The Plan - Part 2

To the citizens of Ward 18 (soon to be Ward 16) and the City of Cleveland,

In the last post we discussed city government and how I would address making it more efficient and vibrant. Today we will briefly discuss my ideas on how to foster in our residents a sense of ownership in our communities so that we collectively take care of our neighborhoods. I stress briefly, as each idea could develop into its own full post.

First an aspect of community health that has become important to me is ensuring that our youth develop a proper sense of what they can accomplish. Crime statistics for youth climb steeply from preteen to tweens to teens. I believe the best and first place to nip problems in the bud is at home with parents. However, if as a community we can provide an early outlet for youth, it could greatly assist parents in the community and give peace of mind to the community at large. As such, if elected, I will work with community residents and business leaders as well as other city officials to develop a youth entrepreneurship program. The purpose of the program will be to provide youth with jobs while also teaching them how to start and run a business, keep them off the street and out of trouble, and ultimately turn them on to their inherent potential.

In addition, I will work with the community to foster an entrepreneurial spirit. Our Ward currently has a growing Hispanic and Arab population. While there are a few restaurants and shops in the Ward celebrating these ethnicities, I would like to encourage even more. Not only will I work with the community, but, as a legislator of the city, I will call for a review of Cleveland ordinances to ensure we have an effective entrepreneurial and business related policy that removes obstacles for new small ventures.

I would also like to put my energy into reconstructing our neighborhood block clubs. Some areas of the Ward still have strong clubs, while others are completely non-existent. Because, unfortunately, the police are stretched very thin, it is important for neighbors to look after neighbors. A strong block club discourages crime, breeds friendship and generally promotes a higher standard of living. Similarly, I will push for more block or neighborhood parties so that neighbors get to know one another better. I will also encourage more volunteerism in the community, both from residents in the Ward and from volunteer groups outside the Ward.

As councilman, I can be an organizer and rallying point for volunteer activities, and I will dedicate myself to constantly being in the neighborhoods to rally volunteer support. The proposals above will take time and money to implement. If elected, I vow to give both. Not only for the goal of raising our standard of living, but so that the community becomes a more vibrant and more attractive place for businesses (jobs) and new young families to want to live.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to let me know.

Regards,

Chris

The plan - Part 1

To the citizens of Ward 18 (soon to be Ward 16) and the City of Cleveland,

We all know that Cleveland has been going through difficult times for at least the last decade, and these difficult times are only exacerbated by the state of the national economy. However, we must keep in mind that from every down-turn there proceeds a subsequent up-turn. Though the nation is in turmoil at the moment, the turmoil will not remain. As such, right now is when we as a city need to prepare to be in the best position for taking advantage of the forthcoming up-turn.

I believe there is a great deal of opportunity to be pursued in Cleveland, immediately and in the coming national up-turn. However, to realize the opportunity we must be efficient with our resources, balanced in weighing the plethora of competing city concerns and vibrant in our city leadership. We must also, every one of us, foster a sense of ownership in our communities so that we collectively take care of our neighborhoods.

We will discuss ways to foster community pride and ownership another time. Today, I would like to discuss reforming the structure of our government to ensure efficiency, balance and vibrancy.

If elected, I will propose to my fellow councilmen that we reduce the size of city council to 11 and institute term limits. In my proposal, the 11 council members will consist of 6 ward council representatives, 4 city representatives elected at-large and a council president elected at-large. Term limits in the proposal will allow a maximum of 3 terms per position. That is, 3 terms as a ward councilman, 3 terms as a city councilman at-large, and 3 terms as council president, for a total of 9 terms for any one individual in city council.

The new council will be more efficient. A reduction in the size of council will save the city nearly $600,000 per year in salary alone. Further, all Cleveland residents will benefit from the representation of up to 6 councilmen, 1 dedicated ward councilman and 5 at-large councilmen. The current system only provides 1 dedicated ward councilman for residents to turn to.

The new council will be more balanced. Breaking the council into ward representatives and at-large city representatives will promote balance in council between the needs of any one ward with the needs of the city as a whole.

The new council will result in a more vibrant leadership structure. My proposal to reduce the size of council and adopt term limits offers practical solutions to foster the development of dynamic leaders in our city. Human nature is such that stagnation is virtually inevitable for politicians who hold office for their entire career. We must counter this tendency and ensure the City of Cleveland can benefit from a continuous stream of fresh talent, fresh perspectives and new ideas. What better way to compel new leaders to get involved than to demonstrate to our youth that their involvement is necessary and that the opportunity to lead and make a difference in our community is built into the very structure of our council?

There are plenty of other upsides to reducing council and setting term limits. I hope to discuss these with you, and any other questions you may have as I meet you door to door this summer. In the interim, if you have any comments please feel free to contact me at 216-939-2382 or demas4w16@blogspot.com.

Thank you, and I hope to meet you soon.

Sincerely,

Chris