February 2006
Starting the Dialogue
Exploring Regional Cooperation within Cincinnati

By Marc Beechuk
Queen City Forum Magazine staff writer

What standing do we want Cincinnati to attain in the world? What about in the nation? These are the questions currently being asked of citizens who want the city and the region to prosper and excel—citizens who know that working cooperatively will propel Cincinnati to heights not experienced since the mid 1800s.

With regional government far from the discussion at city hall or in the chambers of the county commissioners, the task of advancing such an idea is left to citizens of Cincinnati. Citizens for Civic Renewal ( CCR) are happy to assess the local interest and keep the pressure upon our leaders. This group is adamant about promoting a conversation to find cooperative, money-saving solutions for the region. Several issues have been discussed that will get Cincinnati moving toward progress.

  • Small steps toward Collaboration

This idea would be an incremental approach to building cooperation through merging departments. It would begin out of the political eye by combining services such as the duplicate building departments of the city and county. Indianapolis has boasted multi-million dollar gains from a move as simple as merging their city and county fire departments.

Moves such as these are negligible for residents and can occur without a vote. Operating out of public view could allow mergers time to fully develop without residents blasting our leaders for sponsoring socialist programs. These steps could then be looked back upon and used as positive progress if we were to have a full vote on regional government.

This may be the only possibility in Cincinnati/Hamilton County due to the conservative climate. The gradual approach gives people comfort and ease by avoiding drastic steps from the beginning.

"Connecting the Dots" QueenCityForum.com Magazine Cover Art February, 2006

  
  • Involving the business community

Money, Money, Mon-nay! Combining the almighty dollar with the modern market creates the driving force behind business. It is also the bonding element for Cincinnati to connect regional government with the business community. So how can regional government help out these folks? Improved services are the first money-saving option. For instance, easing timelines for the building process would positively affect development and save the business community time. And that equals money.

A regional government approach could help in the form of tax relief for businesses and their employees. Suburbanites who work in the city currently get hit up by Cincinnati and Hamilton County and still can only vote in the outlying elections. People do not currently have a say on where their tax dollars are being spent.

Perhaps the most important reason to involve the business sector is to avoid hanging the ever-important supporters “out to dry”. The last thing Big Business wants to do is rock the political paddleboat and alienate possible clients.
  • Home rule

Home rule is the allocation of certain powers to the local government while some still pertain regionally. It is another way to entice the jurisdictions that may not be as sure of regional government. This notion would work well in concert with the incremental approach because issues would consolidate on a need/manageable basis and jurisdictions could choose whether or not to participate. Certain issues would be region-wide and certain issues would not due to the ability of service provision. For instance, it may be easier if some jurisdictions perform their own zoning while it would not be as feasible for areas to acquire their own water. Home rule would allow jurisdictions to provide an individual level of service for certain tasks and still be a part of the regional network for others.

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  • Cooperating with Northern Kentucky

The idea of interstate cooperation occurs more than Cincinnatians realize. Such an idea would promote the region further than many who have accomplished a city/county regional government. This idea is not a new one. Many cities exist on the borders of one or more states. Our region would have a chance at transcending current state borders and approach the boundaries of Mega-opolis cooperation that is predicted to occur in the future decades.

Again, we should talk about baby steps, and the first piece might include what some experts find inevitable: gambling. If gambling is going to eventually occur on our banks, why not build a cooperative regional destination? Non-compliance on this level may put Hamilton County further behind the prospering south bank.

  • Remain autonomous with later buy-in

The buy-in concept could occur if the city and county consolidated and then allowed jurisdictions to join at a later point. This idea goes along with ones previously discussed and would allow jurisdictions to buy in to the regional network as they see fit. Allowing jurisdictions to control certain aspects of their territory for periods of time could soften the effects that local levels experience when becoming a part of the regional system. Simply stripping small governments of their powers and laying blanket laws across the region would be impossible and almost silly to ask of our communities.

With creative discussion points like these, Cincinnati and Hamilton County can begin to see the benefits and shortfalls of regional cooperation. The exchange of ideas has been around for some time, and planning theorists see eventual mega-cities in the future. Isn’t it about time we started the dialogue?

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