Mayor University Heights OH

Why would a small city such as University Heights,
which is doing well, want to be absorbed by its
larger neighbor Cleveland Heights which isn’t doing
well at all in these economic times.

What would we gain from it? Absolutely nothing.

Contrary to some of our other larger neighboring communities,
we have a balanced budget, we live within our means, no
employee has had to be laid off, all of our quality city services
continue to be delivered. Our city has only been on the ballot
once in the 32 years I have been Mayor for an income tax
increase, which passed easily several years ago.
Also, our debt load is low. What could we possibly gain by
merging with Cleveland Heights? We are a jewel in a sub-
urban setting with a very different culture from Cleveland
Heights even though we share the same public school and
library systems, two independent entities. We have more in
common with South. Euclid and Shaker Heights than we do
with Cleveland Heights because of their form of government.
We have a strong Mayor/Council form of government
(called the Federal System) like So. Euclid and Shaker,
whereas Cleveland Heights has a Council/City Manager
system whereby the Council elects one among itself as Mayor.
However, the Councilperson Mayor has no experience actually
running a city as do the South. Euclid, Shaker and University
Heights’ directly elected Mayors. In addition, University Heights
is in a different court system with Beachwood, Pepper Pike,
Hunting Valley and Shaker Heights at the Shaker Heights
Municipal Court. Judge K.J. Montgomery is terrific so why
would we want to join the Cleveland Heights Municipal Court
System.

On the other hand, Cleveland Heights has a lot to gain from
such a merger, mainly the needed population figures to assure
Cleveland Heights that it will have the necessary population
numbers after the upcoming census to keep receiving direct
community block grant money of $200,000 or better, whereas
we have to compete to receive any Block Grant money. Also,
they would get our tax income which certainly would help
Cleveland Heights bail out of their recent economic dilemma.

We have gathered much data for over 30 years through our
entry and exit surveys of residents. The makeup of our City
remains mostly professional, people love the small town
atmosphere, the neighborliness, feeling of safety, ease of
walking to shopping and eating areas, summer pool, band
concerts, etc. What they don’t like is our high property taxes,
which many people attribute to the City but are really due
to the public school levies. The only solution to this is by the
State of Ohio reforming school funding, beginning with doing
something with HB920, which was made a part of Ohio’s
constitution.

Collaboration is another thing. University Heights is in the
Joint Fire Dispatch with Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights.
Cleveland Heights’ very capable employee Kathleen Ruane
made this possible. University Heights participates in many other
collaborations, as do most cities. Perhaps an article on that topic
would balance this sudden burst of merger mania.

Beryl E. Rothschild, Mayor

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