The first thing Cleveland needs to do is to revitalize it's public image. Many young people do not even know what Cleveland is or where it is. So the city needs to set aside some tax dollars toward a nationwide ad campaign. The commercial should show beautiful images of the city and the surrounding suburbs. It should talk about the great infrastructure Cleveland has including Lake Erie, Ohio Turnpike, Hopkins Airport, Cuyahoga River, and Railroads. Talk about the great economy (even though it is a work in progress). Talk about the affordable new housing stock available and talk about the low interest rates. Basically, paint a prettier picture than Cleveland truly is, even though it is a great city.
The second thing to do is to talk to large corporations that are considering relocating. Give tax exemptions of 2 to 5 years to corporations that would like to relocate to the City of Cleveland. Make presentations that show how many people are educated in their field and are currently living in Cleveland. I don't know why companies have not relocated to Cleveland since corporations love cities with high unemployment (cheap labor).
The third thing to do is to energize the community by airing ads locally also. Many people would love to hear from their mayor talk about the wonderful things that are going on. Talk about what is going on at the Flatts, Warehouse District, East Cleveland, Clinic Area, and the Lakefront. Talk about wonderful light and high-tech industrial and commercial projects that will bring money into the city.
The fourth thing to do would be to redevelop the lakefront. This can only be done, after the unemployment is down significantly and there must be a greater demand for employees than there are available employees, and only then can Cleveland build lakefront parks, housing, retail space, etc. It also must be housing that is affordable for most Clevelanders. There can be upscale housing, but most must be in the $350,000 or below range. Single-Family and Row Houses may be an atractive type of housing to urban families. The lakefront must have its own Elementary, Jr. High, and High School. Those schools must only serve residents of that area, otherwise the school will decline over time and will be brought down to the other schools levels. There also needs to be extensive light rail transportation. This light rail tranportation line should extend from the are that Burke Lakefront Airport is currently outward east to the community of Perry, OH and outward west to the community of Amherst. The line would also have a great effect on the communities at the ends of the lines. They could become new commuter suburbs. It would help boost their economies. Amherst and Perry are both clean slates and could become two new Naperville, ILs. If there is only limited usage of Burke Lakefront Airport it should be closed and become a nice new lakefront community that I have described. The area directly west of Browns Stadium on Front Street could be a small enclave of highrises. Whiskey Island already has some nice things going for it. Relocating the Heavy Industry somewhere else would be essential to the development of Whiskey Island. Around the parks and marinas that are there currently, there should be luxury high-rise, mid-rise, and row homes constructed in that area. The price points are TBD but should be at the top-price point. I do not believe that the Shoreway should be demolished. It would devastate the communities like Bratenahl that is serves. I should simply be relocated pushed back about a block and a half to where the current Amtrak lines are. The Amtrak Lines could remain in the center of the new expressway, but the best thing would be to relocate the south of downtown, where much of the industrial railroad is currently, which would be unusful as Cleveland would only have residential, commericial, and potentially light or high-tech industry in that area along the river south of Downtown. Cleveland needs to restart the downtown development plan so that it can win the award for best downtown in the country! Like Greenville, SC did.
When Cleveland has the tax base after the city gets enough cash flow and rids itself of debt we can begin restructuring the schools. Schools should not be Cleveland's top priority. There are already fantastic schools in the suburbs and business and upscale residential is more important at this stage. Children should be assigned to their neighborhood school except magnet and charter school students. We should make and A average the minimum requirement for Magnet and Charter Schools and this average must be maintained. A B average would be required to apply for a school change to a school that has open spaces and is not zoned for that child. New Schools need to be built when the city has enough funds. Cleveland also needs to establish a more extensive City College system that allows adults to attend school for free based on their income. This City College system will lead to an educated urban workforce. This will let Cleveland spend less money on reqruitment for workers outside the area. More High-Tech and Executive jobs will come to Cleveland when we have and an educated workforce. This educated and employed workforce will lead to the redevelopment of our poorer neighborhoods. Education is key to reducing crime, reducing unemployment, etc. Another thing that needs to be taught in Cleveland Schools is the Credit System. Because Cleveland was hit so hard by the mortgage meltdown and credit crisis, we have learned from our mistakes and we must create a program that educates students. When they turn 18 they will begin to receive credit offers and they need to know what and what not to do. This is key to life. I have seen lives ruined becuase of poor credit decisions and it is very difficult to recover after you have made so many mistakes.
The sixth issue is keeping people in the city. This can all be solved by doing all the steps above. Most people would love to live in the city, but you have to deal with crime, bad schools, small lots, etc. This can all be solved by new development that caters to all tastes.
The seventh issue is the suburbs. If the urban economy is good, so is the suburban economy. Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights need to get it together in order to benefit from the new development, etc. The ways Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights can prepare is by improving the schools, building new housing, sprucing up downtown areas, improving transportation, and renovating the existing homes. The Heights also need to be very careful about taxes and how high they price the homes. They need to come in probably slightly lower than they already are priced at because many Americans will skip right by and go out to live in Solon and similar.
Public Housing and Affordable Housing is an issue in Cleveland. As unemployment drops and education gets higher, we can slowly bulldoze Public Housing. We can introduce non-integrated affordable housing. It sounds mean, but integrated affordable housing simply does not work in the US. It will never work and people are happier when they are around people like them.
No Casinos
No Tax Hikes, Lower Commercial Taxes, Lower Taxes in the Suburbs
No More Heavy Industry
The last other thing Cleveland can do is become a Green City. If Cleveland becomes a Green City people will have a better impression of it. People will flock to it like they flocked to Portland, OR. Being Green is not that hard. Cleveland's Eco Friendly program would ad recycling bins and garbage cans to public spaces, mail CFL or LED lights to homes free of charge every year to slowly reduce energy consumption, introduce a recycling program, introduce Environmental classes to the Cleveland schools, Get a program similar to ZipCar in the area, and begin a tire recycling program.
Zipcar - Car sharing, cars by the hour or day
Please Listen To Me Mayor Frank G. Jackson, you can email me with questions at
destoria@aol.com! Thanks!!!! I Love You Cleveland!
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03-19-2008, 04:24 PM
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