Can Debbie Sutherland Halt The Detroitification of Cuyahoga

[Bill Call]

Detroitification is a term used to describe the steady decline of a once prosperous region. As the name suggests the process is named after Detroit, Michigan. In the early 1960’s Detroit was a prosperous city of one million. Today almost half the residents have fled, leaving behind empty streets and abandoned homes.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/artic ... 65,00.html

Because of its economic diversification Cuyahoga County was able to escape the economic devastation that has eviscerated Detroit. Until now.

Over the last few years Cleveland has lost residents and jobs at an alarming rate. That economic sickness has begun to infect all of Northeastern Ohio. Job loss leads to population loss which leads to further job loss. People and industries leave high taxed communities. The communities respond with ever higher tax rates. People and industry respond by leaving in greater numbers. It’s a prescription for disaster:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1211929 ... d_outlooks

The current leadership of Cuyahoga County seems intent on following the Detroit model. Higher taxes and more spending on a bloated bureaucracy are seen as the key to prosperity.

The County and the City of Cleveland have staked the future of the City and region on the Detroit Model. More taxes, more government sponsored development, more corruption, more waste and more cronyism are seen as the key to future growth.

One example is the proposed development of the Ameritrust Building. The new “ownerâ€

[Brian Pedaci]

I'd be happy to see some political diversity in the Commissioners, but I'm dismayed that she's running against arguably the best of the three current members. It's shrewd in that Hagan and Dimora are both deeply entrenched in the establishment and would be difficult targets. If she's successful, I hope that Commissioner Jones gets enough support to come back and take a run at one of the other two.

[ryan costa]

A city or county or state has got to offer the big boys tax abatements, rebates, and often throw in a lot of money to build a new building or something. Like how Akron got Bridgestone's Firestone subsidiary to stay in Akron recently.

http://www.wksu.org/news/story/22213