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Cost of Government Research
During Voices & Choices, an 18-month civic engagement program that more than 20,000 residents of Northeast Ohio participated in 2005 and 2006, the public identified streamlining local government as a top priority.
In response to that call, several foundations and chambers of commerce commissioned a study in 2007 to examine the cost of local government in the 16 counties of Northeast Ohio vs. other regions in Ohio and the United States. The supporters of the research believe that the first step toward making government more efficient is having a good understanding of how much our governments are spending. The Center for Governmental Research (CGR) or Rochester, N.Y., was retained to conduct the research and issued its initial reports and a large number of charts and tables on July 14, 2008. In addition, has made publicly available a database detailing the expenditures and revenues of hundreds of governments in Northeast Ohio and in the comparison regions. Read the Fund's news release here.
Access the Center for Governmental Research's Reports and Online Database Here
Key Findings
CGR said the key findings of its examination of government spending in Northeast Ohio included:
- 656 Ohio government entities (16 counties, 169 municipalities, 164 townships, 99 special districts and 208 school districts) provided data for the most recent Census of Governments (2002) and reported total spending of nearly $16 billion; more than 10% of the region’s overall economy.
- In the prior Census (1997), 852 governments had reported. Thus, the $16 billion in government spending reported to the most recent Census is conservative. Had all entities provided information, reported spending would have been higher.
- In analyzing data for the 604 Northeast Ohio governments that reported for all three of the most recent Census of Governments (1992, 1997 and 2002) CGR found spending rose from $9.25 billion to $15.7 billion. On a per capita basis, spending rose 68%. The inflation rate in the Midwest for the same period was about 29%.
- There is a wide disparity in spending on a per capita basis among the counties in Northeast Ohio. Even with under reporting of information, the database illustrates there is a multiplicity of government entities delivering similar services in the region.
Using the Research
The sponsors of this research anticipate that residents and public officials will use this research to inform many ongoing efforts to increase government collaboration and efficiency in the region. For example, chambers of commerce in Stark County have formed the 21st Century Government Initiative to advocate for improvements in local government. That effort is using the research to identify opportunities for efficiencies and cost reductions. And a new state commission considering the future design of government in Cuyahoga County will use the research to inform its work. Sponsors encourage citizens to use this research and online database regularly to inform themselves about how local governments operate in Northeast Ohio and to identify how our governments can be more effective and efficient.
Sponsors of the Research
The George Gund Foundation
Samuel H. and Maria Miller Foundation
Greater Cleveland Partnership
Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce
Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce
Chase Foundation
Fund for Our Economic Future
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