Cleveland Real Estate News

Sometimes it just seems wrong to not give an opinion. Issue 6 (and by default Issue 5) are important enough that most of us have spent time figuring out the details and deciding how to vote.  I admit one thing: it took me forever to get 5 and 6 straight. Part of the strategy I’m sure.  Issue 6 reforms our County by Charter and changing from a 3 person commissioner system of government to a County Executive and 11 person Council system of government. It’s not all that new to me.  I spent 10 years living in Montgomery County Maryland.  Their current population is listed a bit lower than ours, but essentially it’s the same.  The system worked well there. I’m not trying to say we do it because they do it. Let’s look at the heart of the matter.

 

Three people overseeing (from a public accountability standpoint) all the workings and issues that make up County work is not efficient, and certainly not transparent. We have County issues like transportation, public safety, planning, health, financial or fiscal responsibilities. Just those five issues off the top of my head.  How about regional development, or economic development? How about housing? I’m sure we could add ten more topics in five minutes.  Three people divided up to oversee all of the issues is just way too daunting, even for an Albert Einstein. We deserve to have accountability for every issue that needs governing. By having 11 people dividing up committee responsibilities, by having most of the County’s work done in a public forum (except for executive session items like personnel or legal issues), we can be more aware of how are government is operating. 

 

I can’t ever forget the year I moved here, going to the Department of Economic Development and asking for public annual reports on economic development in the past three years (this was 1998). I’m a geek about that stuff, I was curious, interested, and certainly had been able to get the info easily in Maryland. I was told there was no public document like that.  I said how about a pamphlet or a brochure?  Nope.  I remember being amazed.  Totally amazed!

 

Now, maybe we have improved since then.  I would say yes, we have.  But restructuring our County government can  help ensure that we can have the ability to know what’s going on.

 

It’s a serious issue and it really is time for this positive change.  We don’t need Issue 5 which does more committee style studying of the issue. There is plenty of historical evidence from around the Country to show how this system works. And when I did my research, it seems as if this issue has been discussed and studied in one form or another for 12 to 15 years. So let’s do it.  Let’s not vote based on what our Democratic or Republican Party tells us to do. Who gives a hoot, really?  Let’s just vote on our informed belief.   If you are voting differently than I am, based on your beliefs, then I applaud you.  Because you are voting! But if you are stuck in sound bite hell about how the Republicans are jamming one issue down our throats and the Democrats in power want another, then I say, step back, study the issue and then vote.

 

I know I’m voting for Issue 6 and against Issue 5.  Peace Out – 3C

Update:  Okay, now I am doing a comparison. Look at the difference between the websites for one county and another (ours).  Montgomery County’s web page on public participation seems much more inclusionary and welcoming.  Cuyahoga’s  County website is here.  Under public participation, Montgomery County lists many ways people can get info or participate. One of the the line items is ‘how to get information on agenda items’.  What a concept!