Viewpoint: Do School Impact Fees Make Sense?
By Samuel R. Staley, Ph.D., posted January 9, 2006
Fast growing suburban communities have turned to impact fees to help pay for new schools. But such fees are an unfair, ineffective, and inefficient way for schools to raise revenue.
Viewpoint: Ohio Should Consider Public Private Partnership Law To Spur Transportation Improvements
By Samuel R. Staley, Ph.D., posted October 25, 2005
Congestion is increasing in Ohio’s major metropolitan areas, threatening our state’s competitiveness. State policymakers should consider two bold initiatives to address this rising problem: public private partnership to fund large scale capacity improvements and boothless tolling to ensure free flow traffic on existing roads.
Viewpoint: Ohio’s Growing Congestion can be Managed
By Samuel R. Staley, Ph.D., posted August 19, 2005
All Ohio metropolitan areas are experiencing rising congestion, but this congestion can be managed if policymakers act now. The keys to managing congestion will be ensuring new road capacity keeps pace with travel demand and managing peak-hour road use more effectively through electronic tolling.
Testimony: Urban Homestead Zones May Help Revitalize City Centers
By Samuel R. Staley, Ph.D., posted April 26, 2007
Urban Homestead Zones are intended to help revitalize Ohio’s inner cities. The zones would be voluntarily created by property owners in Ohio’s largest cities (the “Big 8”—Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo, and Youngstown) and cover between 10 and 150 acres. This proposal reflects a fresh approach urban revitalization and has the potential to give new, important tools to citizens and public officials in our traditional central cities.
Testimony: Urban Homestead Zones May Help Revitalize City Centers
By Samuel R. Staley, Ph.D., posted February 2, 2006
The concept of an Urban Homestead Zone reflects a shift in thinking about public policy’s role in revitalizing inner-city neighborhoods. Rather than use a more traditional approach emphasizing large-scale projects like sports stadia, citywide administered community programs, more visible marketing, or simply transferring more resources to existing city governments, the Urban Homestead Zone focuses directly on the needs, aspirations and expectations of citizens and residents.
Central Ohio Lot Sizes Declining
By Samuel R. Staley, Ph.D., posted December 13, 2004
A recent study from The Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., made headlines with claims that local governments can't afford to fund public services for new growth. The bill for Central Ohio alone would amount to $17 billion over the next 30 years, the study claimed, if half of all new homes will be built on lots of one acre or more. Yet, the vast majority of homes are built on lots less than one acre, and this trend is unlikely to change.
One-way Conversions a Bad Move for Columbus
By Randal O, posted September 27, 2004
Columbus planners who want to turn one-way streets such as Front, Gay, State, Rich and Main into two-way operation claim this will create a pedestrian-friendly environment that will be good for local businesses. In fact, numerous studies show that two-way streets are more dangerous for both pedestrians and automobiles and that the congestion of two-way operation is harmful to retailers.
Kicking Asphalt on Ohio's Turnpike
Word on the street is that Gov. Bob Taft is looking for ways to keep big rigs on the turnpike and off of two-lane highways. Apparently, many Ohio residents - particularly those up north - are fed up with their local roads becoming freight corridors and the Ohio Department of Transportation isn't pleased about a growing maintenance bill. Taft's proposal to bring the truckers back where they belong is an increase in speed limits and a decrease in toll rates. [1] While this might do the trick in the short term, the current controversy might present the perfect opportunity to engage in some creative thinking about the role of Ohio's Turnpike in the state's transportation system.
Encouraging City Residency Through School Choice
By Joshua C. Hall, posted July 29, 2004
In this memorandum to Ohio Rep. Larry Wolpert and members of the House Committee on Growth and Land Use, Joshua Hall writes that the poor quality of the public schools in Ohio's major cities has been a contributing factor to the exodus of hundreds of thousands of residents away from Ohio's cities during the last few decades. The key to stopping the outflow of families with kids from Ohio's cities is improving the quality of the schools
Spring and baseball are a much better combination than spring and taxes. Thanks to politicians we have both. Worse, many politicians seem to think that baseball and taxes are an even better combo. Whether the taxes are to support locally owned teams or over-the-top stadiums, people are becoming all-too-familiar with attempts by public officials and civic boosters to pull the wool over their eyes with such bum deals.
Taking a Good Idea One Step Further
Ohio Turnpike officials recently announced plans to let private developers to build travel centers at both ends of the toll road. The decision is in part an effort to stem the loss of the Turnpike's target demographic: truckers. But as these big spenders of the road take their traffic to other routes, it is worth asking whether a new truck stop or two will be enough to turn the tide. Following years of scandal and declining revenues, it is time that Ohio policymakers begin to address some of the fundamental issues standing in the way of the road's success.
Small Town Government, Big City Services
Suburban governments surrounding Cleveland are holding discussions regarding the possibility of combining basic services such as fire protection. The reason? Not only might it allow these communities as a group to provide expensive equipment that would be too costly to afford on their own, they will likely end up saving money in the process. Judging by the possibilities for regional cooperation in the Cleveland area, it may well be worth exploring in others around Ohio.
Eminent Domain a Tool of Last Resort - Not a first option for development
By Samuel R. Staley, Ph.D., posted April 26, 2004
Should a simple majority vote determine whether you should enjoy the privileges of free speech, the right to vote, or practice religion? The idea would repulse most Americans. Our Constitution enshrines these rights as core values in our American democracy. Yet, a similar question about core principles is unfolding in a Hamilton County courtroom as the city of Norwood defends its right to forcibly take the property of some of its residents and give it to another private party.
Fill Those Parking Lots With Buildings
By William S. Peirce, posted February 20, 2004
A front-page story in the Cleveland Plain Dealer on January 11, 2004 gives an excellent description of a serious problem: the reluctance of owners of prime downtown land to convert parking lots into the high rise apartments that Cleveland needs if it is to develop a vibrant downtown. Unfortunately,...
Revitalizing An Old City: A Better Way
By William S. Peirce, posted January 30, 2004
The voters narrowly defeated the plan of Lakewood officials to take homes from their owners in order to sell them to politically favored developers. The episode attracted attention because of the political, legal, and constitutional issues, but the economic issues are also important. Replacing $20...
By Paige Kohn, posted December 20, 2003
The discussion of urban growth is unfortunately characterized by negative images depicting a “blighted landscape of cookie-cutter suburbs, strip malls, and far too many highways.” [1] Environmental groups such as The Sierra Club are often at the forefront of this smear campaign that defines...
Study Shows "Sprawl" Reduces Commuting Time
Common sense suggests that as communities spread outward, residents should expect longer commutes. As Melody Flowers of the Sierra Club states, "What's troubling about this increase in commute time is that it's largely due to poor planning that takes choices away from people. ...
Five Development Principles for Ohio Cities
By Samuel R. Staley, Ph.D., posted October 29, 2003
Local regions in Ohio are faced with 21st-century challenges that fundamentally question both the logic of existing economies and the ways we approach economic development policy. Citizens and local policymakers must take a fresh look at how the economy repositions itself in an information-driven,...
Book Review: Eco-nomics: What Everyone Should Know about Economics and the Environment.
By Casey Burnett, posted October 24, 2003
Eco-nomics: What Everyone Should Know about Economics and the EnvironmentBy Richard L. StroupCato Institute * 2003 * 86 pages * $9.95 For years environmentalist groups have been arguing from their hearts, hoping to convert others to their campaign of environmental protectionism. In recent...
“But numbers are numbers.” [1] This statement from a recent editorial sums up what is likely the typical reaction to a new study claiming that urban sprawl contributes to obesity among suburbanites. It seems like there has to be more going on, but who can argue with a scientific study...
HOT Lanes: Advancing Ohio's Road System Beyond a 1950's Approach
Often, the simplest solution to a problem is not always the best one. Traffic congestion is a good example of this. If cars are piling up, the simple answer might be to add a lane. Some recent research, however, shows that there may be better tools to manage traffic. One...
Sprawl and Obesity in Ohio: What's All the Fuss About?
By Wendell Cox, posted September 22, 2003
It has always been difficult to make something out of nothing, but a new report linking America’s growing obesity problem with urban sprawl (suburban living) sets a new record for political spin. The report (Measuring the Health Effects of Sprawl), released by Smart Growth America...
By Matthew Hisrich and Jen Melby, posted September 16, 2003
Major transit projects such as light rail or bus rapid transit have become popular measures to place on the ballot in cities around the country. Such projects are thought to transform metropolitan areas into “world class cities,” and the benefits of a speedy alternative to driving in traffic...
Highway Expansion Isn't Pointless
By Jen Melby, posted July 18, 2003
Catch phrases such as, “You can’t pave your way out of traffic congestion” or “Build it and they will come” often arise from the perception that road construction merely attracts more drivers. Previous studies put forth in academic literature present the concept of induced travel and have been...
Could Suburbanization Improve Ohio's Air Quality?
By Samuel Staley and Matthew Hisrich, posted July 1, 2003
Automobiles pollute, the anti-sprawl line goes, spewing carbon monoxide and other chemicals into the air and damaging our lungs. Thus, the more we use our cars, the more we pollute the air. Since new low-density cities accommodate the automobile, suburbanization must worsen air quality. A survey of...
In the past five years light rail has been voted down in Cincinnati and Columbus and exposed as a boondoggle in Cleveland. Yet, planning continues unabatedly for light rail in Ohio’s cities. [1] The reason for the disconnect is the federal government’s pro-light rail agenda, which results in the...
Growth, School Funding, and Representative Governance
By Matthew Hisrich and Joshua Hall, posted May 14, 2003
As formerly rural areas become bedroom communities for Ohio’s cities, many are struggling with the increased burden growth is imposing on their schools. The instinctive response is to restrict new residential development or to enact impact fees on new homes. Unfortunately, these efforts are...
The Downside of Budgeting by Constitutional Amendment
By Samuel R. Staley, Ph.D., posted April 20, 2003
Ohioans will be asked to vote on Issue One this November, a Constitutional amendment allowing the State of Ohio to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars to buy land and clean up abandoned, contaminated land in inner-city areas. The measure was overwhelmingly approved by the Ohio General...
Is Rail a Transit Success Story?
As cities in Ohio debate the addition of light rail to their transit systems, it may be worthwhile to consider its success where systems are already in place throughout the country.
Light rail makes up a small portion of travel in even the densest of cities across the globe. Hong Kong, perhaps the densest city in the world, has a population reaching roughly 75,000 per square mile, and its central business district has an employment density of almost 500,000 per square mile. The city boasts a significant network of rail lines, but buses still make up nearly two-thirds of average daily passenger journeys by public transport. Light rail captures only 2.8 percent.
Environmentalists Are Not Always Good For The Environment
By Ralph Frasca, posted October 20, 2002
Traditional environmentalism is typically portrayed as a crusade of good against evil. If you are against what environmentalist groups want, you are evil. In this cartoon view of the world, any relaxation of mandatory restraints on pollution is wrong, regardless of the actual impact such changes...
Park systems are meant to be good stewards of public land. As government agencies, they are also obligated to be good stewards of public dollars. Unfortunately, Erie County's MetroParks System considers this monetary stewardship to extend to funds over which it was not intended to have. The state...
Auditor Protects Farms, Taxpayers, With Property Review
By Joshua C. Hall, posted June 20, 2002
Nearly 500 Licking County property owners are losing an improperly given tax break for agriculture that will cost them thousands of dollars in additional taxes.[1] The decision by Terry Evans, Licking County Auditor, to review properties to see if they qualify for this break is commendable. His...
By Wendell Cox, posted June 1, 2002
In recent years, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and transit agencies have been pumping out press releases about record ridership. At the national level, a recurring theme has been that ridership has reached a 40 year record. So it was to have been expected that when the...
By Samuel Staley and Matthew Hisrich, posted May 1, 2002
Sprawl is a buzzword used to instill fear in the hearts of Ohioans. The term “sprawl” is designed to evoke an image of endless strip malls and houses, extending as far as the eye can see. Whenever the word is uttered, one can be sure that discussions of “smart growth” will soon follow. Smart...
Highways and Sprawl: Is There a Connection?
Conventional wisdom holds that where you build a road, development follows. Activists have taken hold of this idea as a springboard to advocate for less construction and congestion relief in Ohio. Brett Hulsey of the Sierra Club, for example, has said, “More roads lead to more traffic...
Restricting Housing Not Answer To Local Growth Problems
By Samuel Staley and Matthew Hisrich, posted January 1, 2002
Local governments across the state are instituting restrictive growth controls to limit housing development, all in an effort to “control” urban sprawl. But, what is urban “sprawl?” Activist groups often comment on the term with platitudes, but few take the time to define it in a meaningful sense....
Rail Transit Initiatives Unpopular at Ballot Box
An analysis of ballot initiatives since 1988 reveals that voters reject rail transit more than 75 percent of the time. Moreover, rail transit advocates outspend opponents by more than 12 to one.
By Brandon S. Lynaugh, posted June 1, 2001
Competition is good for consumers. When rival grocery stores, restaurants, and oil change places feel the effect of competition, consumers benefit with better service and lower prices. This is free enterprise at work. Most important for this system to work and be fair to rival...
Tax Increment Financing: An Infrastructure Financing Solution
By Jen Melby and Joshua C. Hall, posted November 20, 2000
Congested freeways, abundant potholes, inadequate water supply -- Ohio’s cities continually face infrastructure problems. The only way to keep the cities running smoothly, aside from privatization, is to spend money on improvements. While many cities rely on general tax revenues to fund...
Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine and its implications for city planning in Ohio
By , posted September 20, 2000
The arrival of a new economy is being heralded on the shores of the Ohio River. In a flurry of excitement, Cincinnati is in the process of re-tooling one of its aging districts into an innovative center for high-tech start-ups and internet ventures, and the possibilities have cities across...
Little Darby: Who Do You Trust?
The government has an answer for everything: let them take control. Central Ohioans are currently faced with this situation in the proposed Little Darby National Wildlife Refuge. Just a short ride west of Columbus, a hot debate continues to brew over whether local residents or a federal...
Rail transit unlikely to stimulate urban redevelopment
By Samuel Staley and Wendell Cox, posted July 1, 2000
A quick glance to either side of the rail-transit platform at East 79th Street on Cleveland’s Blue Line belies one of the more novel claims of modern-day rail transit advocates: rail transit stimulates economic development. Despite the fact Cleveland’s rail system is one of the oldest in the...
Ohio farmland preservation efforts trivial, off target, and may encourage urban sprawl
By Samuel R. Staley, Ph.D., posted July 1, 2000
Urban sprawl has captured headlines in newspapers across Ohio. Spurred on by recommendations from Gov. Voinovich’s Farmland Preservation Task Force, state legislators now want to conserve more open space by increasing spending and creating new programs.[1] These efforts, however, are often...
By Brandon S. Lynaugh, posted June 1, 2000
Imagine if someone showed up on your doorstep and offered to buy your home. You decline his offer because you have no desire to sell. A week later, however, he returns with a declaration signed by a government official ordering you to sell your property to him at a rate determined at a...
Megafarm legislation: trade protection or environmental protection?
By Ralph Frasca, posted February 1, 2000
The warm smell of a pork roast coming from the oven on a chilly day pleases most of us. The smell of fresh hog manure, on the other hand, pleases almost no one. But this is the trade-off we face between environmental pollution and desirable consumer goods. Economists argue that we make the best...
Smart Growth Concepts Not Oriented Toward Consumers
By Samuel R. Staley, Ph.D., posted January 1, 2000
I appreciate my garage most during winter. It’s attached to our house, a couple of steps away from our living room, and comfortably houses a pickup truck and van. Just the other day, I mused at how such a seemingly simple innovation had improved my life. As the wind whipped around outside, sending...
Tree sprawl: Ohio wilderness grew faster than development, 1949-1992
U.S. Ohio’s wilderness areas grew faster than its developed areas from 1949 to 1992, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. The data suggest that concerns about the loss of wilderness areas may be largely unfounded: while total Ohio cropland and pasture acreage decreased, the increase in total forest acreage nearly balanced the conversion of farmland to developed areas.
Is Light Rail The Right Ticket for Columbus Commuters?
By James A. Damask, posted November 1, 1999
Columbus faces an important decision: Whether to build a rail-transit system. Why is the idea so popular? One reason is the lure of easy money. According to the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, central Ohio will gain almost a half-billion dollars from the federal government over 20 years to...
The Farm, the Traffic, and the Power to Destroy
By , posted September 20, 1999
Hot on the heels of a renewed vigor for open space protection at the Statehouse, a recent proposal in Delaware seeks to run a five-lane highway through one of the Ohio’s only privately-owned state nature preserves. At the Stratford Ecological Center, nestled behind route 33, the smell of a...
Urban sprawl is no threat to Ohio's farmland
By Samuel R. Staley, Ph.D., posted May 1, 1999
The debate over urban sprawl is reaching fever pitch. Some in Ohio have identified it as a "crisis."[1] Last January, interim Gov. Nancy Hollister signed a bill creating a state fund to help local governments keep farm land undeveloped.[2] The law also authorized local governments to increase...
Rail transit fails to reduce congestion
Rail transit is often proposed as a way to reduce traffic congestion on urban highways. Congestion, however, has increased faster in cities with new rail projects than those relying on highways to carry commuters and travelers.
The Best Solution for Ohio's Auto Pollution Woes
By Dennis Miller and Samuel Staley, posted November 1, 1994
When it comes to smog and air pollution, Ohio is a virtual paradise compared to locales such as California and New York. Nevertheless, in the federal government’s zeal to regulate air quality, Washington has mandated that Ohio’s major cities reduce air emissions by 15 percent by 1996 as...
Cleveland Taxpayers In For Rocky Ride on Waterfront Rail Project
By Samuel R. Staley, Ph.D., posted September 1, 1994
Cleveland taxpayers are in for the ride of their lives with the Cleveland RTA’s newest rail project. The local RTA is running full-steam ahead with the Waterfront Line, an extension of the existing rail system that will cost at least $47.5 million. The RTA has even forgone $20 million in...
