter and together.

Since 2002, we've consumed more than 100,000 acres of farmland in Cleveland's metropolitan area without any growth in population. Instead of becoming stronger, we've grown outward and away from one another. And schools, retailers and places of worship have followed the people. This painful reality hit home recently when the Diocese of Cleveland announced the closing or consolidation of more than 50 Catholic parishes by 2010, with 92 percent in urban centers.

More at
http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/04/ne_ohio_must_change_course_and.html

[jpop]

If he ran for mayor, I would personally move to Cleveland just so I could vote for him.

[Grumpy]

This was in the News Herald yesterday.

Lake mayors not sure on revenue sharing
Published: Tuesday, April 28, 2009

By David W. Jones

[palijandro7]

I just read the Ronayne article and thought it was absolutely great.  I just wonder if he underestimates how impossible it will be to do this, though.  While it would be awesome if you could, you can't force people to think with foresight.  Thus, while he rightly points out the possibility that Westlake will face problems in the future, he would be wrong if he thinks its residents will realize this.

[jam40jeff]

Thus, while he rightly points out the possibility that Westlake will face problems in the future, he would be wrong if he thinks its residents will realize this.

I have had this discussion with exurbans.  I find it's more that they don't care that their suburb will eventually face problems.  They view it as being far enough down the road that they'll worry about it at that point, and just pick another suburb to move to (further from the city).

[jpop]

While it would be awesome if you could, you can't force people to think with foresight. 

I would argue and say that it would be difficult, but not impossible. If it's impossible, then the Cleveland region deserves to go down in flames because people have to get over their stubborn inability to think holistically.

I have had this discussion with exurbans.  I find it's more that they don't care that their suburb will eventually face problems.  They view it as being far enough down the road that they'll worry about it at that point, and just pick another suburb to move to (further from the city).

I think that can be a huge problem for the region at large, definitely. I would go even further to say that it's a me, myself and I problem. People can't think outside of themselves, and it's all about how comfortable THEY are, instead of wanting to contribute to something that's much larger than themselves. People can have such little vision, especially some people in the suburbs. Why do people tend to move to suburbs? To have the little house with the white picket fence and pop out 2.5 kids. AND??

I mean, people in the NEO region can be a huge catalyst for change. The region can be so much bigger and better and more impactful than it is now. And that's not saying that it isn't now. But it can go much further and become much stronger. But I think if people were really honest with themselves, they don't want it to.

And obviously, I'm not talking about everyone. I'm generalizing based on my own experiences of many people in the suburbs, especially. But I think this inability to work as a region for the future is a big problem.

[Matches]

It's kind of sad, but you need to appeal to the here and now, rather than the future.  Look at Washington, DC - they've put us in a black hole of debt that we'll never get out of, but they can sell making it worse by phrasing it with nice sounding words like stimulus and recovery.   I actually think one of the most effective arguments put forth by Ronyane here is "In one vote, Cleveland, as a unified Cuyahoga County, would rise from the 40th largest city to the top 10 all over again."

People in Westlake and Beachwood still on the whole see themselves as Clevelanders, I believe.  They have tried as best they can to divorce themselves from the problems of Cleveland proper, but for most long-time residents of the region, they still identify with "Cleveland", and remember when it was a big city, or they've heard stories about those days from their parents.  Appeal to the inferiority complex and say, "This CAN be done, and if we do it, we put this town back on the map."  It will people in this town feel like a player again - the 7th largest city in the country, and like they are part of something big.  Is that the "best" argument for what we're talking about?  Absolutely not.  But I think it is the most likely to get people really thinking about it.

[McCleveland]

The people need educated to understand how this works before they will buy into it.  The logical place of course is the paper, but they are too busy with brain drains, and how they can throw a wrench in the medical mart.  Imagine picking up the paper each sunday and seeing giant headlines like: "What is regionalism?"  "How does regionalism work?"  "How can regionalism improve Northeast Ohio"  They could even run case studies on how this played out in Indianapolis and what the positive results are.  Will they do this?  Probably not.  But they need to.

Bottom line, a lot has changed in the last 200 years.  The days of the antiquated and separated areas with 59 cities in 1 county are over. It's a broken model.  It won't work.  Most of the cities that enjoyed success in the last 20-30 years were the "new" sunbelt cities that were all basically founded as regional places.  In almost every instance, the county is the city or damn close.  That enables governments to use money where it's needed.  Instead back here in the stone ages we have 59 "cities" and basically 30 haves and 29 have nots.  While some people think life is grand and get free trash cans, some places have bridges that are unuseable and crumbling roadways.  Great system.

[Matches]

Unless you give the 30 haves a reason to submit to the wants of the 29 have nots, you're not going to get anywhere.  You cannot get an American to see 10 years into the future.  The PD has been talking about regionalism for quite a while.  Not with the focus of the Brian Drains and the FCE Newsletter, mind you, but they have.  I've never seen anything specific, though, no explanation of the process, and what's in it for the areas that are better off.   The mention of boroughs in the Ronyane op-ed is important.  It tells the fiefdom folks that they will still have some control over their areas.  More specifics are needed.  What stays the same, what changes, and how are the things that change BETTER for everyone involved?

[McCleveland]

Exactly.  The PD obviously is in favor of regionalism, and it makes guest appearances in editorials. But they have never once explained to the masses who are afraid of it "what regionalism is".  Nor the benefits.  Doesn't that seem like a much more productive use of our paper than what we typically get?

[jpop]

Well, I think that's the big problem. No one really knows what it looks like in Cleveland because no one's really come up with a concrete plan or even rough sketch and said, "This is what I think we should do .. what do you all think?" There's been small attempts at joining forces on little things here and there, but they are NOT enough. Discussion and conversation needs to be opened where ideas can be presented in an open, respective forum. I mean, wouldn't that be an obvious first step towards regionalism? You can't do it by beating people over the head.

I think that the BENEFITS of regionalism really need to be hammered out and presented to people. I think people's fears need to be calmed. Show them that this can be a beneficial, progressive way to move the region forward. Right now, I think it's still very much a buzzword, and there hasn't been any serious leadership or even discussion on the matter.

I also think people are afraid of the fact that their communities' identities will be erased, and I think that's a somewhat valid fear. I think that any in-fighting that has occured in the past needs to get put aside, and a hand of reconciliation needs to be given across the region. Working as a team, TOGETHER, is a much better way than each community trying to go it alone.

[palijandro7]

The people need educated to understand how this works before they will buy into it.  The logical place of course is the paper, but they are too busy with brain drains, and how they can throw a wrench in the medical mart.  Imagine picking up the paper each sunday and seeing giant headlines like: "What is regionalism?"  "How does regionalism work?"  "How can regionalism improve Northeast Ohio"  They could even run case studies on how this played out in Indianapolis and what the positive results are.  Will they do this?  Probably not.  But they need to.

Bottom line, a lot has changed in the last 200 years.  The days of the antiquated and separated areas with 59 cities in 1 county are over. It's a broken model.  It won't work.  Most of the cities that enjoyed success in the last 20-30 years were the "new" sunbelt cities that were all basically founded as regional places.  In almost every instance, the county is the city or damn close.  That enables governments to use money where it's needed.  Instead back here in the stone ages we have 59 "cities" and basically 30 haves and 29 have nots.  While some people think life is grand and get free trash cans, some places have bridges that are unuseable and crumbling roadways.  Great system.

I firmly believe that propaganda can be a very important tool.  However, if the PD started printing an inordinate amount of pro-regionalism articles in an effort to further regionalism, how is that any different than them printing an inordinate amount of pro-Tower City articles in an effort to further the possibility of the MedMart being located there?

[jpop]

I firmly believe that propaganda can be a very important tool.  However, if the PD started printing an inordinate amount of pro-regionalism articles in an effort to further regionalism, how is that any different than them printing an inordinate amount of pro-Tower City articles in an effort to further the possibility of the MedMart being located there?

I agree. It would be the same thing, unless it's actually an attempt to balance out their negative reporting on regionalism. Then it's necessary to balance out their negative bias.

And I'm not even saying there has been any. I can't remember what the PD's general stance has been on the idea.

[palijandro7]

I'll tell you why.  It's bc people in Westlake or other areas that have good public schools do not want their schools to be turned into the low-performing schools that characterize the CMSD (and I don't blame them for having this fear).  That is what I thought was the beauty of Ronayne's article.  Allow each municipality to keep their own identity in certain ways.

I think it is perfectly understandable (not necessarily reasonable) for someone from Bay to compare their community to Cleveland's, and say "thanks, but no thanks."  I would be worried about losing political power, too.  Thus, if regionalism is to work, it better allow local municipalities a lot of say with what goes on in their area.

[McCleveland]

Indianapolis was set up almost identically to us and has benefited greatly.  So why can't the paper just disect it.  We need to educate people on all facets of this, if we ever want it to happen.  Regions with so many municipalities are a dying breed.  Plain and simple.  We'll figure this out or we will die.  People are afraid of change, education can eliminate fear.  The best way for mass education is the newspaper, but they've yet to pick up on it.

[palijandro7]

I firmly believe that propaganda can be a very important tool.  However, if the PD started printing an inordinate amount of pro-regionalism articles in an effort to further regionalism, how is that any different than them printing an inordinate amount of pro-Tower City articles in an effort to further the possibility of the MedMart being located there?

I agree. It would be the same thing, unless it's actually an attempt to balance out their negative reporting on regionalism. Then it's necessary to balance out their negative bias.

And I'm not even saying there has been any. I can't remember what the PD's general stance has been on the idea.

I remember a huge discussion in the PD in the summer of 2007.  If that was the last major article to be printed, then yes, there should be a new round.

[McCleveland]

I'll tell you why.  It's bc people in Westlake or other areas that have good public schools do not want their schools to be turned into the low-performing schools that characterize the CMSD (and I don't blame them for having this fear).  That is what I thought was the beauty of Ronayne's article.  Allow each municipality to keep their own identity in certain ways.

I think it is perfectly understandable (not necessarily reasonable) for someone from Bay to compare their community to Cleveland's, and say "thanks, but no thanks."  I would be worried about losing political power, too.  Thus, if regionalism is to work, it better allow local municipalities a lot of say with what goes on in their area.

I don't think anywhere merging school districts has been mentioned.  nor should it be.

[palijandro7]

I didn't say it was.  But people are fearful of such things.  They need guarantees it won't happen.

[McCleveland]

Which is exactly why they need to be educated on what regionalism is.  Education calms fears.  And we're right back to my point that the PD should be doing in depth reporting on this subject.  We have zero chance of succeeding if we don't regionalize.  Zero.