News
News Home
The Regina Brett Show
Quick Bites
Exploradio
News Archive
News Channel
Special Features
NPR
nowplaying
On AirNewsClassical
Loading...
  
Weather
From WKYC.COM / TV 3
School Closings
WKSU Support
Funding for WKSU is made possible in part through support from the following businesses and organizations.

Akron Children's Hospital

Akron BioInnovation

Knight Foundation


For more information on how your company or organization can support WKSU, download the WKSU Media Kit.

(WKSU Media Kit PDF icon )


Donate Your Vehicle to WKSU

Programs Schedule Make A Pledge Member BenefitsFAQ/HelpContact Us
Government


Brookings study says cities are key to Ohio's revitalizaiton

by WKSU's M.L. SCHULTZE


Web Editor
M.L. Schultze
 
Ohio's past rests with its cities. And so, according to a new Brookings Institution report, does its future. The report was released in Columbus Wednesday and its conclusion coincides with the release last week by Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher of a new strategic plan for economic development in Ohio.
Click to Listen

Other options:
Windows Media / MP3 Download (3:38)


(Click image for larger view.)

Real estate mogul Al Ratner says Ohio's top priority is attracting more people.
Bruce Katz who oversaw the Brookings Institution report on renewing Ohio.
Bruce Katz explains to the Columbus Convention Center audience how fragmented and competitive local governments is one of Ohio's biggest obstacles.
Al Ratner explains that the state need not focus only on attracting smart and talented people. “I’d take anybody. I am the only guy in the country that will take every illegal immigrant I could get.”

Most of the business, social service, and government officials gathered in the Columbus Convention Center were already true believers. So they found a lot to love in the conclusions of a Brookings Institute study that says Ohio's cities must reassert themselves as cultural, economic, and educational hubs. One of the obstacles is fragmented and competitive local governments, according to Bruce Katz who oversaw the report. That leaves "thousands of local municipalities and school districts that literally wake up everyday and think about how to compete against each other for a little payroll tax here or some property tax there," Katz said. He also said that the true competition is not with other communities within Ohio, but with entire globe. Katz said that Ohio's cities have old assets that can be used in new ways. For example, thirty years ago rivers were originally thought of only as a mode of transportation. Today, "they're used to mix these developments, parks, liveable communities. They're an attraction. They're a magnet for talented workers." One of the cities profiled in the Brookings report is Akron and its attempt to redefine manufacturing in the city. Mayor Don Plusquellic says that Akron did that despite years of state policies that encourage moves to the suburbs. He says that suburban sprawl is "adding to our energy costs making it more difficult and more expensive because we have more roads and more sewer lines and more water lines to maintain and it adds to our general cost of governing." That's changing under Governor Ted Strickland according to the report and to Al Ratner, head of Forest City Enterprises in Cleveland. He said that the most important thing that the state needs to do is to increase its population. "Population eats, pays taxes, and sends kids to school," Ratner said. He added that the state need not focus only on attracting smart and talented people. "I'd take anybody. I am the only guy in the country that will take every illegal immigrant I could get."
Add Your Comment
Name:

Location:

E-mail: (not published, only used to contact you about your comment)


Comments:




 
Page Options

Print this page

E-Mail this page / Send mp3

Share on Facebook




Stories with Recent Comments

Husted's voter-address plan is under scrutiny
=========== The new directive allows voters to make the updates online for the first time. =========== Ahem!!! You might want to do some fact checking before ...

Leveling the field between private and public school sports
Consideration should be given to establishing a limit on athletic scholarships to private schools (which may be disguised as financial aid to poor students). I...

Thirteen Cleveland firefighters indicted
What was stolen? Section 7(p)(3) of the FLSA provides that two individuals employed in the same capacity by the same public agency may agree, solely at their ...

Union refuses to back gay teacher fired by Catholic school
Catholic schools can be very vindictive regarding the lifestyles of their teachers. Insurance does not pay for birth control, non-Catholic teachers are replace...

Drilling for wind on Lake Erie
May God help us defeat the WIND MONSTER ...

Raise a glass to craft beer week
Vivian, What a great interview - Just done so professionally. I loved the way you smoothly transitioned from production to interview to history of the company...

Castro could face death penalty as abduction case goes to a grand jury
I thought kidnapping was automatically a federal charge. Is it not?

Funk Hall of Fame in Dayton?
My quesiton how much of this groups own money are they investing? What resources has the City of Dayton's Mayor Leitzell (who just lost the run off elections) ...

Ohio has an election Tuesday; who knew?
WHY isn't there any information in this article about what the issues are for???????? Oh, I guess so only those who know about it will vote and everything will...

Copyright © 2013 WKSU Public Radio, All Rights Reserved.

 
In Partnership With:

NPR PRI Kent State University

listen in windows media format listen in realplayer format Car Talk Hosts: Tom & Ray Magliozzi Fresh Air Host: Terry Gross A Service of Kent State University 89.7 WKSU | NPR.Classical.Other smart stuff. NPR Senior Correspondent: Noah Adams Living on Earth Host: Steve Curwood 89.7 WKSU | NPR.Classical.Other smart stuff. A Service of Kent State University