An Open Letter to Cleveland's Leaders
September 19, 2008
The following is an open letter to Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, City Council President Martin Sweeney, and City Coucil Members Nina Turner, Robert White, Zach Reed, Kenneth Johnson, Phyllis Cleveland, Mamie Mitchell, Stephanie Howse, Sabra Pierce Scott, Kevin Conwell, Roosevelt Coats, Michael Polensek, Anthony Brancatelli, Joe Cimperman, Joe Santiago, Brian Cummins, Kevin Kelley, Matt Zone, Jay Westbrook, Dona Brady and Martin Keane.
A condensed version of this letter has been submitted to The Plain Dealer as a letter to the editor. Edit: The Plain Dealer published my letter on Friday, September 26th, 2008. Thanks to everyone who has helped spread the word thusfar!
Dear Mayor Jackson and Cleveland City Council Members,
Yesterday’s announcement that Eaton Corp. will most likely flee from Cleveland to the suburbs was a colossal disappointment and a crushing blow to my confidence in Cleveland’s leadership. Mayor Jackson keeps talking about the concept of “regionalism” and the 50/50 tax split that Cleveland will receive from the deal. Some are calling the news a step sideways for the region and Jackson told The Plain Dealer "Cleveland will survive, as you know, our city depends on the success of this region." I’m no expert, and certainly not an elected official, but in the coming years, all evidence points to the idea that regions will depend on the success of cities; not the other way around.
There is no debate that Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and the 7 county region in Northeast Ohio is losing population at one of the most alarming rates in the country, as The Plain Dealer reported in July. Today's front page features the story that Cleveland Public Schools now has an enrollment so low that similar numbers haven't been seen since 1894. While at first glance the news that Eaton will move from Cleveland to Beachwood seems like it would have little impact on population trends, it will; and it has to do with my generation, a group who seems to be invisible to Cleveland's leadership right now.
I have lived in the Cleveland region my whole life - I want to like the city and I want to have faith in it. I have pride in Cleveland, but I could care less about the suburbs or "the region". When I think about starting and building my career in Cleveland - I want to live and work in the city, not in the suburbs. I've had enough of the suburbs - I want to ditch the suburbs for a city like Cleveland, and I am not alone. Granted, I've been impressed with, and written about Cleveland's urban renewal, but the reality is that Cleveland isn't the only city in America having an urban renewal, and frankly, Cleveland seems to be moving at a snail's pace compared to some of our neighbors.
There are plenty of my Generation Y peers who share these same feelings. As the New York Times pointed out in June:
And finally, from The Atlantic:
The promise of having the new Eaton headquarters on the East Bank of the Flats was exciting because of the hope that it would accelerate the growth of what still could be Cleveland's hottest urban neighborhood. Moving Eaton's headquarters to the suburbs is not only a step backward for progress already made in downtown Cleveland, but it also makes me much less optimistic about future growth. Council President Sweeney told The Plain Dealer that the land Eaton decided to pass on, and which will now probably sit vacant, may attract a Fortune 200 company to Cleveland. Honestly, how can anyone believe such a move could happen? Cleveland cannot retain the Fortune 500 companies it has now, who exactly did you have in mind to try to lure here? And in the increasingly unlikely chance that you can, how are you going to make sure they don't opt for the suburbs?
For many in Generation Y, the decision to leave the suburbs behind has already been made. That means that the choice isn't between Cleveland or the suburbs - the choice is between Cleveland and Chicago, Washington, Charlotte, Dallas or any other city. With the limited number of opportunities that this region has available as it is, that doesn't leave much of a bargaining chip. I trust that Jackson and other leaders "did all the could" to keep Eaton in Cleveland, but the stakes are way too high for just "trying hard" - only results matter at this point. If Cleveland doesn't get its act together soon, the decisions facing Generation Y won't even be difficult.
A condensed version of this letter has been submitted to The Plain Dealer as a letter to the editor. Edit: The Plain Dealer published my letter on Friday, September 26th, 2008. Thanks to everyone who has helped spread the word thusfar!
Dear Mayor Jackson and Cleveland City Council Members,
Yesterday’s announcement that Eaton Corp. will most likely flee from Cleveland to the suburbs was a colossal disappointment and a crushing blow to my confidence in Cleveland’s leadership. Mayor Jackson keeps talking about the concept of “regionalism” and the 50/50 tax split that Cleveland will receive from the deal. Some are calling the news a step sideways for the region and Jackson told The Plain Dealer "Cleveland will survive, as you know, our city depends on the success of this region." I’m no expert, and certainly not an elected official, but in the coming years, all evidence points to the idea that regions will depend on the success of cities; not the other way around.
There is no debate that Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and the 7 county region in Northeast Ohio is losing population at one of the most alarming rates in the country, as The Plain Dealer reported in July. Today's front page features the story that Cleveland Public Schools now has an enrollment so low that similar numbers haven't been seen since 1894. While at first glance the news that Eaton will move from Cleveland to Beachwood seems like it would have little impact on population trends, it will; and it has to do with my generation, a group who seems to be invisible to Cleveland's leadership right now.
I have lived in the Cleveland region my whole life - I want to like the city and I want to have faith in it. I have pride in Cleveland, but I could care less about the suburbs or "the region". When I think about starting and building my career in Cleveland - I want to live and work in the city, not in the suburbs. I've had enough of the suburbs - I want to ditch the suburbs for a city like Cleveland, and I am not alone. Granted, I've been impressed with, and written about Cleveland's urban renewal, but the reality is that Cleveland isn't the only city in America having an urban renewal, and frankly, Cleveland seems to be moving at a snail's pace compared to some of our neighbors.
There are plenty of my Generation Y peers who share these same feelings. As the New York Times pointed out in June:
Why young people flee the suburbs was the underlying question of the day. But there has never been much mystery about it: There is nowhere to live; not enough to do; and not enough young adults around to improvise the kind of neighborhood scene born every few years in the big city.Some statistics from the Washington Business Journal:
According to Richard Charles Lesser’s research, 77 percent of Gen Y-ers plan to live in an urban core — a far cry from the baby boomers’ suburban dream of a white picket fence and a two-car garage. Developers are paying attention: The 80 million Gen Y-ers (30 percent of the population to the boomers’ current 25 percent) will drive the real estate market in the coming years. They’re expected to transition from renters to homeowners starting around 2012 and flood the market with demand for more urban developments. That means more condos, more apartments and more townhouses. At the same time, even many boomers are moving back toward the city in search of walkable communities.
And finally, from The Atlantic:
Cities, of course, have made a long climb back since then. Just nine years after Russell escaped from the wreck of New York, Seinfeld—followed by Friends, then Sex and the City—began advertising the city’s renewed urban allure to Gen-Xers and Millennials. Many Americans, meanwhile, became disillusioned with the sprawl and stupor that sometimes characterize suburban life. These days, when Hollywood wants to portray soullessness, despair, or moral decay, it often looks to the suburbs—as The Sopranos and Desperate Housewives attest—for inspiration.
The promise of having the new Eaton headquarters on the East Bank of the Flats was exciting because of the hope that it would accelerate the growth of what still could be Cleveland's hottest urban neighborhood. Moving Eaton's headquarters to the suburbs is not only a step backward for progress already made in downtown Cleveland, but it also makes me much less optimistic about future growth. Council President Sweeney told The Plain Dealer that the land Eaton decided to pass on, and which will now probably sit vacant, may attract a Fortune 200 company to Cleveland. Honestly, how can anyone believe such a move could happen? Cleveland cannot retain the Fortune 500 companies it has now, who exactly did you have in mind to try to lure here? And in the increasingly unlikely chance that you can, how are you going to make sure they don't opt for the suburbs?
For many in Generation Y, the decision to leave the suburbs behind has already been made. That means that the choice isn't between Cleveland or the suburbs - the choice is between Cleveland and Chicago, Washington, Charlotte, Dallas or any other city. With the limited number of opportunities that this region has available as it is, that doesn't leave much of a bargaining chip. I trust that Jackson and other leaders "did all the could" to keep Eaton in Cleveland, but the stakes are way too high for just "trying hard" - only results matter at this point. If Cleveland doesn't get its act together soon, the decisions facing Generation Y won't even be difficult.
"...regions will depend on the success of cities; not the other way around."
You hit the nail right on the head!! I hope your letter gets published in the PD and leaders take note!
good luck on getting this published let me know if it does
I felt the same way in 1979, when I left Shaker Heights (and Cleveland) for New Orleans, and then Miami, Austin, and San Francisco. Now I'm back in Cleveland and still love the city, but am as disgusted as you by the poor leadership... and, to be blunt, the poor "citizenship". After all, our leaders are a reflection of our population, which is generally performing poorly.
I hope you get lots of attention to this excellent and well written letter - and your excellent blog!
How may we all make things better?
Diane and Austin, the Plain Dealer did email me on Sunday night asking me to verify my letter, but as of today (September 24th) have not published it.
Norm, I obviously am disappointed in Cleveland’s leadership, but I am torn on what you call “poor citizenship”. A group of my Gen-Y peers have created the Believe in Cleveland organization, whose website states:
It's time to celebrate all that Cleveland has to offer and the future of things to come!.. Our goal to get as many people from Cleveland to stay in or come back to Cleveland after graduating from college.
Their Facebook group already has well over 2000 members, which leads me to believe that there are, literally, thousands of young people who want to like Cleveland.
If you think about this like a business – there are customers out there who want to give you their business – the question is whether the business's leadership gives them a reason to be a repeat customer or push them patronize one of the competitors instead?
What has attracted me to places to live, which have all been places attractive to whatever the Gen Y of the day may be, has been a culture of openness, respect for nature, diversity and what I consider an intellectual social consciousness about such matters as peace, equity, tolerance and freedom. I've found such positive energy is largely concentrated in highly educated and diverse urban areas but extends beyond the boundaries of cities to regions around the world, and beyond the ages of exploration to all generations. These places developed good citizenship - "the quality of an individual's response to membership in a community".
Rob, I am so proud of you for writing this letter. You nailed it. Let me know what type of response you get. Keep it up, brother. There are thousands of people (Young Professionals) that echo your thoughts and this is why so many of us spend countless hours volunteering and spreading the “action” bug in this city. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Norm, thanks for the clarification.
Ryan, so far the responses have been mixed. Most have been positive, but a few have questioned the theory that Gen-Y would prefer Cleveland's suburbs over its urban core; others have questioned the belief that the strength of the region is conditioned on the strength of Cleveland. While I don't believe I can speak for every member of my generation, I think there are visibly shifting trends.
So far I have not gotten any feedback from anyone in a real position of power in Cleveland.
Rob,
I appreciate your posting and can tell you the snail's pace you refer is all to real to often in terms of the City of Cleveland government.
There are people who do give it there all and work very hard and there's others that do not. Unfortunately there is way more reporting on the bad news in this town than there is on the good.
There is too often people working in closed circles of power with very little civic engagement or effective communications. They work to gain just the consensus or support they need and no more and then take the step to achieve what they want leaving much to be desired in terms of process or a wider attempt of building trust and understanding.
The development deals of the type of Eaton will never reveal the full details of those involved but the results unfortunately speak for themselves.
Nonetheless, given the long period of economic stagnation our City and State has gone through in this most recent decade there are plenty of projects and organizations making strides and changing things for the better.
I would enjoy sharing a conversation with you over coffee with any of your Gen-Y peers, contact me and let me know.
Thank you for your efforts to promote Cleveland. There truly is a great deal to believe in!
Sincerely,
Brian J. Cummins
Councilman, Ward 15
City of Cleveland
brianjcummins@earthlink.net
216-459-8400