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Doing away with County governments in West Virginia would do away with 100 years of political nepotism and the corruption that has tagged along behind.
Could several regions be created, each with a sustaining tax base that would
provide services to the population in a better fashion than is now being done.
Public water and sewage is still lacking in many of the poorer, neglected counties.
Some exist beside counties who are busting at the seams with expansion.
If governed by a board of business professionals, each consolidated region could benefit from each others process. Local Economic studies, funded and manned by the local colleges of each region would have a stake in the growth of that region...Economists and fianancial faculty could create accountability and oversite for the needed and varying projects...
I'm sure a model for this exists in a foriegn country as we speak...I'm thinking Denmark and Switzerland...about about the size of Wv and mountainous...
Is there a discussion on the topic...how would you define those regions geographically?
I don't know about combining counties but there are rumblings of Charleston and South Charleston merging. Probably will not happen but I think it would be a good thing.
I think a more successful and more widely acceptable approach would be county/city mergers. This way, each area would keep it's identity but would still benefit from increased resources. I think too many would be suspicious of multi county mergers and they would expect the largest city to serve their own interests (and they probably would!) This is one reason why people in the Huntington area would likely never merge with the Charleston area. Lots of people and lots of resources, but people here are too afraid that Charleston would use Huntington's resources for their own benefit and give Huntington the left overs (and again, they probably would). I think county/city mergers should definately be considered though. It seems that this has been very successful in other places like Louisville and Lexington.
Tim
I could see some counties merging. There has been talk about the benefits Jefferson, Berkeley and Morgan would have by merging and combining population numbers.
A lot of potential businesses look at population or MSA numbers and the related demographics to consider areas for expansion or location. When neighboring counties are three times the size in population or land mass, it just adds one more hurdle that the 3 counties in the EP have to jump over to attract them.
It's not really gaining too much support, however.
Lets say the entire end of the eastern panhandle would consolidate governments and school systems...
How much money would be saved by not having to duplicate services such as School Boards and Superintendants...Reduce County commissions and Police Departments to one group per region and integrate medical facilities and EMS services...
Morgan, Berkeley and Jefferson combined with the same building codes and land use policies. New seat of government complex at Falling Waters.
Existing courthouses used only for court proceedings, all other business and taxation done electronicaly on a 4 day 24 hour basis...
Guesstimate of money saved: 150 million dollars per year.
Region # 2: Hardy, Hampshire, Grant an Mineral.
Same changes with the new seat of Government being at Moorefield. Area is mainly agricultural and Moorefield has access because of the new highway and trememdous expansion.
Guesstimate of money saved: 200 million dollars per year.
Region # 3: Tucker, Pendelton, Randolph, Pocahontas. Area is mainly mountains and tourist attractions for the entire eastern seaboard.
New seat of government to be Elkins because of existing Federal courts and entities.
Should be kept as pristine as possible and elligible for subsidy funding transfers from more profitable regions if needed...
Guesstimate of money saved: 100 million...a reduced amount because of transportation costs.
Region # 4. Hancock, Ohio and Brooke.
Economic Integration with the Pittsburgh region and housing and taxation marketing strategies as done in the eastern panhandle...
Seat of government to be Weirton as it is deeper into the Pennsylvania market.
Guesstimate of money saved: 150 million
Region # 5. Greenbriar, Monroe and Summers.
Should be governed with a strategic plan similar to Region # 3.
New seat of Government: Hinton
Guestimate of money saved: 75 milion.
Region # 6. Raleigh, Mercer, Wyoming and McDowell.
This entire southern region needs a new attitude and strong solid government.
Beckley should be the new seat of government for this region.
Guessimate of savings: 100 million.
Region # 7. Cabel, Wayne, Lincoln and Logan. With Huntington kept as a separate
entitiy eligible to tax its city boundaries.(taxation liberties for larger cities serving 50,000+ population base)
New seat of government is Madison.
Guesstimate of savings: 200 million
Region # 8. Charleston/Kanawha as city/county entity.
Guesstimate of savings to consolidate services: 50 million
Region # 9. Mason, Roane, Putnam and Jackson
New seat of government: Ripley
Guesstimate of savings: 100 milion
Region # 10. Braxton, Clay, Nicholas and Webster
New seat of government: Tesla
Guesstimate of savings: 100 million
Region # 11. Wood, Ritchie, Pleasants and Wirt.
New seat of government: Mineral Wells
Parkersburg in same city class as Huntington, Morgantown, Martinsburg, Beckley, Wheeling and Martinsburg.
Guesstimate of savings: 200 million.
Region # 12. Wetzel, Tyler and Marshall
New seat of government: New Martinsville
New gateway city into Ohio with extension of I-68.
Guestimate of savings: 75 million
Region # 13. Harrison, Barbor, Taylor
New seat of government: Grafton
End of the line and service center for the high speed rail system through Pittsburgh to New Castle, Pa.
Guesstimate of savings: 75 million
Region # 14. Monongalia. Preston and Marion
New seat of government: Dellslow
Morgantown having city taxation powers of city income tax of 1% on incomes over $50,000 as the other large cites serving a population base of 50,000 or more.
Guesstimate of savings: 100 million
Total guesstimate of duplicated and antiquated government services: $1,325,000,000.
When counties were formed, the state of Virginia wanted a county seat within 15 miles of each citizen...a days ride by horse or a days walk done comfortably...even with the horrible roads we have time and distance is changed dramatically. Certain locations service extended areas...and influence the buying of goods. We are so poor with our leadership that something must be done for survival into this century...dramatic changes with educators and economists involved as they were two months ago when WVU rose from its ashes.
It's an idea..but not a plan...perhaps some of you can and will add to this idea...several months ago it was suggested that this state needed a plan for leadership...
What we have is not working...our new sign at the borders, should have the word 'monkey' inserted between for and business...
It will take some change and a model to imitate...anyway...here's an idea...'what say ye?
What can make it better?
Metro government (modeled after LA and Orange County) will not work in Wv...our regions are distinct and should be merged get the greatest benefit.
Metro government could work in about 8-10 city areas, but those cities are needed for the expansion of the next 100 years and the economic influence they can bring to a greater area than just the county boundaries.
Those cities will need a greater area to do their work...that is why I mentioned allowing them the power to tax with a limited home rule affecting the part of the population with the higher incomes...over $50,000.
Some of that saved money..1.3 billion...(which was 1/3 of our entire state budget in 2000), could be used to give 100% scholarships to every single kid wanting to go to college in West Virginia...and several of the smaller colleges could be groomed to do just that...provide free college degrees to every single kid...have them sign a contract to stay and work in Wv for a period of 4 years...just like the hospitals do with their in-house scholarship programs...
This idea should be given a good look while Wv's in the money...when the cycle returns and everyone leaves..it will be hopeless and to late...
If the downturn cycle returns...I'm not going to waste 15 to 20 years of my life here again. 3 cycles of boom and bust have been enough.
I'm looking at an emerging nation like India to finish up in...better morales and opportunity.
Last edited by David Kennedy; 07-08-2008 at 02:43 AM..
Doing away with County governments in West Virginia would do away with 100 years of political nepotism and the corruption that has tagged along behind.
Could several regions be created, each with a sustaining tax base that would
provide services to the population in a better fashion than is now being done.
Public water and sewage is still lacking in many of the poorer, neglected counties.
Some exist beside counties who are busting at the seams with expansion.
If governed by a board of business professionals, each consolidated region could benefit from each others process. Local Economic studies, funded and manned by the local colleges of each region would have a stake in the growth of that region...Economists and fianancial faculty could create accountability and oversite for the needed and varying projects...
I'm sure a model for this exists in a foriegn country as we speak...I'm thinking Denmark and Switzerland...about about the size of Wv and mountainous...
Is there a discussion on the topic...how would you define those regions geographically?
reps for constructive ideas. I see good and bad potentials in this suggestion.
Business term for what you're suggesting is to 'capture synergies'. The devil is in the details no matter what system you go by, as you've seen first hand. When a systems architecture is designed to favor business or gov't or citizens there's imbalance and room for abuse. Enron was made possible by business lawyers writing not only employee retirement rules, but the very loopholes into california's deregulated market guaranting it would be ripe to exploit. That's an extreme example, but who would believe our own gov't could allow this to happen on such a magnitude?
Fact is, the fox has never been a qualified guardian of the hen house, and when elected officials are business foxes themselves here we go again. It's great when govt can realize a savings by observing a business paradigm, however, it cannot ever come at the expense of the greater good. Statesmanship is sorely needed in american politics at all levels of governance. Demanding public trust accountability function of government as a rooted ethic would keep all things in balance. Without it, any arrangement made would be doomed to fall into the same trodden path like a mule. Gov't colluding with citizens to punish business, or gov't colluding with business to punish citizens. Please note, city hall always wins. That is, until people & business revolt, which has made me wonder plenty these past 30 years... but I digress.
On paper I like your idea because I think WV can do better with less dupication of services govt and more quality/quantity of actual needed services. I dislike what they did in charleston with the water works. A german company owns it, and they decided the billing office staff are in ohio. That doesn't help out charlestons local economy, considering that utilities and employee tax base is lost to feed the whole system. When the jobs are parted outside the economic loop it creates a greater divide between haves/have nots. The money needs to stay here, not sent off to st elsewhere every month. I wasn't around to know why they chose this outsourcing, but I'm imagining it has lots to do with charleston as a city being underfunded by state govt same way as huntington, fairmont, morgantown... etc. Perhaps someone can fill me in better?
I think WV gov't, like most, under utilizes the internet for many services and could streamline many things. I'll use DMV as a universal type example even if it doesn't apply to your county concept directly. Can you imagine filling out all the forms, being given a comprehensive list of everything you need to bring before you ever leave the house? None of this, 'i before e exception' translations meaning you need one more piece of paper, come back later nonsense that frustrates people trying to be compliant. Only scofflaws get rewarded that way.
You could set up payment for everything via internet, then showing up in person with the physical documentation, the credit card/signature, pre screened for relevant legal issues, and your face would make their job only about verifying what work you've already done at home. I think they'd deal with that as employees better too- those folks look frazzled- and they're very aware that mistakes are a potential hole in homeland security establishing identity (which many other things become predicated upon). Orgs like state DMV keep shrinking but every org in govt uses them as an enforcement tool, like any other unfunded mandate, and adding yet another layer of hoops to jump through. There is the aftermath of the downsizing paradigm when we most needed a right sizing tempered with getting rid of misc. federal fleas off its back (unless said flea wants to pay their way).
Intuitive programs can be written to offer an answer for any question in a decision path methodology. Changes to law or requirements won't mean generating volumes of new DMV manuals & forms, only an addition to a program if that program is written intelligently. Lean towards digitized record keeping in general, with rock solid daily back ups.
I disagree w/ your guestimate savings that you posted secondary in the thread for the following reasons:
-How long of a commute will it be for jury duty? How can that be organizationally solved? Would only jurors from a specific region at a time be called and bused in to save on reimbursement of mileage $$ removing the harship factor? Would this affect jury decisions?
-Would the habits be retained? All cities criticize charleston/state govt for keeping the money in previous thread reference. Reorganizing with the same baseline mentality of politicos that got you in trouble in the first place will serve to groom a deeper power entrenchment & larger piles of $ to abuse.
-how would this affect + & - for legislative representation? Would people be under represented in this plan because it translates to less political offices? Would this wind up being an open door for gerrymandering?
-schools and police are based on per capita, so that math would remain the same head for head. Changes in ratios would diminish services. The actual difference in savings would mean having to support less buildings if we consolidate? Answer- close precincts, what would the response time be for centralized police force?
Answer- my school district did a modified version of this with mixed results and increased latitude for abuses. General rule of thumb is the larger the volume of $$$ managed by fewer people, the easier it becomes to hide BS. A sentiment big al had mentioned elsewhere and I can agree. I can expound upon details of my graduating high school class of 2,225 students, but I've already blathered on enough. You'll have to request I blather on more about those anecdotal specifics. Brevity would be misleading.
I think the best application of your general idea is to identify which part of governance are crucial for local representation (like cops/schools) that directly affect quality of life VS. which are ordinary bureacratic functions that could happen anywhere without time sensitivity or presence required. Look at the bigger puzzle in terms of redefining jobs and it could happen. Get overzealous with the knife, everything will be someone elses job (and donchaknowit someone else was laid off as non essential).
Yes..It would mean much less central government interference...the tasks of the state, protecting the borders and projecting the general welfare would be done with fewer people.
Each of these new regions would simply be larger counties...with a strategic economy taylored to its region...farming, manufacturing, tourism, industrail and chemical, mining, ect.
They would incorporate the smaller colleges in those areas as leaders of the education system and give a general degree program and a technical program taylored to the areas needs.
An Example would be Region # 9 with Ripley as the new seat of government...because I-81, Rt 35 and the CSX RR go through this area...it is a smaller version of Georgetown, Kentucky...It will be the giant manufacturing center of the state and the natural migration from Charleston. It should be given every help to make it happen...restructuring the geographical area is a great help to this...
(In the 1980's Rocky-feller said the new auto plant would be built in Wv...ha ha...I went down to Lexington to see what they had...3 interstates...and 5 railroads and several of the support factories already in place...outside of Georgetown was a brand-new brick building with the Auto Workers Union symbol...I knew that the press releases were a fake and nothing would happen for us...What we got was a Toyota engine factory...that was good enough...that was good enough for us)
Not to get side tracked...but banks could do the money collecting for our tax bills and fees with online service...It's not like its not secure...we do it for everything else...and no money would get mis-directed or lost in any shuffle. At least the State portion could be done...even now.
In the course of a better idea for the state is a boon of getting rid of the over staffed beauracratic government family...all these courthouses are staffed with cousins and nephews and kinfolk from one generation to the next...they could take an opportuntiy to gain a real job...We have layers of these un-needed people. What they really are? Election assistants...they help manage the elections..
How its done in our time: Mr. Repco goes to Botswana on a fact finding mission paid for by the state...Meets the cronies in Botswana who are there to partner in the new enterprise...Federal government has given tax credits for working with an under developed nation...those tax credits are inflated and when recieved are worth several times what they would really be worth...
We are going to import Botswanian Sandals made from old tires...they cost .15 to make, but because they are a fashion statement, they will retail in the USA for $150.00...We will export the materials for the sandals and ship them on our ships...which are registereg in Libera...We are given tax credits for the shipping and the materials, plus handling costs...whatever we want that to be...The tax credits are in the millions.
Also, we might have a few hundred ghost employees on the payroll....all the money going into an extra account because Botswanna wants and needs these jobs for their people, the United Nations and because the leaders of Botswanna want some missiles from Momar Kadafy and need some cash for the buy...we have a friend in France who can broker those missles and will be glad to give some help..
It's a circle...and the laws are made right here...When the internet hackers are able to hack into those secret bank accounts, the FBI and Justice Dept will be forced to act..those hackers will make the information public...China's Hackers?..they just want to know who the crooks are before they workout deals with them...
Now, after this...I'm staying on topic...
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