Tuesday, July 24, 2018
Cleveland's Economy Front and Center Following Jon Pinney's Speech
Jon J. Pinney's visit to the City Club continues to be an important topic in Cleveland, with not only the current state of affairs a point of discussion, but the city's future as well.
Several local media outlets have spoken on the state of Cleveland's economy and beyond:
1.) City Club Speaker Calls for New Leaders and a Clear Plan to Fix Cleveland's Economy
After a revelation that the city of Cleveland ranked last in a list of the nation’s top 40 metropolitan areas, Jon P. Pinney, a local attorney and the man who helped in bringing the RNC to Cleveland, spoke out.
“We need to build an optimal model that is built truly on two concepts: collaboration and innovation. And after the process is complete, I think we need to hold a summit so we can tell the community what the plan is,” he said.
2.) Cleveland's economy fails to gain traction
Northeast Ohio has several strengths and weaknesses, and one of the reasons why its weaknesses continue to be so is because they’re not accurately measured and rectified.
Of note, the region regularly fails to juxtapose its performance compared to other metropolitan areas. In doing so, this would create benchmarks for business and civic leaders to strive to attain.
3.) Let's launch inclusively, collectively, our 2030 movement for Cleveland's future: editorial
Now that Cleveland has been called out for its economic sluggishness and its well-known that several steps will need to be taken, the true questions that remain are “How?” and “Who will lead the charge?”
Some plans that have once again come up in talks are former Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell’s plans for the lakefront. How to increase the amount of younger workers within the city is another plan issue that needs an immediate plan. Both could be the key to securing Cleveland’s economic future.
4.) Crain's editorial: Up for a challenge?
Jon Pinney’s speech at the City Club didn’t mince words.
"We're getting our butts kicked," and that the city is "dead last or near the bottom in most economic metrics," he said.
Among other issues in a recent report from Brookings Institution, investing in infrastructure, federal tax credits and wage subsidies for those with an economic need and improving the jobs outlook are all a great start to addressing the challenge of rebooting Cleveland’s economy.
5.) Letter to the editor: Vibrant NEO 2040 is framework for a more successful region
Many of the issues with Cleveland’s economy and infrastructure are not new. Six years ago, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency, with support from the Fund for Our Economic Future, established the Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium. Utilizing a federal grant and three years of planning, Vibrant NEO 2040 was established to be the answer to many of the issues that made Cleveland 40 out of 40 metropolitan areas on their list of top performing cities in America.
