“Things could be worse.  I could be a Mayor.” Lyndon Johnson

What’s killing the Dayton Region?

Lack of strong and effective political leadership!

What’s needed?

A strong mayor form of government!  Read this article on Strong Mayors

Do a little research into cities across the U.S. that have been successful.  Cities that have been “turned around”.  In every case you will find one common ingredient, strong and effective political leadership.

• Columbus, former Mayor Sensenbrenner
• Indianapolis, former Mayor Hudnut III
• Charleston, Mayor Riley
• Louisville, Mayor Abramson
• Chicago, Mayor Daley
• New York, former Mayor Giuliani and Mayor Bloomberg
• Pittsburg, Mayor Ravenstahl
• Philadelphia, former Mayor Rendell
• Richmond, VA, former Mayor Wilder
• Oakland, Mayor Brown
• New Haven, former Mayor Lee
• Boston, former Mayor White

The list can go on and on, the point is without strong and effective political leadership the City of Dayton and along with it the Dayton Region are doomed.

U.S. CITIES (Population over 100,000)

Adopted Mayor – Council Government

1990 – Tulsa, Oklahoma
Pop. 383,764
Replaced Council – Manager government

1993 – St. Petersburg, Florida
Pop. 249,090
Replaced Council – Manager government

1993 – Fresno, California
Pop. 457,719
Replaced Council – Manager government

1994 – Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Pop. 136,695
Replaced Council – Manager government

1998 – Oakland, California
Pop. 397,976
Replaced Council – Manager government
6 year pilot made permanent in 2004

1999 – Spokane, Washington
Pop. 196,721
Replaced Council – Manager government
2002 proposal to return to Council – Manager government failed

2002 – Hartford, Connecticut
Pop. 124,848
Replaced Council – Manager government

2003 – Richmond, Virginia
Pop. 192,494
Replaced Council – Manager government

2004 – San Diego, California
Pop. 1,263,756
Replaced Council – Manager government
5 year pilot starts in 2006

Adopted Council – Manager Government

2004 – El Paso, Texas
Pop. 592,099
Replaced Mayor – Council government

2004 – Topeka, Kansas
Pop. 121,809
Replaced Mayor – Council government
1985, Replaced Commission government with
Mayor – Council government

2005 – Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Pop. 122,206
Replaced Commission government

“STRONG” MAYOR-COUNCIL

Under this system the Mayor is the chief executive and the City Council is the legislative body.  This system is modeled after the Federal Constitution structure of government.

The primary components are:

COUNCIL-MANAGER

Under this system the City Council is the legislative body and an appointed City Manager is the Chief executive.  This system is modeled after the corporate structure of governance.

The primary components are: