New buzz in the Valley on regionalization

Regionalization is a popular buzzword among those in the Mahoning Valley who are either in government or want to reform it.

We've heard the word for years, but we've seen little of it. There are some instances of some communities sharing services such as joint fire districts and emergency 911 facilities, and working together on economic development ventures.

But attempts at major regionalization efforts or wholesale changes to the Valley's government structure have either failed or it ran into so many roadblocks that they all fail miserably.

It's been well over a year since Youngstown announced it was going to issue a report that would look at using its water system as an economic development tool in the communities that surround it. A major part of the proposal included charging an income tax to workers in portions of those communities, particularly Austintown and Boardman.

The trustees in those townships were vocal in their opposition.

The study was to be finished in November 2006. We sit here a year later and no study. Youngstown officials say they are busy tackling other major issues such as running the Chevrolet Centre and changing how the city's park and recreation commission operates. Because of that, the study is on the back burner.

New city council

There are always going to be important issues for Youngstown officials to address. An almost entirely new city council is going to begin in two months. The city will spend months working to hire a firm to run the Chevrolet Centre. A number of departments will have new leadership by January because of an early retirement incentive offered by the city.

When will be the right time?

While the city waits, the Regional Chamber is wasting little time on its concept to change the form of government in Mahoning and Trumbull counties.

The chamber has organized committees for each county to develop plans for what most likely would be home rule charter forms of government. The goal is to get the proposals written in the next five months and to place the proposals on the ballot in each county in November 2008.

Chamber officials and members of the committees are touting the reforms as the best way to help economic development in the Valley. Instead of businesses having to deal with three county commissioners they would go to a county executive, and other changes would eliminate delays in getting deals done.

Listed in information distributed by the chamber is statements that changing the form of government in both counties would provide cost savings.

It also stated that home rule governments have saved money by "reducing operating costs, increased efficiency and productivity, improve revenue, collection, or effective use of technology."

No savings estimate

But when asked to just give a range on how much money could be saved by changing the form of government, no one could provide an estimate.

Mahoning County Commissioner John McNally IV, chairman of his county's home rule charter committee, acknowledged changing the form of government may not result in any savings. He said the goal is to create a more efficient and effective government.

"It would be suspect at best to say how much we'll save," added Thomas Humphries, the Regional Chamber's president.

The only county of the 88 in Ohio with this form of government is Summit.

One indicator of economic success is unemployment statistics. The latest figures show Summit with a 5.3-percent rate, Trumbull at 6.1 percent and Mahoning at 6.4 percent. The state's average is 5.9 percent.

But how much of that is because of the county's charter form of government?

"I don't believe for one minute the form of government has anything to do with" economic success, said Trumbull County Commissioner Dan Polivka, who is skeptical of the chamber's proposal. "Look at Franklin County. They have a three-commissioner form of government."

And Franklin's unemployment rate is 5 percent, lower than Summit's.

Friday, November 2, 2007

Regionalization is a popular

buzzword among those in the Mahoning Valley who are either in

government or want to reform it.

We've heard the word for years, but we've seen little of it. There are some instances of some communities sharing services such as joint fire districts and emergency 911 facilities, and working together on economic development ventures.

But attempts at major regionalization efforts or wholesale changes to the Valley's government structure have either failed or it ran into so many roadblocks that they all fail miserably.

It's been well over a year since Youngstown announced it was going to issue a report that would look at using its water system as an economic development tool in the communities that surround it. A major part of the proposal included charging an income tax to workers in portions of those communities, particularly Austintown and Boardman.

The trustees in those townships were vocal in their opposition.

The study was to be finished in November 2006. We sit here a year later and no study. Youngstown officials say they are busy tackling other major issues such as running the Chevrolet Centre and changing how the city's park and recreation commission operates. Because of that, the study is on the back burner.

New city council

There are always going to be important issues for Youngstown officials to address. An almost entirely new city council is going to begin in two months. The city will spend months working to hire a firm to run the Chevrolet Centre. A number of departments will have new leadership by January because of an early retirement incentive offered by the city.

When will be the right time?

While the city waits, the Regional Chamber is wasting little time on its concept to change the form of government in Mahoning and Trumbull counties.

The chamber has organized committees for each county to develop plans for what most likely would be home rule charter forms of government. The goal is to get the proposals written in the next five months and to place the proposals on the ballot in each county in November 2008.

Chamber officials and members of the committees are touting the reforms as the best way to help economic development in the Valley. Instead of businesses having to deal with three county commissioners they would go to a county executive, and other changes would eliminate delays in getting deals done.

Listed in information distributed by the chamber is statements that changing the form of government in both counties would provide cost savings.

It also stated that home rule governments have saved money by "reducing operating costs, increased efficiency and productivity, improve revenue, collection, or effective use of technology."

No savings estimate

But when asked to just give a range on how much money could be saved by changing the form of government, no one could provide an estimate.

Mahoning County Commissioner John McNally IV, chairman of his county's home rule charter committee, acknowledged changing the form of government may not result in any savings. He said the goal is to create a more efficient and effective government.

"It would be suspect at best to say how much we'll save," added Thomas Humphries, the Regional Chamber's president.

The only county of the 88 in Ohio with this form of government is Summit.

One indicator of economic success is unemployment statistics. The latest figures show Summit with a 5.3-percent rate, Trumbull at 6.1 percent and Mahoning at 6.4 percent. The state's average is 5.9 percent.

But how much of that is because of the county's charter form of government?

"I don't believe for one minute the form of government has anything to do with" economic success, said Trumbull County Commissioner Dan Polivka, who is skeptical of the chamber's proposal. "Look at Franklin County. They have a three-commissioner form of government."

And Franklin's unemployment rate is 5 percent, lower than Summit's.

Friday, November 2, 2007

Regionalization is a popular buzzword among those in the Mahoning Valley who are either in government or want to...