Merging Clev. Hgts. and Univ. Hgts. - Is All We Know Wrong?

[Bill Call]

Cleveland Hts. Councilman Mark Tumeo is proposing a merger between Cleveland Heights and University Heights:

http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/st ... xml&coll=2

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/04 ... .html#more

One University Heights resident expressed opposition. "Cleveland Heights is going down the drain", he said.

How can that be?

Cleveland Heights has a city manager. Don't city managers provide better management?

Cleveland Heights has a 2% income tax rate, 33% higher than Lakewood's tax rate of 1.5%. Isn't an income tax increase the way to balance budgets?

Cleveland Heights has a 2.92% property tax rate, 16% higher than Lakewoods rate of 2.53%. Aren't higher property taxes the key to prosperity?

Cleveland Heights has a brand new community center and city hall. Don't investments in public buildings increase pride in you city and operational efficiencies in operations?

Cleveland Heights has a new shopping center with a Wal Mart, Home Depot and other stores. Don't people want to live where they shop?

Cleveland Heights has already merged its school system with University Hgts and yet the school system continues its slide. I thought bigger was better?

Cleveland Heights spends more per student than 99% of the schools in the country. Don't big salaries mean good schools?

Cleveland Heights has trendy neighborhoods. I thought trendy was in?

Cleveland Heights has a highly educated population? Isn't that good?

Cleveland Heights has Cain Park. Aren't the arts the key to happiness?

Why would a bigger Cleveland Heights fare any better?

Didn't the Plain Dealer just list Cleveland Heights as a "hot real estate market". Can a hot realestate market be going done the drain? (This is the same PD that put a picture of a vandalized Lakewood home as part of a story about the good quality of Lakewood homes that appeared in a natinal architectual magazine but that's old news).

Why is Cleveland Heights going down the drain?

Are you afraid of the answer?