After signing the budget bill last week, John Kasich made plain (once again) his wish to see local governments operate more efficiently. ‘‘They need to change the way they do business,’’ the governor said. He has in mind, as do others, local governments working together, sharing services, even merging.
Moves in that direction are long overdue. The big question is how to get mayors, commissioners, trustees and other officials pointed in the right direction, in short, overcoming inertia. The governors’s budget plan was heavy on cuts. Legislators correctly insisted on incentives in the form of $45 million in loans and grants for local governments to study and plan cooperative projects.
That partially restores what the House had in mind in its version of the budget, $100 million, the amount reduced to zero by the Senate. What should not be lost is the long-term impact that $45 million can produce, especially in light of the stalling out of other ‘‘tools’’ the governor put forth, such the reworking of pension contributions, public workers bearing a heavier burden. It fell to the side as legislators crafted the budget.
A year ago, the Center for Community Solution suggested the idea of eliminating the Local Government Fund, the revenue sharing which provides $665 million this year, and replacing it with a grant program to encourage efficiency.
What’s important to recognize is that even a modest investment in planning for shared services and mergers can yield permanent savings. Such studies help local officials with a vision overcome obstacles, persuading voters to move ahead. And once done, successful projects set the stage for other local officials to follow.
