Carol Roe, candidate for Cleveland Heights City Council At Large

CAROL ROE

Cleveland Heights Age: 70

Email: caroejd@aol.com

Website: www.CarolRoe.com

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:

Education: Diploma in Nursing; BSN; MSN; JD

Current Occupation: Self-employed Consultant

Unique Qualifications: Current member of Cleveland Heights City Council; Former Government Affairs Specialist for Ohio Nurses Association; Former Legislative Liason for Ohio Board of Nursing; Multiple recognitions for expertise in public policy

Questions for Cleveland Heights City Council:

1. Top issues: Most pressing is expanding the tax base in a city where almost 20% of our residents live at the poverty level or below. I would support continued development efforts to attract both new residents and small businesses. This would include both developing strategies to execute selected elements of the proposed Noble Corridor plan and continuing to address the needs of Taylor Road. This also includes continuing to advocate for enhanced public transportation to assist residents who do not own cars in both seeking employment and getting to work. We should also look at ways to provide support for those who need training for available jobs. Another challenge is preserving our housing stock. I would support efforts to collaborate with Future Heights and other entities in both renovating current houses and building new homes. We should continue to collaborate with citizens and experts in implementing new programs to maintain housing stock, I would like to see us enhance our communication with residents, business owners, and institutions about our vision as articulated in the Master Plan. I will continue to look for ways to communicate our progress and engage citizens in the strategies to actualize the Master Plan as well as our priorities.

2. Position on form of city government ballot issue: I am opposed. It would create instability in a time that we have momentum in economic development as evidenced by the proposed projects at Meadowbrook, Lee, Cedar; Medusa; and Top of the Hill and the College Club project currently in execution. Instability in the senior staff would also be another outcome.The Charter Review Commission spent 16 months studying the issue in depth and a majority of those members made a number of recommendations to improve upon our current model of governance. Disregarding the work of those citizens will have a chilling impact on engaging residents in any such work in the future.

3. New residential and commercial development: The City should utilize the Master Plan and collaborate with Future Heights, residents, realtors, developers, businesses, SIDs, and other experts in the field.

4. Privatization of city services: Citizens should be able to rely on fast and reliable police and fire protection, efficient trash pick-up, clean water, environmentally safe sewer service, and  recreational offerings for all ages.  Citizens should also be provided those services by individuals who have the knowledge, skill and ability to provide the services.  Any suggested service to be privatized should be evaluated based  upon those criteria as well as the fiscal implications to the tax payers and the accountability mechanisms to assure quality and safety. 

5. Regionalization efforts: Conceptually I support regionalization efforts as one way to potentially avoid increasing the tax burden.  Suggesting the tax burden can be decreased is not realistic.  The most obvious example is that as the State of Ohio cut taxes to fund local government, local governments were forced to increase taxes to fund essential services.  If there are ways we can provide the same quality of service and save the tax payer money, we should consider regionalizing.  If the effort helps Cleveland Heights citizens, it should be seriously considered.  If it harms Cleveland Heights citizens, it should be avoided. Conceptually I support regionalization efforts as one way to potentially avoid increasing the tax burden.  Suggesting the tax burden can be decreased is not realistic.  The most obvious example is that as the State of Ohio cut taxes to fund local government, local governments were forced to increase taxes to fund essential services.  If there are ways we can provide the same quality of service and save the tax payer money, we should consider regionalizing.  If the effort helps Cleveland Heights citizens, it should be seriously considered.  If it harms Cleveland Heights citizens, it should be avoided.

League of Women Voters

The 2019 Voters Guide to Candidates and Issues is published as a public service by the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland, CH-UH and FutureHeights. The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization whose mission is to encourage the informed participation by citizens in government. FutureHeights is a nonprofit community development organization. Election Day is Nov. 5, 2019. Polls are open 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

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Volume 12, Issue 10, Posted 11:57 AM, 10.07.2019