Lakewood Is Getting Poorer and Smaller

Bill Call · Post by **Bill Call** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 7:37 am

Lakewood continues to lose population and continues to get poorer relative to the rest of the State. While people can take some small measure of satisfaction that the decline is slow, it is also inexorable.

The question never answered: How will Lakewood replace 1,500 jobs and all of the tax revenue and economic activity those jobs bring to Lakewood?

Brian Essi · Post by **Brian Essi** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 8:09 am

ir is sad that Summers and Bleed Lakewood don't care about taking away the viral safety net for the poor at a time when it is most needed.

When I asked Summers how we would replace the $7 million in annual charity from the Hospital, his exact words were "I'm not worried about those people."

I am very worried and I will continue to advocate for them.

Michael Deneen · Post by **Michael Deneen** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 8:17 am

There is no plan to replace those jobs.
We will either get a taxpayer-funded recreation center (that's the only tangible plan that the Mayor has), or some sort of development that will bring in less revenue than the hospital.

If the hospital is destroyed, we will hit the tipping point for Lakewood.
I've always been a major booster of the city, but I must admit that I've started looking around for other options.

Vince Frantz · Post by **Vince Frantz** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 8:24 am

What do you think would counter that trend?

Brian Essi · Post by **Brian Essi** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 8:50 am

Vince,

Good Leadership.

Michael Deneen · Post by **Michael Deneen** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 8:53 am

Vince Frantz wrote:What do you think would counter that trend?

A good first step: Don't demolish your largest employer!

It's critical to defend the tax base by keeping good paying jobs. We need those dollars to fund basic city services like police.
Police are important because it's vital that Lakewoodites feel safe...otherwise Lakewood is indistinguishable from Cleveland.

Meg Ostrowski · Post by **Meg Ostrowski** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 8:54 am

Back in 2010, city leaders were on a mission to be sure that every eligible resident be included in the census.

http://lakewoodobserver.com/read/2010/0 ... orum-count

http://lakewoodobserver.com/read/2010/0 ... ensus-2010

As we teeter near the 50,000 mark, much is at risk. The 2020 census is just around the corner for folks that think ahead. In the hospital debate, one could argue that the loss of jobs and economic activity will accelerate a decline OR that new development will attract new residents. It is likely to be some of both initially. But when the dust truly settles from such a BIG blow to our economic foundation, will we be able to maintain city/entitlement status? We are dependent on it for many of the things that we enjoy in Lakewood.

No matter how many ways I try to think about the hospital situation, I cannot wrap my head around why/how everyone isn’t fighting together for our future.

Nadhal Eadeh · Post by **Nadhal Eadeh** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 9:08 am

Meg,

I was literally posting the same thing

!

Read Madigan's letter on page 20:

http://www.onelakewood.com/pdf/CouncilD ... 7-6-09.pdf

If Lakewood dips below 50,000 residents it will lose federal funding for many of it's programs. To Mike's point, demolishing your largest employer is economic suicide.

Bottom Line: Per Madigan, "Population loss is a challenge faced by Lakewood, other inner ring cities and our entire region. Cuyahoga County has been losing residents since the 1970's and we feel the effect of it in many way's".

This is exactly why members of council should ask for a real economic impact study. The Cleveland area has several great universities. Im sure their faculty will be more than happy to commission a real economic impact study for Lakewood residents.

Nadhal

Meg Ostrowski · Post by **Meg Ostrowski** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 9:14 am

Vince Frantz wrote:What do you think would counter that trend?

In the "Let's dissect this turkey..." thread you wrote of the election results:

Vince Frantz wrote:Are you better off than 4 years ago?

Is Lakewood better off than 4 years ago?

I think most people keep it simple. I don't see how any non-Summers candidate could articulate a "turnaround" from what we have going in Lakewood right now. Turnaround from what? A future, potential hike in taxes? A potential extra 5 minutes ambulance time? Maybe when the empty hospital causes a spike in crime - then maybe the electorate would clean house (but that could have been Skindell by that time).

It will take a bigger dip in quality of life in Lakewood before people vote for potentials over progress. Myself included.

I wish voters had been thinking 5 or 15 years ahead but it is too late for that now. What it is not too late for is joining together to SAVE LAKEWOOD HOSPITAL. I don't mean an old building as Build Lakewood suggested. I mean jobs, critical services and economic activity. All of this can come in a package that looks and smells like new development. I'm not sure we can turn the trend around but I know we can apply the brakes and minimize the damage.

Brian Essi · Post by **Brian Essi** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 9:44 am

Vince's quote "potentials over progress."

That sort of defines the entire disconnect.

The Big Dream is a twinkle in the eye--a potential.

How is enforcing an existing contract and keeping over 1,000 existing jobs merely a "potential"

Vince,

What "potential" development do you have in mind that has 24/7 365 jobs in the center of Lakewood away from the highway?

Sg Foster · Post by **Sg Foster** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 9:56 am

I think Meg's point is spot on:
I wish voters had been thinking 5 or 15 years ahead but it is too late for that now. What it is not too late for is joining together to SAVE LAKEWOOD HOSPITAL. I don't mean an old building as Build Lakewood suggested. I mean jobs, critical services and economic activity. All of this can come in a package that looks and smells like new development. I'm not sure we can turn the trend around but I know we can apply the brakes and minimize the damage.

Perhaps SAVE LAKEWOOD would be a more accurate representation of what this fight is truly about.

Dan Alaimo · Post by **Dan Alaimo** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 2:05 pm

Sg Foster wrote:I think Meg's point is spot on:
I wish voters had been thinking 5 or 15 years ahead but it is too late for that now. What it is not too late for is joining together to SAVE LAKEWOOD HOSPITAL. I don't mean an old building as Build Lakewood suggested. I mean jobs, critical services and economic activity. All of this can come in a package that looks and smells like new development. I'm not sure we can turn the trend around but I know we can apply the brakes and minimize the damage.

Perhaps SAVE LAKEWOOD would be a more accurate representation of what this fight is truly about.

I applaud most of the above comments in this thread, but especially this one:
"Perhaps SAVE LAKEWOOD would be a more accurate representation of what this fight is truly about."
That's what I'm about in this fight. It's not just about a hospital.

cameron karslake · Post by **cameron karslake** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 3:37 pm

I feel that many voters think that if they themselves haven't used the hospital for anything, closing it won't have much of an effect on their lives. What they don't realize is that having a full service hospital has effected their lives in many hidden ways the whole time they've been living in Lakewood. Plus, most, if not all, the ways are positive ways and they will be extremely difficult to replace.

Development for development's sake, what kind of plan is that? It's not a plan (!), it's a pipe dream!

Bill Call · Post by **Bill Call** » Sun Nov 08, 2015 8:50 am

cameron karslake wrote: Development for development's sake, what kind of plan is that? It's not a plan (!), it's a pipe dream!

When I talk to Build Lakewood supporters there are comments that they repeat over and over like some strange incantation; hospitals are obsolete, think of all of that land open for development. When I ask why the Clinic is building hospitals in Avon, Mentor, Twinsburg and elsewhere I get no answer. When I ask what kind of development I get a blank stare.

The only job growth in Northeast Ohio is in government and healthcare. Lakewood is not going to get a Federal or State office building and we are giving away our healthcare jobs. What will replace them? A recreation center?

marklingm · Post by **marklingm** » Sun Nov 08, 2015 10:05 am

Bill Call wrote:The only job growth in Northeast Ohio is in government and healthcare. Lakewood is not going to get a Federal or State office building and we are giving away our healthcare jobs. What will replace them? A recreation center? (emphasis added)

Yes, Bill.

The undisputed material facts demonstrate that Mayor Summers and his gang have been planning the "Michael P. Summers Recreation Center & Natatorium" for years.

The undisputed material facts demonstrate that Mayor Summers and his gang have been tossing around their recreation income tax increase plan.

The undisputed material facts demonstrate that Mayor Summers and his gang have been tossing around their recreation property tax increase plan.

Think Big, Bill!

Dream Bigger!

Matt

Lakewood Is Getting Poorer and Smaller

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