Dawn Larzelere

November 18, 2010

Greater Ohio Policy Center

Restoring Prosperity to Springfield

Greater Ohio Policy Center

• Ohio’s “smart growth” organization

• Promote – through research, public education and grassroots advocacy – public policy to grow Ohio’s economy and improve the quality of life through intelligent land use

• Non-partisan, non-profit, foundation-funded

Background to Restoring Prosperity

3 year partnership

Restoring Prosperity’s Findings

• Ohio and Springfield Can Compete in the “next economy”

– Driven by lower-carbon energy sources

– Export-oriented

– Innovation-led

• Metropolitan regions, which fully encompass urban, suburban and rural, and their assets will drive the next economy.

Ohio and the Next Economy

Found that Ohio has emerging or existing strengths in each of these hallmarks

Data Shows Ohio is Metro-led

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%Metro vs. Non-Metro Shares

Metro

Non-Metro

State Population Jobs in Ohio State GDP

Springfield is Metro-led

Springfield has a large role in regional economies

Status Quo will Undercut Ohio’s Economic Competitiveness

• Ohio can compete but must make significant changes

• The fiscal and housing crises of the Great Recession have been a wakeup call to state and local leaders

• They have led to unparalleled opportunity to press for transformative state-level actions our cities need

• Time to Act is Now

Restoring Prosperity: Transition to the Next Economy

1. Build on prosperity driving assets that concentrate in metropolitan areas

-Innovation

-Human Capitol

-Infrastructure

-Quality Places

2. Transform governance while encouraging regionalism

3. Engage Federal Government

Restoring Prosperity Agenda

• 39 policy recommendations as a blueprint to catalyze Ohio’s transition:

– 16 focusing on building on metro assets

– 13 focusing on state and local governance reform/regionalism

– 10 Focusing on engaging federal government

Build on Assets: Innovation

Springfield Region’s strengths:

• Food distribution

• Insurance

• Support services

• Manufacturing

• Technology and Aerospace

• Easy access to other major markets

Build on Assets: Innovation

Recommendations– Significantly expand the state advanced

manufacturing network

– Create micro-investment funds

– Find creative funding for innovation-based economic development

Build on Assets: Human Capital

Springfield’s Strength:

• 80 colleges, universities and institutes within a 90 minute (70 mile) drive of Springfield with 280,000 students.

Build on Assets: Human Capital

Recommendations – Support Workforce Intermediaries across the state

to better link workforce training and employers

– Raise the number of Ohioans earning non-degree workforce certificates

– Retain graduates or attract them back

Build on Assets: Infrastructure

Springfield Region’s Strength:

• Interstate 70 and proximity to I-75

• State Route 40 and 68

• Springfield-Beckley

Airport

• Valuable Water

Source

Housing Cost -% to income Housing & Transportation -% to income

Data Not Available

Less than 30%

30% and Greater

Data Not Available

Less than 45%

45% and Greater

Build on Assets: Infrastructure

Recommendations

– Change infrastructure funding to allow all modes of transportation more equity in financing; consider using a return on investment model

– Elevate “Fix it First” as central principle guiding investment decisions in highway spending

Build on Assets: Quality Places

Springfield Region’s Strengths:

• Mad River

• Historic Places such as Westcott House

• New Regional Medical Center

• Springfield Center City

Association

• Turner Foundation

Build on Assets: Quality Places

Build on Assets: Quality Places

Recommendations

– Anchor Institution Innovation Zone

– Modernize Ohio’s planning statutes

– Targeted neighborhood revitalization strategies

– Foreclosure prevention and correction package

Governance Reform

Recommendations (Local Government)

– Create a commission to study costs of local government and realign state and local funding

– Change state law to make local tax sharing permissive

– Support creation of regional business plans

– Incent government collaboration

Governance Reform

Recommendations (School Districts) – Make costs of school district administration

transparent through publication in the district’s Report Card.

– Push school districts to enter more aggressive shared services agreements

– Cut the number of Ohio’s school districts

Governance Reform

Recommendations (State Government)

– Align state programs to reinforce state and local investments

– Create Community Development Action Teams(CDAT)

– Align state economic development programs with metro boundaries

Engage the Federal Government:Shape approach to Ohio

Shape federal policymakers approach to Ohio– Redefine Sustainability: Put unique needs of

places not growing on the sustainability agenda

– Support a cross-agency policy agenda to assist auto communities

Engage the Federal Government: Compete for Federal Funds

Position Ohio Cities to Compete for Federal Funds– Take advantage of federal support for business

clusters

– Funding likely to have a more regional bias, so develop regional partnerships now to be ready

Moving from Recommendations to Action

Define Organization’s Role in the Implementation Process

Greater Ohio Policy Center: • Act as an intermediary between state and local policy

• Provide capacity-building and technical assistance

• Pilot projects corresponding with Restoring Prosperity recommendations

• Utilize existing and identify new strategic partnerships

Use Early Success to Demonstrate Connection between State Policy and Local Action

Land Bank Bill: • Allows additional 41 counties to

create a land bank

• Local tool to manage blight and engage in comprehensive land reconfiguration

• Cuyahoga County Land Bank has acquired over 200 properties since its creation

• Lucas County and Trumbull County have launched county land banks as well.

Picture: Green City Blue Lake

Implementing Recommendations

Sustainable Reinvestment Pilot Track

• Urban Waterfronts

• Signature Parks

• Wind and Solar

Third Frontier

• Ballot issue passed in May

Ways to stay involved

Check out our website: http://greaterohio.org/

Join our Greater Ohio Supporters database to get our electronic newsletters, Calls to Action, and other timely information.

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@GreaterOhio

@GO_DawnL

@GO_GeneK

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Contact Us

Dawn Larzelere, Associate Director

dlarzelere@greaterohio.org

(614) 224-0187

www.greaterohio.org

Rural-Urban Linkages

• Urban-metropolitan-rural economies linked– Commuting patterns

– Employment

– Recreation activities

• Majority of Ohioans derive their livelihood from urban areas– Direct incomes or spinoffs