When Joey Williams actually posts something political on Facebook, you know people are talking. And that Joey is distancing himself from the new plan is an instant giveaway that this plan is DOA. Not that he has any clout- but, I digress.
I’ve always said that if Kettering were the largest community in the County – and there was talk of regionalization, it would have happened already. Kettering, for the most part, is the model of effective government.
Can’t say that for either the vounty or the City of Dayton, where nepotism, favoritism and as I like to refer to them- “the monarchy of Montgomery County” rule.
This idea of merging the county and the city governments is a joke, if you aren’t including the townships- it’s just a backward move at consolidation- trading in 5 grossly overpaid members of the Dayton City Commission for 3 even more overly paid members of the Montgomery County Commission, who have even less to do.
The regionalization expert cited in today’s Dayton Daily news says:
“(David) Rusk, founding president of the research group Building One America. The former Albuquerque, N.M., mayor wrote “Cities without Suburbs,” a study often described as the bible of government regionalism….
“In effect Dayton city hasn’t received any dowry from the marriage. It hasn’t received a square foot of additional territory. It hasn’t picked up population. It hasn’t picked up any tax base,” Rusk said. “In effect it has simply swapped a governing body that’s elected solely by the residents of the city of Dayton for a governing body that’s elected by everybody in Montgomery County.”
Source: Merger plan has long way to go [1]
Let’s review: Both the city commission and the county commission have basically one job- to hire a professional administrator to see over their large budgets, union contracts, and running the organization. In the business world, we call these the board of directors- unfortunately- in the political world- we elect people- not based on their expertise, or knowledge of running effective organizations- but, based on a popularity contest closely controlled by two local political parties- that operate more like “good ole boys (and girls) clubs” than effective political operators. Their most important role is to get people elected who can then hire the party faithful (again- under-qualified) to work in patronage jobs.
Each elected office gets a budget for these friends and families- the worst offenders are the Board of Elections- where convicted rapists get hired without a job application, Dayton Waste Collection- where generations of a certain union family continue to keep their jobs even when they can’t drive, and oh, lets see- almost every other department in the city.
Remember when the young City Manager, Rashad Young, had his grandpappy working in IT- the one with the kiddie porn on his work computer? Or going back- way back, when our Mayor Richard Clay Dixon was working for Dayton Public Schools- and taking sick days from his DPS job to travel on government business? Or, back to the county- how County Administrator Deb Feldman- signed off on a convicted felon, Raleigh Trammell, to run a welfare program? (And yes, he was convicted of welfare fraud BEFORE she gave him the position).
Realistically- both governments are cesspools. It’s almost laughable when the Dayton Daily quotes this:
“This is a conversation not precipitated by scandal, as it was in Cleveland, and certainly not by the fact that our local public officials are in any way lacking in integrity, dedication to the public and ability,” said U.S. District Court Judge Walter Rice, an officer of the nonprofit Dayton Together group, which currently has about 20 members.
That’s because we can’t add two plus two together for the most part, your honor. The reason for the huge shift to Warren County- for the loss of population in Dayton- and the death spiral of property values in our city core- is from ineptitude and a lack of understanding of how the pieces fit together. Readers of this site are constantly reminded of how this mess is failing us.
This plan has it backwards- the way it should work- is the largest municipality in the county should run the county. This would immediately force the other communities to put away their pet squabbles and join together quickly to over power the stupidity that runs Dayton. Merge Centerville, Kettering and Washington Township into one- and let them run the show. Then Dayton would add Trotwood and Jefferson Township and maybe even Harrison Township- to one up the other. Then Huber Heights and Riverside would join forces with CKW and maybe throw in Moraine too. Next you know, Miamisburg, West Carrolton are looking for partners- and voila- regionalization has happened- much the way a parliamentary system works- where you have to form alliances to gain power.
However, the State could step in and fix all of this mess, putting limits on number of elected office per capita within a region defined by population density. No more 6 man police departments, or kangaroo municipal courts. No more “economic development” officials at lower than the county level. And most importantly- a lot less political overhead- the true reason that it sucks to do business in Ohio- where there are so many different tax rates, rules and authorities it makes your head spin.
This hair brained idea of merger should be the last hurrah for Dan Foley- who is only in politics because he’s the son of a judge, and he thinks he was some kind of wizard for implementing computerization when he was the clerk of courts. The reality is, if we graded any of our leaders based on performance; ie- growth of jobs, wealth, population, or efficiency – none of them would have kept their jobs longer than a single term.
One quote gets it right in the paper, Mark Owens:
“We have 86 counties in Ohio that have our kind of government. If there’s something wrong with that kind of government, it ought to be done on a statewide basis, not making Dayton and Montgomery County some type of a test tube or laboratory to figure out what’s going on.”
And the answer is yes- our state is a mess.
This is well written and interesting. Thanks.
This is poorly written and not interesting.
Thanks for being one of the old guards, Mr. Esrati.
This kind of work prevents the city and region from moving forward.
Best of luck managing the shrimp farm.
Btw quoting Mr. Hensley above with the shrimp farm comment. Or I believe he refers to it as a shrimp stall…
OHKID- you are entitled to your opinion- but- this “proposal” isn’t a solution, or even a starting poing.
Thanks for bringing up Raleigh Trammell! He’s my all-time favorite local scumbag.
Update: Raleigh has been released from prison. The terms of his probation bar him from wearing any type of hat.
By merging any outlying entity with Dayton, the outlying entity loses.
By merging any township with any municipality, the township loses.
It means that the township or outlying entity is now responsible for part of the city’s debts and obligations, must now pay city tax, and gets little to nothing in return. (Unless you’re willing to say that Dayton can keep its streets plowed or salted and maintained which would be an outright lie).
Centerville already tried this merger malarkey and the residents of Washington Township handed them a 10-1 smackdown at the ballot box for a reason.
“Washington Township Forever,” indeed.
OHKID, my trademark phrase here and on other boards has been “Nan doesn’t deserve to govern a shrimp stall, much less all of Montgomery County.”
Still holds true – sadly not only for Nan but as it appears, most of the currently elected local leadership.
What a fucked up place to live.
What we need from the elected officials, if you can call them this title, is leadership that puts we the people first instead of putting their pocketbooks first on our dime. Perhaps then the private sector can run things efficiently without red tape we can be friendly for newcomers and business owners to move here without all the permits, heavy taxation, and overregulation.
The database that was being profiled quoted in the DDN about how our leaders are assessing all properties in Dayton is nice and good. What about helping the distressed owners and properties without threat of demolition, foreclosure, or removal from the city to elsewhere? Perhaps we can preserve what little is left of historical heritage, keeping generations of families that makes it great for a city.
Sadly lacking is if the leaders did care they would have sit in conversations with average citizens in your favorite social hang out with little to no money needed;just someone to listen and give feedback with a thumbs up to keep us here and our city would be a magnet for new blood, cost efficient with generous surplus a given!
Without a hat, Raleigh Trammell has one less place to conceal stolen money.
I have to disagree with Mr. Owens’ test tube comment. That is exactly how our country was structured for a good reason. It begins with State’s Rights and works down to the local level. The idea is to try things on a small scale in local “test tubes.” If something fails, it fails small. If it succeeds, it can grow and expand to regional and state levels.
Unfortunately, more and more people are being conditioned to believe that government knows best and central power should fix everything. No. Let’s be innovative. Let’s try something new. Honestly, if it fails, how much worse are are we going to be compared to our current condition? With any luck, maybe we’ll get some political in-fighting and some power may trickle back to the citizens.
Agree it doesn’t much matter Jeff. The same idiots of the same party that has a stranglehold of destruction on the area will still be in charge – just fewer of them.
It’s very, very unlikely that Centerville, Ketttering, or Oakwood will agree to join a single regional government with Dayton. It may be elitism, racism, or simple self-interest, but the center city of Dayton has been abandoned by the ‘burbs.
It’s very doubtful this will change any time soon.
@Esrati
I would agree.
And my original posts here were intentionally terse to get your attention and make you think.
But that is the issue I have with what you wrote.
I don’t see any thought.
As you said, “this “proposal” isn’t a solution, or even a starting poin[t].”
Which is 100% true. Aside from a one-page web posting, we know nothing concrete about this at all.
Originally, in this post below you were open to giving the idea consideration:
http://esrati.com/faux-regionalism-plan-finds-foes-pre-launch-must-be-good/12244
But now you’re not? And only because Joey Williams thought it was a bad idea? I never took you to be a mindless follower like that.
Your post has zero facts, zero substance, and zero reason to convince me of your case.
You may not see it, but you are being extremely closed minded about this.
I hope you reconsider your position and at least give regionalism a chance.
I’m not saying I’m a fan of it either, but at least I’m not dismissing it because my FB buddy did…
Yeah, I think this is not going to go anywhere. The status quo suits all concerned.
As far state government stepping him, the one big local innovation in regional government, which is the Conservancy District, required enabling legislation (and perhaps even favorable court decisions) in order to be implemented.
As for this merger thing I see this as putting Dayton on the national map if only for the fact that city-county mergers are so rare in the Midwest…..it could be chance to do something innovative, too (rather than the simplistic “merge city and suburbs” thing. Louisville did do this first, but maybe Dayton can do a modification of what Louisville did. I see this as a chance to innovate. Frankly I’m tired of the “no can do” attitude….I want to see some progress here….
OHKID- I did propose a solution- eliminate the county commission- and the county administrator- and hand that over to the largest voting district in the county.
If the ‘burbs don’t like it- they have to merge to get bigger- and soon we’re starting to see progress. Another thing- eliminate urban townships. No need, other than an income tax dodge. Considering we’re now doing income taxation without representation both at Miller Lane and at Austin Landing – should be reason enough to shut them down.
Now go away and play with your imaginary friends.
David – Enlarging Dayton City Hall’s reach even one centimeter would be disastrous for the region.
Having a county commission that’s dominated by Nan et. al. means more of the sweetheart deals and dubious property acquisitions that you spend so much time complaining about here on your blog. It means more crappily maintained streets, roads that aren’t plowed or salted, and random cockamamie games like “streetlight assessments” and the ongoing traffic camera scam that Nan is fighting so hard for.
Again, in theory, I have no problem with regional government. But the idea of Nan or any of the other monkeys over at Dayton City Hall exercising any sort of influence beyond what they already have ruined petrifies me.
I great idea would be to strip the local power grip of the local failure of this group of individuals. Central control might help unless of course you end up with a worse bunch to run things.
Could it be worse than what we have already? How about many of us on this blog taking over the job?
How about we all attend city hall meetings in record numbers to speak before council, commissioner meetings and any where the public can see and hear our voices that we will not tolerate the slippery and criminal ways things are being run. Give them so many ideas, like taking money compensation out of the equation, from so many of us to get their heads spinning plus start a petition to remove the individuals in place since they do not comply and go in record numbers for recall and impeachment to the voting box. If there is no means for recall or impeachment we need to start a petition to make it so That way this will send a message instead of complaining about the abomination and hostage of the city and really get things moving; these things will stop.
Anyone ready for the necessary action?
I’ve lived in Dayton, and I’ve lived in the suburbs. There is essentially zero chance that any of the more prosperous ‘burbs are going to do much of anything to help Dayton with the problems that plague that city. They are not going to join a regional government that will perpetually emburden them with a wide variety of problems and expenses.
It might amuse Auston Henley to go back around 70 years to the time when the surrounding suburbs wanted to merge with city of Dayton–and Dayton said no, feeling they would drag it down. Point I’m trying to make is, yes, for a time some areas are prosperous compared to others–but no one stays on top forever. If county-wide government is a good idea, it should be implemented on merit and not on the basis of whose ox is being gored.
Meanwhile, re: Owens’ “test tube” comments–why do politicians reject or accept an experiment? Probably due to their perception of whether they might lose their jobs.
People extol local control as if it’s somehow inherently rood for everyone. Really, it’s neutral–you prosper or not according to the quality of your leadership. One positive effect: if it’s county- or even state-wide, we’ll have to elected fewer officials and so we might be able to elect only from the top of those qualified (if voters begin to educate themselves on how to know the difference).
I’m thinking this will be interesting to see go down. The opposition may come mainly from the city because this plan will dilute minority power? Yeah, this was an issue in Louisville, too. Oh Well.
Actually I think TRudducks comment is a bit of an urban legend.
Though its interesting that when Dayton made its move to annex Belmont there wasn’t much opposition to it, but (or was there?), but around the same time opposition DID surface in Oakwood….but NOT from the wealthy folks “west of Far Hills” but from the petit bourgouis who lived on those blocks between Far Hills and Shroyer. So Oakwood became the first “we don’t want Dayton” suburb, and essentially set the pattern for the postwar era.