Richard Cole wrote:John - I think it's that I dont entirely agree with everything contained in DLAGC.
Richard/John
I would also say I do not agree with everything. You have to take many of the things she says and apply it to the city.
Yesterday I was speaking with a leader of the green movement in Northern Ohio, and we were talking about his 9-5 job, and how things are affecting them. He works at a pretty large "attraction" in Cleveland, and CLE+ came up. His take was that there was no way they could serve a region that large. As was pointed out in the Chamber discussion, the CLE+ region has the same financial resources as many third world countries?! So we should roll over for the World Bank? His feeling was they scooped in to grab the counties most in need and/or the most vulnerable to the snake oil. That he had never seen anyone geek over regionalism that is not paid to be a regionalist, or the flock they lead. That as Bill mentions it always leads to larger government and larger er, ah er problems.
Justine
You are correct as I mentioned above the only people calling for regionalism is those that have been paid to pimp regionalism. This is why the thousands of little meetings, to pour the vague references into people minds. Well in Avon... Well in Youngstown... Well it is working all over the world... The weak walk away thinking and saying that, with no actual case studies.
As we were told...The chart on the left represents tha manufacturing base in Cleveland right now. Of course you want to be higher and farther right. Well the chart on the right represents Cleveland with regionalism. See, See, don't you get it? Regionalism is better! ?
But what about now in this tough economy?
Well regionalism helps you feel better about that too!
In this chart the red line represents the national average. The blue line Cleveland and region. As you can plainly see by the two areas circled, Cleveland is not as bad off when the entire country is tanking as when it is doing well. The gap between us and them is closer now! ? So we should hope for a tanking America?
Follow up with a couple questions of the hundreds asked at "Voices and Choices" In voices and choices 85% of the people there looked forward to regionalism. Huh? So 85% of the people at a pro regionalism conference, after being show stuff like this, thought regionalism was better. Really? Go figure?
This stuff is insane.
"People that read the Lakewood Observer have a better level of reading than those that can't read it." Obviously the key is the Observer. The LO can cure illiteracy. Don't you get it?
Back to the point of this thread. If the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce run by a non-Lakewood resident or business owner thinks rolling over for regionalism and losing much of home rule is good, that I can understand. After all the Lakewood CoC best/biggest member is or was The Mentor Captains! But when other business and supposedly pro-economic development groups like LakewoodAlive back regionalism, I start thinking of wolves in sheep's clothing. Now as was pointed out numerous times, one of their founders is paid to be pro-regionalism, and very active in that. But how does that affect the job they do to build economic development in Lakewood?
Does Lakewood really need malls and factories, or do they need good residents and businesses to fill the stores on Madison and Detroit? Is this why they are so ineffectual, in a desperate attempt to serve two masters, the poorer one is used and abused. Is this why so many back channel meetings, so much hush, hush, so many secrets and so few actions? In an attempt to grab and secure $$$$ and power Lakewood loses again and again?
So why did two pro-Lakewood groups host a leaders meeting with REGIONALISM as the main course? Have they given up? Or are they preparing to sacrifice the lamb?
Me, as pointed out time and time again. I can see where regionalism might work for 90% of the region. Places fighting over factories, malls etc. But there are also certain gems in the "region" worth saving, rebuilding, cherishing, and keeping different from becoming just another city in the region.
I do not benefit financially from regionalism or fighting regionalism. I am involved in both hyper local papers and regional specialty community papers.
I write this because I love that Lakewood is different, and maybe we should learn to amplify what we have instead of chasing the "fondue" of the time. When marketing, it is always better to have a product that stands out from the rest.
Can a person really serve two masters?
FWIW