Bunts Road And The $18 Million Outhouse

[Bill Call]

I read in the Plain Dealer that Governor Strickland is very popular in Southern Ohio. I think I know why.

The nominally Republican area has benefited from hundreds of millions of dollars in direct investment from the State. Investments that return all of the tax dollars they send to Columbus plus even more. Meanwhile Cuyahoga County continues to act as the States sugar daddy, sending more to the State than we get in return.

Over time that policy has helped to turn this once prosperous County into a pauper. For some reason we continue send representatives to Columbus who sign on to multi-million dollar outhouses for Southern Ohio:

http://mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... -1/ARCHIVE

But don't have time or money to see to it that the street gets paved, see this project that might not happen:

http://blog.cleveland.com/lakewooodsunpost/2007/10/

When we continue to send the same local representatives back to Columbus we act like like the long suffering abused wife who keeps coming back for more.

Politically it makes sense for Strickland to ignore Cuyahoga County and lavish Southern Ohio with billions of dollars worth of attention. Why? Because he knows that the old girl will keep coming back but the fresh young face of Southern Ohio might find a new beau if the gifts stop coming.

[Paul Schrimpf]

Am I pushing the wrong button on my computer, or is the first link to an Oregon news site? ODOT and Ashland references are in there, but Oregon does also start with O and I guess there is an Ashland there too ...

[Robert Bobik]

Isn't that outhouse in Oregon?

[Phil Florian]

Isn't that outhouse in Oregon?

See, even more wasteful! They didn't even build that outhouse in Ohio!

[Bill Call]

Am I pushing the wrong button on my computer, or is the first link to an Oregon news site? ODOT and Ashland references are in there, but Oregon does also start with O and I guess there is an Ashland there too ...

My mistake (as usual). See:

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/dist5/Admini ... .05.06.asp

[Paul Schrimpf]

I'd like more moo-laa coming our way as much as the next guy, but it's nice not to have to pee in a stinky hole like we used to have to back in the day. One could argue that clean and safe hi-way facilities reflect well on a state's reputation. I've done enough roadies through the Heartland to create a top 10 state list by roadside facilities, and it has impacted my view of a particular state when they've been less than favorable. But that's straying quite a bit from the topic ...

[Bill Call]

I'd like more moo-laa coming our way as much as the next guy, but it's nice not to have to pee in a stinky hole like we used to have to back in the day.

I agree up to a point, but $18 million is a lot to pay for an outhouse, even a ten seater.

The point here is that Cuyahoga County has become the State's ATM machine. We send billions of dollars to Columbus and get millions in return.

Strickland engages in a very smart policitcal strategy when he continues and expands on that policy. He stands no chance of losing votes in Cuyahoga County and a good chance to gain votes in Southern Ohio.

There is no money for Bunts Road, no money for the Shoreway project and no money for a sensible interbelt plan but plenty of money for $18 million dollar out houses.

Perhaps our elected representatives in this area can start saying no to projects in Southern Ohio until Strickland starts yes to projects in Cuyahoga County.

[Phil Florian]

What is interesting is that this mirrors the nation as a whole. The "Blue" County in Ohio supports the "Red" counties in the south of the state. The same can be said at the national level. Though the Republicans talk a lot about shrinking government the people that put them into power, almost to a state, take more dollars than they give to the Feds and in the Blue state is the opposite.

Is this ironic? Maybe THIS is why we need more Republicans in office? To drag more money than we give in to the government?

[Dee Martinez]

I believe a similar upgrade is currently underway on I-71 near Brunswick.
Not Cuyahoga County but certainly Northeast Ohio. Am I right?
Didnt the state just pay for a major major reconstruction on Sloane Ave and also Clifton Blvd

[Bill Call]

What is interesting is that this mirrors the nation as a whole. The "Blue" County in Ohio supports the "Red" counties in the south of the state. The same can be said at the national level.

That's a true fact.

[ryan costa]

I read in the Plain Dealer that Governor Strickland is very popular in Southern Ohio. I think I know why.

The nominally Republican area has benefited from hundreds of millions of dollars in direct investment from the State. Investments that return all of the tax dollars they send to Columbus plus even more. Meanwhile Cuyahoga County continues to act as the States sugar daddy, sending more to the State than we get in return.

Over time that policy has helped to turn this once prosperous County into a pauper. For some reason we continue send representatives to Columbus who sign on to multi-million dollar outhouses for Southern Ohio:

http://mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... -1/ARCHIVE

But don't have time or money to see to it that the street gets paved, see this project that might not happen:

http://blog.cleveland.com/lakewooodsunpost/2007/10/

When we continue to send the same local representatives back to Columbus we act like like the long suffering abused wife who keeps coming back for more.

Politically it makes sense for Strickland to ignore Cuyahoga County and lavish Southern Ohio with billions of dollars worth of attention. Why? Because he knows that the old girl will keep coming back but the fresh young face of Southern Ohio might find a new beau if the gifts stop coming.

Lots of Rural Ohians end up migrating to Columbus and Cincinatti suburbs. For some reason they are good at construction work. they build up the latest crop of mcmansions and shopping malls.

You've sort of described the growth of the U.S.Sunbelt, California, and Southwest, and Colorado suburban development over the last few decades: tons of federal money from the industrial north is pumped there to build infrastructure. The new residents there end up electing people like George Bush.