State Sen. Tim Grendell proposes a Cuyahoga County government composed of an elected county executive, two at-large county council members, five district council members, an elected financial officer and an elected prosecutor.
Posted on 04/07/2009 8:26:41 PM PDT by GOP_Lady
COLUMBUS -- A new plan to overhaul Cuyahoga County government would go before voters in November, under a bill introduced Tuesday by a powerful state senator.
State Sen. Tim Grendell, a Chester Township Republican, wants to give voters a choice between the current, three-commissioner system and a new one composed of an elected county executive, two at-large county council members, five district council members, an elected financial officer and an elected prosecutor.
Grendell's plan is a variation of one he floated last year that cleared the Senate before dying in the House. A different plan adopted by the House died in the Senate.
"There are more investigations in Cuyahoga County than I can keep track of," Grendell said, referring to federal and state corruption probes involving county officials. "If there was ever a year to get something that changes the system on the ballot, this would be it."
Grendell said he isn't wedded to the details as much as he wants to avoid protracted signature-gathering and infighting between a pair of county government reform plans circulating among political leaders in Northeast Ohio.
"The clock is ticking and I want to get something before voters to find out if they want to have a smaller, more accountable government or the current system without going through this tug-of-war with the signatures," Grendell said. "I just want to put it on the table and have people vote on it."
Making the rounds locally: A tentative plan being pushed by Parma Heights Mayor Martin Zanotti that would replace the current commissioner model with an elected county council of seven or nine members. It would also eliminate most of the county's elected officials but retain an elected county prosecutor and possibly an elected finance officer.
Another group -- led by millionaire businessman Ed Crawford and County Prosecutor Bill Mason -- is pushing for a 12- or 13-person county council along state representative district lines and the elimination of most countywide elected officials.
Grendell said he has not discussed his bill with House Speaker Armond Budish, a Beachwood Democrat.
Budish said he hasn't seen Grendell's plan or reviewed the others.
"We have not vetted any proposals, so I can't tell you where the House is, but I can tell you I would be supportive of looking at a county reform plan this year."
During the legislative debate last year, some House Democrats objected to Cuyahoga County being singled out and supported an amendment to apply the plan everywhere. In a floor speech, State Rep. Michael DeBose, a Cleveland Democrat, said that reform plan smacked of "subtle racism" because it eliminated elected officials who govern predominantly black Cleveland.
Similar concerns among black leaders who fear being disenfranchised have bogged down Zanotti's plan as well.
State Sen. Tim Grendell proposes a Cuyahoga County government composed of an elected county executive, two at-large county council members, five district council members, an elected financial officer and an elected prosecutor.
This is my great State Senator (and I don’t say that lightly).
Northeast Ohio PING, please! :-)
Cleveland, at one time, was economically vibrant. There were refineries, steel mills and a port that was one of the ten busiest in the country.
Today, the unions have rendered the port almost inactive. The environazis have chased the refineries away (but the river doesn't catch fire anymore). The unions and the environazis chased the steel mills away (while the Dems blame NAFTA - which passed AFTER the refineries and mills closed). And the corrupt black politicians keep any and all companies from locating in Cleveland, through their attempts at extortion.
Cleveland really is in a great location (other than Winter, of course). But it will never take it's rightful place as a great city until the unions, the environazis and the black politicians are ALL disenfranchised.
Is there an organized effort to help it along?Let me know and I`ll pitch in.
I'll send Senator's Grendell’s office an e-mail this morning and let them know I'm interested to help, if and when needed. I'll keep you posted.
Thanks.
You’re welcome, nomad.
How many cities have Democrats killed? It would be interesting to actually make a list. I think Detroit would be at the top of the list. Los Angeles because it is a sanctuary city that has been taken over by a foreign nation. How many more?
How many cities have Democrats killed? It would be interesting to actually make a list. I think Detroit would be at the top of the list. Los Angeles because it is a sanctuary city that has been taken over by a foreign nation. How many more?
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