What Would Merging Mean?
Regional News Stories: Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Northeast Ohio's economy has drastically changed over the last decade. Municipal budgets have shrunk. Manufacturing jobs have declined and the urban core -- Cleveland -- is losing population. As leaders search for solutions, talk of regionalism has ignited conversations and ideas, including more collaboration among cities, even the possibility of merger between city and county government in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. This week ideastream is exploring that radical idea with reports and interviews on radio and TV. A special hour long edition of ideas on the topic will be aired Thursday night at 8:00, and this morning economics reporter Tasha Flournoy gives us more perspective on how some local mayors view regional cooperation.

Mayors Un-muzzled
The Sound of Ideas: Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Local mayors Judy Rawson and Michael Ciaravino have a bit in common, and not just the struggles of inner rings suburbs: They've also both voluntarily given up their jobs. On our program, Rawson and Ciaravino join us for a look back at their tenures running Shaker Heights and Maple Heights, respectively, and a look ahead at the future of our region. And we'll hear what they're free to say, now that they're not running for office. Join us Wednesday at 9 a.m.

What Would Merging Mean?: The Louisville Model
Regional News Stories: Thursday, November 29, 2007
This week on WCPN and on WVIZ's ideas program, we've raised questions about the status of regional cooperation. One somewhat radical approach that is talked about occasionally is the merger of local governments and public services. You can learn more during an hour-long discussion about it, tonight at 8:00 on WVIZ. To set the stage, ideastream's Rick Jackson reports on another city that took the plunge toward merger: Louisville, Kentucky.

Ideas 4,01
Ideas: Thursday, November 29, 2007
Here we are in Cleveland -- a city with a steadily declining population, a shrinking tax base, and facing stiff competition for economic development from surrounding communities. But what if all that disappeared in one fell swoop? Imagine if you will a new and different Cleveland, with more people, and more money -- a Cleveland where community leaders unite behind common goals and development deals sail through.

What Would Merging Mean?: Recap
Regional News Stories: Friday, November 30, 2007
This week on WCPN, we've been raising questions about the status of regional cooperation, including the somewhat radical approach of possibly merging local governments and public services. This morning, Rick Jackson recaps what local experts in and outside government say about lessons learned from another city which took the merger plunge in 2003: Louisville, Kentucky. The discussion aired last night on on the ideas program on our sister station WVIZ.