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Plan to pool tax money aimed at economic growth, reduction of suburban sprawl
By Rick Armon
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Monday, Apr 21, 2008
Mayors and community leaders in 16 Northeast Ohio counties are studying a proposal for regional planning and the sharing of new tax revenue to boost economic growth and reduce suburban sprawl.
The Northeast Ohio Mayors and City Managers Association will vote next month on whether to pursue recommendations from the Regional Economic Revenue Study, a group of elected officials, business leaders and educators who have been analyzing land use and tax sharing nationwide.
Hudson Mayor William Currin, the association's chairman, declined to identify the specific recommendations in advance of the May 15 meeting. But he said they relate to planning and revenue sharing, and not imposing new taxes or combining governments.
''It's an evolution and change in the way of thinking,'' he said.
Any changes would require new laws and ''there are a lot of hurdles yet'' if local leaders pursue the recommendations, Currin added.
Communities such as Akron, Canton, Cleveland and Youngstown have unused facilities and existing infrastructure, but are fighting among each other and suburbs for economic development, he said.
Sharing new tax revenue could prevent turf wars and better help with regional economic development planning, Currin said.
''Why are we building out in the farmland areas to the degree that we have been doing with reckless abandon in the Northeast Ohio area?'' he asked. ''We have no way of sharing the new growth tax base. We're all fighting for the same tax base. It's like a family competing with one another.''
The competition leads to inefficient and duplicated services, he said.
''We're sprawling ourselves into economic trouble,'' said Chris Thompson, spokesman for the Fund for Our Economic Future in Cleveland.
Officials pointed to Minnesota, where tax revenue has been shared for years.
The idea deserves to be studied, said Chuck Keiper, a Portage County commissioner and member of the Regional Economic Revenue Study group.
''For Northeast Ohio to be competitive, we have to think outside of our provincial boxes and we have to find ways to work together,'' Keiper said. ''To compete with Japan, China, Germany and others trying to clean our clocks, we're going to have to do it together.''
For details about the Regional Economic Revenue Study, go online to http://www.revenuestudy.com.
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com.
Mayors and community leaders in 16 Northeast Ohio counties are studying a proposal for regional planning and the sharing of new tax revenue to boost economic growth and reduce suburban sprawl.
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