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Mike Coleman Thank you for asking my opinion on “What Columbus needs” for Columbus Monthly. As you know . . . I presented my seventh State of the City Address [in February], compiling accomplishments and challenges to the community as we look to the future. I believe that this speech hits on almost every major area of concern for my administration, without hitting on every single initiative that we have going during our day-to-day activities. Clearly, we need to focus on three major areas: investing in our neighborhoods, investing in our regional economy and investing in our people. For example: investing in the King-Lincoln District or bringing OhioHealth’s headquarters downtown, cleaning up neighborhoods and vacant homes that have endured a generation of neglect, building a historic partnership with other jurisdictions to create the Advanced Logistics Hub at Rickenbacker, giving our talented young residents a reason to stay and invest themselves in Columbus or, even more critical, working with endangered young black men to give them alternatives and a better future. As mayor, I hear more suggestions on what should be done than almost anyone, and I know that while we can’t do everything, we must pick challenges and take them head on. The State of the City is designed as a guide, and I believe we successfully laid out a path in this year’s speech to make progress in Columbus. We considered writing a summary to fulfill your request, but I think the speech on Feb. 23rd spoke for itself…. That said, there are always less tangible items that are harder to put in a speech, but still critical to the way our city moves forward. One that I would like to put forward to you is the concept of pride. While we don’t often talk specifically about “Columbus Pride,” or the occasional lack thereof, I believe that many of the events I do, the ceremonies I attend and the way I stand up for this community (yes, some call it cheerleading) are important in taking the community’s pride to a higher level. I will not accept anyone who says that Columbus isn’t among the nation’s leading cities in almost every category. While we may not have the mountains, oceans or perfect weather, we have a quality of life and competitive attitude that few cities will ever enjoy. Every day I look for new ways to build upon that attitude and quality of life, and I try to challenge people in neighborhoods, companies and all walks of life to step up and be bolder in everything they do. Columbus has come far since your last survey [in 2001], and we need to be proud of that. But it is also time to double our pace, take some risks and push harder to make Columbus America’s 21st-Century City. I’ll apply that attitude to a myriad list of issues, from reaching out to young black men who feel they have nothing to believe in, to encouraging Columbus’s own hometown airline, Skybus, to building a downtown where everyone wants to live, work and play (and maybe you will move into one day!). We all have a role to play in pumping up Columbus, and it is time for us to stop being shy and start fighting for the champion’s belt. I’m very excited to see so many ideas coming true in 2006 that were once thought impossible, and I promise you that I will not stop pushing to take Columbus to the next level. BACK TO THE LIST OF RESPONDENTS Rich Cordray A state government committed to helping our cities become dynamic hubs of economic growth and opportunity. A concerted effort to do “in-fill” by revitalizing blighted and abandoned properties. Expanded public-private partnerships to provide tenacious leadership in executing a vision of the future. BACK
TO THE LIST OF RESPONDENTS Tanny Crane Vibrant downtown. Focused effort by the entire community—business, government, schools, neighborhoods—to bring new business to Columbus. Effort also to retain business here. Focus on improving Columbus Public Schools—by everyone, including our elected officials! BACK
TO THE LIST OF RESPONDENTS Jeff Darbee and Nancy Recchie A rail transportation system linking downtown with immediate urban neighborhoods for those who understand the benefits of city living. An aggressive push to rectify the damage caused by 1960s downtown freeway construction by building caps at every street crossing of the freeway system during I-70 and I-71 reconstruction. Thoughtful, forward-thinking retailers who recognize the collective purchasing power of urban residents and want to serve that market by locating in the heart of the city. BACK
TO THE LIST OF RESPONDENTS Karen Susan Days Columbus needs safe downtown living—other than condos. I have two wonderful big Labs and they LOVE their backyard. I would love to buy a home downtown. However, just when I think I’ve found the right house, directly next to it or two doors down, I inevitably find eyesores or vacant (boarded) houses. I applaud the mayor and others for their efforts to build fabulous downtown condos, but what about enforcing codes and revitalizing neighborhoods with homes that single women such as me would buy in a heartbeat? BACK
TO THE LIST OF RESPONDENTS Roger Deal Members of City Council should not be elected at large; this allows council to ignore the concerns of neighborhoods. The department of traffic and engineering should stop altogether its policy of destroying city neighborhoods to help suburbanites get to and from their houses faster. The current policy makes no sense as it encourages people to NOT live in Columbus. Clearly, T&E believes suburbanites’ convenience is more important than our children’s lives while encouraging sprawl. Every remaining bit of the so-called “win-win” school policy should be rejected. It only encourages sprawl while harming city schools. BACK
TO THE LIST OF RESPONDENTS Diane Deane Light rail. Public art. Less sprawl. All that, and a Neiman Marcus! BACK
TO THE LIST OF RESPONDENTS Hugh Dorrian Columbus must continue to have an open dialogue with its citizens. I believe this is the most important element in good government. Bricks and mortar, while important, are far secondary to the intangible of trust between government and its citizens. A firm policy recognizing the community importance of services to our youth and seniors in the form of recreation centers and health services. Continued protection of our environment, primarily through safe and clean water and sewer capabilities. This will prove to be an expensive effort but one we must provide for. BACK
TO THE LIST OF RESPONDENTS Betty Drummond Expanded high-quality learning opportunities for preschool-age children. High-quality programs have been shown to prepare children for long-term academic success. Kudos for the successes in our schools. We have fostered a learning environment that allowed the class of 2005 to earn $32.4 million in college financial support. The Columbus Alternative High School was awarded the International Baccalaureate accreditation in February 2004. It is now one of only two high schools in Central Ohio with this prestigious designation. We have implemented an early college program at the Columbus Alternative Secondary School that will provide students with a high school diploma and 45 to 90 hours toward an associate of arts or associate of science transfer degree. An improved transportation system. Our public transportation system must keep up with the needs of our growing community. I believe both COTA and the schools would benefit with greater collaboration. With each running such a large fleet of buses, there should be ways to assist each other and avoid duplication. BACK
TO THE LIST OF RESPONDENTS Ezra C. Escudero A genuine, unique destination that is not tied to a mall or a sports team. Don’t get me wrong, I love Easton and my Buckeyes, but we need a space that is unmistakably “Columbus”, ideally downtown (maybe once City Center is torn down) that has the right balance of shops, cultural attractions, residential space and most importantly—civic space. A large monument or two would be nice. Since this city is named after the “discoverer” of the Americas, Christopher Columbus, why not build a beautiful “Plaza Of The Americas” that celebrates our hemisphere from the northern tundra of Alaska to the southern tip of Tierra del Fuego? We can celebrate the Americas without jumping into the fiery controversy of celebrating the “man” or the “discovery”. If done tastefully without too much kitsch or cheese-factor, it would be a great civic place to celebrate Columbus’s increasing growth and diversity, and make a great stop on the streetcar line-to-be. Filling in the empty spaces. Rather than continue to promote urban sprawl to the benefit of real estate developers and cookie-cutter neighborhood builders alone, Columbus must move more aggressively to redevelop abandoned areas like Northland Mall, the Continent and dying areas like Westland & Eastland Malls, and other parcels of light industrial zones, and commercial islands surrounded by seas of asphalt. If Columbus can increase its population density in a thoughtful way, we can start to build a public transit system that works, build a stronger sense of identity and community and ensure that we get the most out of our public infrastructure investments (roads, sidewalks, water & sewer, utilities etc.). Promote walking. In spite of rush-hour complaints from Columbus motorists, this city really is a car-driver’s paradise. Unfortunately it is not a very pedestrian-friendly city. We have plenty of parks and broad avenues to give us space, but if neighborhoods can develop in a more balanced way, with basic needs within walking distance, our national ranking as an unhealthy city will change for the better. This is also closely related with filling in the empty spaces around our city, which will give us a stronger sense of identity to match our growing status and prestige as a city. |
