Category Archives: News

A Great Answer to Redistributionalism (Regionalism) from a Cinci area official

This op-ed and the editorial that inspired it both appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer in Dec. 2014.

Rhodes: Do-gooders can keep their regionalism

December 11, 2014 Cinncinati.com
Dusty Rhodes, a Delhi Township Democrat, is the Hamilton County auditor.
In the over four decades that I have had the honor of public service, I have never once had a citizen say to me, “Dusty, what we really need is bigger government and more of it.” Yet that is exactly what is being offered once again in the Enquirer editorial “Fixing a dysfunctional region” (Dec. 7) (see below)
Disguised as a plea for “regional cooperation,” “collaboration” and “working together” it’s the same old story. Numerous attempts over the years to foist a new world order on our county, cities, villages and townships have failed. A rational person might assume that “nothing ever changes” because (a) people don’t want it and (b) we don’t need it.
Contrary to the false alarms, local government structure here is not in crisis. Changing it seems to be the fervent dream of a small group of self-appointed and unelected activists. Their latest propaganda campaign calls us “dysfunctional.” Says who? Our area is equal to and often ahead of most in economic terms as well as the more subjective quality of life indicators, including higher education, cultural opportunities and availability of quality medical care.
In spite of extreme reductions in historic and promised state support our local communities, our county continue to “function” quite well, thank you.
The only possible “dysfunction” may appear when we are compared to corporations in the private sector. Such comparisons fail to recognize the differences between the corporate world and a democratic government. Yet even in the private sector, large conglomerates were found to be less than efficient. If efficiency is the prime goal, the ultimate solution is a dictatorship.
Strangely missing from possible “benchmarks” to fairly evaluate the differences between our area and the larger, more remote metropolitan governments is detail on local spending, taxes, government employees and voter participation. They tell us their big ideas will save money but never say how. For example, the latest study claims – with no documentation – that Cuyahoga and Summit counties “saved money” by switching to a “county executive” form of government.
Cuyahoga’s grand experiment came as a quick-fix response to a county commissioner and county auditor being sent to prison for corruption. Now they have a county executive hand-picking officials that used to be controlled by the voters. This year it was revealed that county executive had driven for over a decade without a driver’s license. So much for “reform” and “good government.”
We are supposed to be dazzled by the claim that Louisville merged with Jefferson County and “moved from 65th largest city in the country to 16th.” But the measure that matters is the U.S. Census Bureau’s list of Metropolitan Statistical Areas. Our area is 28th and Louisville is 43rd. Boosters of such a “city-county merger” here persist in ignoring that “the city” and “the county” in Ohio are two different governments with different authority, duties and responsibilities under state law.
When all else fails, they resort to derogatory words and phrases like “horse and buggy government.” That is supposed to upset everyone because Ohio’s local government structures date back to the 1850s. By those standards we should toss out the Constitution and the Bill of Rights because they predate us by 60 or 70 years.
Their dream is to take away the voters’ right to elect local officials and dilute the power of the ballot box. They know what is best for us, even if we don’t. Instead of trying to promote something in which we have no interest, no need and will not support, I suggest these folks might busy themselves on some projects which we might welcome.
Here are a few suggestions: a full report on area nonprofits, how much they receive from government and how much they spend for administration; a review of how well local “economic development” efforts and taxpayer expenditures have worked out; and an investigation of property tax abatements handed out to commercial and residential properties by the city of Cincinnati, Hamilton County and other communities.
Or they can continue to waste their time by trying to sell us bigger government and more of it. It should be an easy choice for smart people.

Editorial: Fixing “a dysfunctional region”
Enquirer editorial 10:04 p.m. EST December 6, 2014
What will it take to move local governments in the Cincinnati region to work more closely together?
Not a blue-ribbon panel or another study. Since 1999, at least five such studies have documented how the entire Cincinnati region – including northern Kentucky and the counties surrounding Hamilton – are hurt by a lack of cooperation and collaboration. And today they all sit on a shelf, gathering dust as regional governments go it alone.
Nor do governments themselves appear ready to take on the issue of regional cooperation. The risks are many, from partisan politics to the wrath of public employees, and the rewards are few.
As a region, we need one of two things to move this issue forward: either a few influential members of the business community must decide to make regional collaboration a top priority and put their weight behind the effort; or a political leader with the conviction and skills of former Louisville mayor Jerry Abramson must emerge to convince residents of the benefits of collaboration.
The latest study urging regional collaboration was released last month by The Cincinnatus Association and Citizens for Civic Renewal. The three-year study, called “A Dysfunctional Region,” concluded, “We as a region are woefully behind. How can we effectively compete with other regions without a comprehensive plan for modernizing our patchwork system of governing, which derives from the 1800s?…It’s like trying to drive with the emergency brake on.”
Greater regional cooperation can take many forms, from sharing services and employees to consolidating governments. While there’s a big difference between, say, linking with other governments to get a better deal on road salt and merging police departments, there’s historically been a reluctance in the region to pursue collaboration for fear it will lead to larger, less personalized governments. But in many of the regions we compete with for jobs and residents, the most successful solutions are regional in nature and can only be pursued by broad coalitions rather than competing fiefdoms.
Some leaders point out that regional initiatives are on the rise. REDI Cincinnati is charged with leading economic development throughout the three-state, 15-county region, although some in Kentucky and Indiana grumble that, as an arm of JobsOhio, REDI is focused on luring companies to Ohio. Spurred on by cuts to Ohio’s Local Government Fund, some political leaders are looking for ways to share costs and services, and places like the Center for Local Government are helping them identify opportunities. Agenda 360 and Vision 2015, organizations that are sponsored by chambers of commerce in Ohio and Kentucky, identify regional priorities and bring together leaders from across the metro area to look for ways to solve common problems.
But the challenges posed by a fractious region are greater than any of the attempts to solve them so far. In the four closest counties of Ohio there are 130 cities, villages and townships, along with dozens of school and fire districts; Hamilton County alone has 49 separate political jurisdictions. In the Northern Kentucky counties of Boone, Campbell and Kenton there are 33 separate governments, and nearly twice that if you expand the boundaries to include counties like Pendleton, Grant and Owen. Each of those governments has some sort of elected or appointed staff, and its own rules and regulations. Most have police and fire departments, some located just a few blocks from the neighboring town’s forces.
The duplication of services costs money, at a time when many cities and some counties are having trouble paying bills. But there are other disadvantages. Cities and townships fight each other for jobs and residents and make plans that are unconnected to or even at odds with what their neighbors a mile away are doing. Politically fractured regions can contribute to social separation and inequality, as residents perceive they can “move away” from problems rather than contributing to their solution. Most importantly, the region loses out on the competitive advantage of having everyone rowing in the same direction.
“It’s difficult to measure good things that don’t happen, or opportunities that are lost,” the “Dysfunctional Region” report concludes. “But there are subtle symptoms…like regional challenges constantly labeled as being caused by the other guy. “Finger-pointing” runs rampant. It dominates discussion and masks the ability of the community at large to take responsibility for getting things fixed.”
There are other forces working against greater regional cooperation:
• True cooperation would involve communities in three states, which involves different funding formulas, laws and state priorities.
• Municipal employees and their unions rightly fear a loss of jobs if governments share more services.
• Political parties would lose their lock on specific offices if government consolidation or a combined city-county government emerged. Democrats now dominate the city of Cincinnati and Republicans control outlying suburbs and townships; any mergers would appear more purple than red or blue.
• African-Americans would also likely suffer politically if cooperation led to consolidation. They now constitute about 50 percent of Cincinnati’s population and would fall significantly if a model like Louisville’s or Indianapolis’ developed.
• High-income communities and gentrifying urban neighborhoods are both reluctant about steps toward merging with communities where poverty is on the rise. A decade or more ago, suburbs touted the fact that they offered a place unencumbered by the problems in Cincinnati. Now, as the urban core strengthens, some in the city are wary of taking on destabilized communities as their fortunes are rising.
• The failures of past efforts have led leaders reluctant to begin working on the issue again.
The Cincinnatus study identifies models from other cities that have moved toward greater collaboration, from the Efficient Government Network in northeast Ohio, where Cuyahoga and Summit counties saved money by switching to a county executive form of government; to Louisville, where the city merged in 2003 with Jefferson County and moved from the 65th largest city in the country to the 16th. The task force was particularly interested in a St. Louis effort called Better Together, where business and community leaders are funding a $1.2 million effort to research the benefits of collaboration and educate voters.
The local task force would like to launch a similar effort here, and there other encouraging signs. Mayor John Cranley and Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune last month proposed a city-county shared services task force. The mayors of 19 Kenton County governments meet monthly as a forum and have streamlined 911 services, among other successes.
But absent a political leader willing to take on the issue, or a small group of determind business leaders, the only other catalyst could be a crisis big enough to spur governments to action. Otherwise, as the task force finds, “things will stay the same. That’s not OK – especially in today’s fast-paced world. Long-term, we will pay the price for not acting now.” Is anyone willing to convince residents of this region that we can, and must, do better?

County Commissioner Primary Wins – the First Step to “Taking Control at the Local Level”

Lucy Miller Quote photo

Congratulations to Skip Claypool on his win in the Geauga County Commissioner GOP Primary. Skip defeated the current chair of NOACA, PD-endorsed, and a supporter of the NEOSCC.

Kim Laurie also deserves congratulations on winning in her GOP Commissioner Primary in Lake County, again against the PD and established public officials.

Although this site is non-partisan, any candidate, regardless of party, that takes a stand against the NEOSCC deserves our strong consideration if not support.

There is still the matter of winning in November, but the fact remains that both Skip and Kim ran against the NEOSCC’s ideas and won. Regionalism is not a “fringe issue.” In Lake and Geauga, with undeveloped land and a healthy tax base ripe for “sharing,” this is critical. Regardless of where you live, taking two central counties out the plan is huge. We need people like Kim and Skip  that can turn this movement back at the county level.

Lucy Miller of HUD said it best,  although she was talking about HUD and NEOSCC.  “The most important thing is..to take control at the local level. ” Last night we took our first steps in that direction.

Cuyahoga County – Vote for the Sin Tax and avoid new regional taxes

Cuyahoga County residents will vote on an extension of the “sin tax” on May 6. If you live in Cuyahoga County and are AGAINST creeping regional powers, you should vote FOR THE TAX.

Vote FOR a tax? I know, it sounds crazy. But this is a classic of dilemma of two bad choices. Take the one you know and vote “yes.” The alternative is far worse for you and all of us – a new set of powers that would allow for a “regional tax.”

If it doesn’t pass, “sin tax” opponents have helpfully suggested this:

“The “Coalition Against the Sin Tax” has proposed an alternative to the sin tax:
•Using Denver as a model, which has a similar sized Downtown as well as three pro-sports facilities, we are proposing a multi-county (7 to 11) sales tax of 1/10th of 1% that could possibly benefit both major league and minor league teams. If the Chamber wants to promote “regionalism,” start with this issue.”
(from watchdogwire.com)

It’s important to note that such “regional” taxes don’t exist in Ohio, and it would take an act of the Ohio Legislature to create one. We have local taxes, county taxes, and state and federal taxes, in addition to Park Districts and School Districts. Now they want to create another level of taxes, using the our support of pro sports as leverage to drum up support. Once this first new regional tax is created, the nose is in the camel’s tent. They can use it to fund any number of regional initiatives, all under the pretense of “helping the region.” The heavily populated urban centers would outvote the suburbs and less populated counties.

A pro-sports supporting new “regional tax” mechanism is their best hope for regional funding of NEOSCC plans. Don’t let it come to pass!

If you live in Cuyahoga County, vote “yes” for the sin tax and pass this along to all of those against regionalism via the NEOSCC. Spare yourselves and all of us the possibility of a new class of regional taxes.

Local Newspaper Shills for NEOSCC

In Sunday’s edition of the Akron Beacon Journal, an editorial board editorial appeared touting the benefits of cooperation through the regional entity known as NEOSCC,

The editorial, titled ‘Retreat from sprawl’, talks about ‘how the future of Northeast Ohio depends on regional cooperation’. It is natural to want to help one’s neighbors when they need it. It is a noble human trait. Americans are known for their willingness to help and are to be commended for that attitude. However, in this case the word cooperation is to be viewed with extreme caution.

Cooperation indicates one party is dominant over another, vs collaboration where entities work together, as they are willing and as they can afford. There are local collaborative efforts that are beneficial and these are to be commended. Continue reading

NOACA is all in.

NEOSCC is rolling out their recommendations and NOACA is approving those before any vetting has occurred or without any real questions being asked.   What multimillion dollar project would be approved with out some level of scrutiny?   NOACA board members have seen high level presentations and they have heard the propaganda from the unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats.   But, your elected board members sit uninterested and simply vote yes out of a reflex action, despite the over 1,000 signatures presented to them opposing NEOSCC actions, despite the fact that Geauga County did not participate, and despite the many who have simply asked for their to be a responsible hearing on their findings.   Why does government fail to do the responsible thing?  This is a perfect example.  The plan is to spend millions of dollars to support a plan that is questionable at best.    This is a clear demonstration of bureaucratic irresponsibility at best and tyranny at its worst.

But don’t believe me….go to this link and read pages 3-13 and on.  Objectives and goals…. February 2014 Policy Committee- Final2   Read how NOACA has assumed that NEOSCC (Vibrant NEO2040) will be approved even though there has been no official vote by the NOACA board members approving this plan.  Read about the objective to do “cost sharing” and to do regional collaboration.    This is a shameless power grab by NOACA and NEOSCC, which undermines our constitutionally based government in which we look to our elected representatives to make these decisions – directly not through unelected agents that have no accountability to the citizens in Ohio.   NOACA’s charter is to manage tax dollars associated with our roads and bridges to make sure they are kept up and in sound condition.   Their charter is now to set social policy regarding housing, zoning, water, and land use.

Where are your elected officials?   You may want to ask them.   This authors opinion is they are shirking their responsibility and hiding behind this agency.

 

Before NEOSCC started they wrote —

Before Ohioans spoke, before any data was gathered, NEOSCC wrote the following.  The following statement came from the grant application submitted by NEOSCC to HUD. 

“Historic patterns of development have not led to an equal distribution of community amenities or access to jobs, education, neighborhood services, open space, transit, and municipal programs.  his has resulted in disparities in health, income, food access, education, and employment options.  Our regional Planning effort will identify how to best deploy resources to address these historic inequities through targeted community development, use or reuse of existing infrastructure, and the restoration of natural systems throughout the region.”

Continue reading

3 Things to tell your neighbors about Regionalism and the NEOSCC

3 Things to tell your neighbors about Regionalism and the NEOSCC

A woman from Mentor posed this question during our successful recent Forum :

“I have three kids in their twenties, all living at home.  They asked me ‘why should I care about regionalism?’ Can you share three reasons they should care about the NEOSCC’s plan for NE Ohio?”

Excellent question!  There are a lot of reasons to not like what’s being proposed on the basis of our personal property, our rights, our liberties.  Not all of this is going to matter to 20-somethings, or some of your neighbors.  But here are some points that probably will:

If the NEOSCC’s plans are put in place:

1.) Your next job may not be there. Who would you rather have decide about job growth – your local community, or planners in Cleveland whose first priority is “economic equity?”  The NEOSCC’s plans will restrict job growth by trying to force new development and jobs back to the cities and away from the areas they are looking to expand.  Most job creation takes place over 20 miles from the city center.  Trying to restrict growth outward will chase away prospective employers or those that are here that need room to expand.  These firms will simply move to another region that allows them to grow as they desire. Haven’t we already lost enough  jobs to other parts of the country? Continue reading

The Case Against NEOSCC

How about some graphical evidence.  Simply click on each photo for an enlarged view.   Who is NEOSCC?  Formed by the four NE Ohio MPO’s and funded by a federal HUD grant.  Part of a national effort to implement, “partner for sustainable communities” efforts.  Sustainable development and the root of this effort began in 1987.   Skewed data, steering, and small datasets driving decisions is par for the course.  This is a top down effort led by unaccountable and unelected bureaucrats.

whoaretheynationalplanwheredoesitcomefrom clevelandincontrol

Other Views of Regionalism

This issue is a nonpartisan issue and one that has broad support from those who appreciate the constitution, private property, and the rights of citizens to choose.   Stanley Kurtz is one such person.   He wrote a book titled, “Spreading the Wealth”.   Here is a youtube video in which Stanley explains his position: http://youtu.be/jPbSQb8UIdA

Rosa Koire is another speaker and author that clearly articulates the issues and concerns of the regionalism.  http://youtu.be/92SjRh-eN8w

 

It is basic..

“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion . . . Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” John Adams

“Government is not reason or eloquent.  Like fire it is a dangerous master and a fearful servant. ” George Washington.

What do we look for from government?   What is governments purpose?  I say it is the protection of our individual liberty and freedom.   Nothing more and nothing less.  When did we loose track of the fundamental principles that keep us free and great nation?  When you depend on the judgment of others to make decisions for you then you have NO liberty or freedom of choice.   Why?  Because you are like a young child that is not allowed to make decisions, but must follow the direction of their parent.   Is that what you want?

That is what the current NEOSCC effort is all about.   It about others making decisions for you.  Where you will live.   How you will get around.  Where companies will locate.   How much of your hard earned money you are allowed to keep.    Make no mistake, this is NOT about free choice of NE residents.  How do we know?   Look at who is leading the effort:   unelected, unaccountable, bureaucrats.    What are their values?   What principles guide their lives?   Are you willing to allow those whom you may not agree with make choices for you?

Yes all of what was just said can be supported and backed up.   From the federal government plan for NE Ohio to connections to a global effort to create the standards.   Only “useful idiots” will believe that NE Ohio is choosing for themselves a plan for NE Ohio.   This has all been decided and the NEOSCC effort is simply a process of leading NE Ohio into accepting it all….. This will all be be proven.   Open your mind….like a parachute you mind only works if open.

Stay tuned….”The truth will set you free.”