Mayor-elect Jackson is planning to select a "regionalism czar" for the City of Cleveland and the overall concept is taking hold. Still, who is to say what "regionalism" means or looks like, or that it will make government/society less divisive. We need to leverage the size or our region for many reasons, but we need to accept our community will be divided on many matters, and we need people to care about all that and participate in developing understanding about our regional interests and working together for smart solutions. Does that mean kids in Cleveland will go to school in Solon, or property  taxes paid in Beachwood will pay for East Cleveland lead eradication?

I think there are a variety of issues that could begin the regionalism movement. They may seem disparate at first, but if we pull back and look at the bigger picture they might come into focus.

I like the planning view of shrinking cities. People move away from the urban core to have green space around them and amenities like transportation ease, but if you have ever been on 91 in Solon, you would not be choosing Solon for transportation ease. An improved transportation system would be a good place to begin the regionalism movement. And retooling the moribund space in the central city could provide more green space in the central city making the neighborhoods look more like pedestrian friendly farm communities (see Ann Arbor) and less like block after block of blight.

I have always liked the idea of sending urban youth to the outlying schools; making suburbanites share in the issues facing the Cleveland schools. There is no better way than having that kid in school with yours.

But on an environmental front, we have clear points of departure; our well conceived Emerald Necklace encircles and connects us all to the valley. We live in a watershed. Can we make cleaning the lake and river a focus for adjacent communities to connect on policy for citizen action around disconnecting downspouts? How can we as a population work together despite municipal boundaries (via and in addition to NEORSD) to improve our green profile? The city of Portland offers a good model. This is an inspiring video on said. http://rs1.media.ci.portland.or.us:2259/ramgen/cso2.rm Portland building owners (homeowners, too) receive a discount for disconnecting and reducing stormwater runoff into the river.  S&^% flows downhill. The more surface parking we build in sprawl land, the more runoff we have in downtown and in the lake and river.

Regionalism could help us to begin the dialogue on where to draw the line on sprawl. Let's look at how to reinvigorate in the land we have already developed, how to reclaim the neighborhoods we have already built out. As Youngstown moves forward with a clear view of their shrinking city, we remain mired in municipality disputes. Let's work together. Pick an issue. Get Watterson involved in the discussion. NOACCA seems a likely place to hold these continuing discussions. The work they are addressing needs more airtime in the local media. 

 

We should get on the regional bandwagon, consider trash, a regional government could really save a lot of money and spur industry based on recycling. 

 

Recycling, there is a perfect process, four separate containers, plastics, glass and metals, yard waste, paper and refuse.   Recyclables have a use and in volume, they have recoverable value.  The technology has really advanced and a regional government could implement a standard process. 

 

Most modern system have single driver trucks, they never leave the cab they have robotic arms that a big reduction in labor costs, which if transferred to processing station could keep people employed and also spur more industry. 

 

The potential for saving is endless, from law enforcement training as well as prison sharing and court proceedings, tickets and fine recovery.   We have redundancy in services and most are concerned with what?  Political representation? 

 

Regional education would also have greater leverage in buying, big systems get better pricing it called volume discounts. 

 

The city of Cleveland can make an alignment on a concept of regional government, it can redistrict on zip codes, then distribute it services and their structures across divisions based on zip codes.  This would allow for a quicker assimilation to county system based on the same method.  

 

Money in and money out based on a parcel numbers and categorized by a zip code. 

 
 

The system calls for one county-based system centrally administered, with five geographic sub-regions, each sub-region would have separate administrative centers and separate division of districts.  The district based on zip codes.

 

The city shares zip codes with other adjacent communities in some instances and in other instances; these zip codes are entirely Cleveland.

 
 

Entirely Cleveland Zip codes: (10) total population 226,664

44104  (25,045)

44127 (7,281)

44109 (39,670)

44113 (16,867)

44115 (7,093)

44114 (3,371)

44103 (21,963)

44110 (22,993)

44111 (37,230)

44102  (45,151)

The above list is a sub-region one or the metropolitan district.  The following five zip codes added to the above as they are geographically continuous with the above.  

 
 
Primarily Cleveland: (5) total estimated population 138,309
 

44105 (Cuyahoga Heights) primarily Cleveland, marginal part of Cuyahoga Heights. (51,340)

 

44106 (Cleveland Heights) Primarily Cleveland marginally Cleveland Heights (28,089)

 

44135 (Brooklyn, Brook Park) (24,747) Primarily Cleveland 

 
44108  (Bratenahl) Primarily Cleveland and includes all of Bratenahl (34,133) (metro sub region) 
 

44144 (Brooklyn) 25% Cleveland 75% Brooklyn (18,893) (metro region)

 
 

The metropolitan sub-region, population 383,866, 15 districts 

 

 ###################################################################

 

The following areas would be included in other regions

 
Significant shared area: (4) estimated total population 103,071 
 

44120 (Shaker)  50/50 shared Zip code. (41,027)  (Southeast sub region)

 

44128 (Garfield Heights, Warrenville Heights, North Randall, Highland Heights, Orange and Bedford Heights) This is 50% Cleveland Zip with (Warrenville Heights, North Randall, Highland Heights) Orange and Bedford Heights are marginal.  (31,470) (South East sub region)

 
44119 (Euclid) 50/50 (11,691) (Northeast sub region)
 
44144 (Brooklyn) 25% Cleveland 75% Brooklyn (18,893) (metro region) 

 

 
Areas primarily other cities marginally include part of Cleveland:
 
44117 (Euclid, Richmond Heights) marginally Cleveland, (north east sub-region)
 

44221 (Cleveland Heights, South Euclid) marginally Cleveland (north east sub-region)

44112 (East Cleveland, Cleveland Heights) marginally Cleveland  (north east sub-region)
     

The remaining sub regions would be continuous and surround the metropolitan sub region. The non-continuous zip codes become part of the sub region where they geographically exist.  

 

####################################################################   

 
 North East:  marginal parts of Cleveland, Euclid, Richmond Heights, Highland Heights, South Euclid, East Cleveland, Mayfield, Cleveland Heights, University Heights (7) Council seats, estimated population 163,194 
 

44119 (Euclid) (Cleveland)  50/50 (11,691)

44117 (Euclid) 11,308 (Richmond Heights) marginally Cleveland, 

44132 (Euclid) 14,345

44143 Richmond Heights (non-continuous) Highland Heights (continuous) and Mayfield (non-continuous) 24,193

44221 (Cleveland Heights, South Euclid) marginally Cleveland (non-continuous) 30,487

44112 (East Cleveland, Cleveland Heights) marginally Cleveland 28,786

44118 (University Heights, Cleveland Heights)  42,394

 
 

North East Sub-Region, population 163,194, 7 districts

     

 ################################################################## 
 

South East Sub-Region: Beachwood, Bedford, Bedford Heights, Cleveland, Cuyahoga Heights, Chagrin Falls, Gates Mills, Garfield Heights, Glen Willow Highland Heights, Hunting Valley, Lyndhurst, Mayfield, Mayfield, Mayfield Heights, Mooreland Hills, North Randall, Oakwood, Orange, Pepper Pike, Shaker, Solon,Woodmere, Walton Hills, Warrenville Heights    

 

44125 Valley View, Garfield Heights, Cuyahoga Heights (non-continuous) 27,690 

44146 Bedford, Bedford Heights, Walton Hills, Oakwood 29,693  

44139 Solon, Glen Willow 20,814

44128 44128 (Garfield Heights, Warrenville Heights, North Randall, Highland Heights, Orange and Bedford Heights) This is 50% Cleveland Zip with (Warrenville Heights, North Randall, Highland Heights) Orange and Bedford Heights are marginal.  (31,470)

44120 (Shaker) (Cleveland) 50/50 shared Zip code. (41,027) 

44122 Beachwood, Shaker, Highland Heights, Woodmere, Orange (32,660)

44022 Chagrin Falls, Moreland Hills, Hunting Valley (16,591)

44124 Lyndhurst, Pepper Pike, Mayfield Heights, Beachwood (34,949)

44040  Gates Mills, Mayfield (2,699) 

 

South East: population 155,031, 9 districts

 
################################################################## 
 
 

North West: Bay Village, Rocky River, Fairview Park, Lakewood, Westlake and North Olmstead, (6) council seats, total estimated population 165,867

 

44140 Bay Village (continuous) (15,051)

44116 Rocky River and marginally Fairview Park (continuous) (19,776)

44145 Westlake (continuous) (29,935)

44126 Fairview Park (continuous) (16,100)

44070 North Olmstead (continuous) (31,909)

44107 Lakewood (continuous) 

 

North West Sub-Region, population 165,867, 6 districts

 
 
 ###################################################################
 
 

South West:  Olmstead TWP., Olmsted Falls, Berea, Brook Park and Middleburg Heights, Parma, Parma Heights, Brooklyn Heights, Independence, Seven Hills, Brecksville, Broadview Heights, North Royalton and Strongsville.  (10) Council seats, estimated population of 268,295 

 

44138 Olmstead TWP., (continuous) Olmsted Falls, Berea (not continuous) (combined district) 16,896

44017 Berea (continuous) 17,794

44142 Brook Park (continuous) 19,785

44130 Middleburg Heights, Parma Heights  (continuous) Parma non-continuous and marginal part of Cleveland and Brooklyn.  50,199

44129 Parma (continuous) and marginal parts of Brooklyn and Cleveland 27, 598

44134 Parma (continuous) 35,002

44131 Seven Hills, Brooklyn Heights and Independence (continuous) 20,306

44141 Brecksville (continuous) and Broadview Heights (non-continuous) 12,804

44133 North Royalton (continuous) and Broadview Heights (non-continuous) 26,857

44136 Strongsville (continuous) 41,063

 

South West Sub-Region, population 268,295, 10 districts

 
 ###################################################################
 

What is most interesting about this approach is that geographically similar areas are all connected.  Each Sub-Region can be section into similar jurisdictions.  These would be the Zip codes.  Each district would have it own service level, its own budget.  One centralized systems with sections. 

 
 

In summary, it empowers the region and each section. 

 
 
The metropolitan sub-region, population 383,866, 15 districts

    North East Sub-Region, population 163,194, 7 districts

North West Sub-Region, population 165,867, 6 districts
South East: population 155,031, 9 districts
South West Sub-Region, population 268,295, 10 districts

Total population estimate 1,136,253, 47 districts  

 

Currently there are 59 separate municipal governments; this process would eliminate twelve of them.   However, it would create five new sub-regional governments.  The county government would get replaced as the new central government, it to serve as tax collector across all sub regions and the front end for all State and Federal matters.

 

This is good system because it offers representation at a district level; all zip codes would operate as municipal government, under a centralized countywide system. 

 

Care to discuss education district at this point, I would suggest five districts how many are there today?  How about five police districts and 47 district departments instead of 59 some of which are not very well funded.  If the system based off, the county a parcel maps and empowered data sets.  Tax revenue and all related per capita expenses tracked to the parcel level, what a district takes in and what it spends.    

 
 

This is all about a real time data driven system, which requires a high level of consideration of civil rights. 

 
 

I truly believe that if each section of the entire county had a system that had a piece of that 11,000 per capita total tax expenditures, it could address those nagging issues we keep bringing up.   All those hidden funds, pet projects all covered, and the result measured. 

 

Having data driven system, with districts detailed, percentages of residential, commercial and industrial properties.  If linked to utilities even energy consumption addressed.  I believe if we are all doing the same thing the same way, then knowledge and resources shared, people are not inherently greedy or ignorant, but all this smoke and mirrors with no real solid agenda, it needs to end. 

 

If you keep taking money and nothing changes then it time to change, stop patting yourselves on the backs over nothing more than wasting money.

 

All I want is one district to administer, just one.  I think I would like 44111 that the one I was born in, it used to be very nice, and it is looking shitty lately.       

 

   

 

   

 
 

 

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There are these areas of Cleveland that people need to look at closely.  Two are very interesting. 

 

The zip code 44120 is both Shaker and Cleveland.  The there is 44106 that is both Cleveland and Cleveland Heights.

 

The average incomes of both of these areas are above the State average.  With the average at near 48K for both, but is that wealth evenly distributed?  No, we all know it is not the city services and quality of life very different. 

 

This high average is because of the wealthy areas they include, but that wealth does not get dispersed in the areas that they are geographically continuous with, it does with areas to the east of them to not to the west of them.  That is a shame because both the city of Shaker and Cleveland Heights lack areas for any industry, residential or commercial growth.  The adjacent areas have that potential.  It not to say that Cleveland is not attempting to capitalize on the proximity to it better off neighbors, they are and these areas include University Circle and Shaker Square.  New project and development abound in these areas, but they are not connected to the tax revenue that is directly next to them.  

 

The property taxes are high in these areas were they become inner ring suburbs.  Shaker at 2.85% and Cleveland Heights at 2.56% compared to Cleveland’s 1.973%, but then Cleveland has a rate for the part closest to Shaker that is 2.93%, oddly the area of Cleveland closet to Shaker is the highest in property taxes in the county.   

 

There are 78 tax districts the county.  Funny the sum of these as a rate is 152.957 and the average over 78 would be 1.960987 

 

It is interesting that the poorest communities are paying that already.  The wealthiest are paying much more.  Therefore, an average property tax of 1.97 would generate the same revenue as the variable rate we currently have.  However, is the system for education was regional it would be more efficient and would the rate lower?   

 

Look at the Mayfield district is has a property tax rate of 1.45% and rated excellent on the State Standards.  However, that district includes Gates Mills, which is interesting shows how having a wealthy area can really improve a system.    

 

Simply having flat rate on property taxes and income taxes would eliminate unnecessary processing and bureaucracy.    It actually seems do fair to me that everyone pay the same rates. 

 
I am not disrespectful, look at the districts, the areas are continuous not drastically different. There is nothing radical in this, it is very pragmatic.    

Operation Efficiency, Is this a hold over from Campbell, it was initiated in 2002? 

 

It contain allot of passive language, investigate, determine, discover, figure out.

 

Learn how to is what I get out of it.  Seriously, it is 2007.5 and it looks all the same to me, perhaps they are doing nothing for less?  

 

This is an 80+-page report, how big was the lake front development proposal. They are doing a lot of analyzing, changes can hurt and have risks.  The status quo undermines and defends, it prevent s change.   

 

Creepy  

 

How much of the lake front proposal will ever happen?  How much of this operation efficiency will?  It the same old stuff, look busy, make it sound good.

 

I thought to myself, this is good idea, usually that means it has already been thought of and that is true.  However, not to the level I am taking it, that being a permanent IT service provider that is independent but integrated.  Create and grow it fuel it and empower it to meet your needs.

 

I prefer parallel systems, the new system gets developed next to the old one and then it get patented and tested.

 

Here is a potential for intelligent software  

It is based on Linux.

 

Keep in mind that it would be the kernel and grown, empowered with the best and the brightest.

 

MyChart,    mygov   ebased data driven.

 

It all about a smart perceptive systems, that requires good data, clean data. However, it really would require investment and resources collectively the region has that, a regional government.  

 

A software corporation, an application and resource provider, empowered financially, to acquire others to grow to become the largest and most successful.  A building filled with the brainiest and people that can make things happen.