Toby Rittner candidate for Cleveland Heights City Council
Biographical information
What neighborhood or area of the city do you live in?
2885 Coleridge Road, Fairfax Neighborhood
How long have you lived in Cleveland Heights? What brought you here?
My wife and I moved to Cleveland Heights 4 years ago. As President & CEO, I relocated a national non-profit organization, the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA), to downtown Cleveland from Washington, DC.
Tell us about yourself.
Toby Rittner lives in Cleveland Heights with his wife Laura and newborn son, Andrew. Toby is an active community advocate and national leader in the economic development finance industry. Toby serves on boards, committees and actively writes for the Heights Observer on issues relating to local government and economic development in the Heights. Through his professional experience, Toby has advised governors, local leaders and in 2008 he briefed the Obama Transition Team on federal stimulus policy. Born in Cleveland, Toby has also lived in Findlay and Columbus, OH and Washington, DC.
Career History:
- President & CEO, Council of Development Finance Agencies, Cleveland, OH (current)
- Director of Legislative Affairs, International Economic Development Council, Washington, DC
- Senior Program Coordinator for Economic Development, Franklin County Board of Commissioners, Columbus, OH
- Associate Planner, City of Gahanna, OH
Education:
- Master's Degree, City and Regional Planning, Ohio State University
- Bachelor of Arts Degree, Political Science, Ohio State University
- Certified Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP), National Development Council (NDC)
Professional & Community Affiliations:
- Member, Cleveland Heights Community Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC)
- Board Member, Mid-America Economic Development Council (MAEDC)
- Board Member, Future Heights
- Writer, Heights Observer
- Volunteer, Hands On Northeast Ohio
- Volunteer, Interfaith Hospitality Network
- Member, Fairmount Presbyterian Church
- Former Board Member, Heights Community Congress
Experience:
- Author of Practitioner’s Guide to Economic Development Finance: Building & Utilizing the Development Finance Toolbox
- Active on Capitol Hill and throughout Washington, DC advocating for federal economic development resources
- Technical assistance provider to federal, state and local leaders on economic development finance policy and practices
- Strategic Planning facilitator and author
- Master Planning & Economic Strategy facilitator and author
- Instructor at University of North Carolina, Georgia Tech and for numerous state and regional development associations
Active citizen and civic engagement is critical to successful government. As a CH city councilman, I will be dedicated to broadening and opening up the communication lines between citizens and leaders. My primary focus would be to build on several existing relationships in the community, such as the Heights Observer, Home Repair Resource Center, Heights Community Congress, Heights Arts, Reaching Heights and the other important non-profits that are diligently serving our community, as a way to increase communications and information sharing. In addition, I would focus on improving city communications through a modernized website and interactive conversations with citizens using online media. Finally, I will also engaged citizens in an effort to develop a comprehensive master plan and economic development strategy that will drive our community for the next decade. The lack of a master plan and economic strategy is holding Cleveland Heights back from meeting its vast potential for growth and prosperity. Part of developing this plan and strategy will involve considerable citizen engagement and input into the decision making process of the local government as we set priorities, goals and objectives for our future.
Describe one innovative idea that would transform the city.
Cleveland Heights is ready for a major transformation over the next decade and I have outlined several innovative ideas that will drive this change. Cleveland Heights’ unique position in northeast Ohio provides for unmatched opportunity for green-principled development, sustainable investment and a major investment in renewable energy. Under my leadership, I will launch the Cleveland Heights Green City Initiative to make our community the most energy-efficient, sustainable, green-driven community in Ohio by 2015. This includes working towards the goal of converting all city owned facilities to renewable, off the grid, energy sources. By achieving these goals, Cleveland Heights can position itself as a competitive, energy-efficient, sustainable community for economic development, real estate and community growth. My Green City Initiative also includes establishing Green Building Codes, developing a Homeowner Energy Reduction Loan Program, implementing a Rain Barrel & Water Conservation Program, revamping our Recycling Program and partnering with our universities to build a Green Business Incubator.
Who are the community stakeholders in Cleveland Heights? What ideas do you have for how these stakeholders can work together toward common goals?
We all have a vested interest in making Cleveland Heights the best community in Northeast Ohio and homeowners are particularly important stakeholders. Cleveland Heights has not seen a major investment in housing in over 25 years but our community has some of the most historic and architecturally significant housing available. Much of this housing has not been well maintained. These issues prevent CH from meeting its full potential and I propose a major investment in housing over the next decade. This includes the launching of new Home Rehab & Modernization Program to provide tax rebates for qualified investments and resources for helping make homes competitive. To compete in today’s economy, the housing stock of CH must be more efficient and investment ready. Cleveland Heights master plan and economic strategy must include new programs that provide incentives for existing residents to rehabilitate and upgrade their homes while preserving our heritage. Stakeholders will be called upon to help drive this investment including the Home Repair Resource Center, Heights Community Congress and FutureHeights. We will also have to engage our financial institutions, county, state & federal government leaders and faith community to leverage our assets and to work towards a common goal of reinvigorating our housing.
What is your plan to develop the local economy?
Cleveland Heights’ most pressing issue is the lack of a comprehensive master plan and economic development strategy. Ten years ago our community went through the process of crafting a vision report that described what Cleveland Heights aspired to be in terms of quality of life aspects. This report does not include an implementation strategy and is not specific in terms of resource allocation, strategic development focus and project prioritization. The report does not provide for specific development plans for the most important economic areas of the community, namely the major commercial thoroughfares of Mayfield Road, Cedar Road and Taylor Road. Cleveland Heights must establish a comprehensive master plan and economic strategy that is implementation ready. This plan should encompass the various residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors and prescribe the vision for physical and economic development. Benchmarks should be established to measure the plans success on a yearly basis and resource allocation for economic development should be tied to the plan’s action items. The master plan and economic strategy should include Commercial Corridor Plans, a Transportation Hub Strategy, Home Rehab & Modernization Programs and Economic Development Partnerships. These strategies, when developed comprehensively and implemented with precision, will drive our bright future.
What are the best qualities of Cleveland Heights and what would you do to sustain them?
Cleveland Heights is the best-positioned and most urban and diverse suburb of Cleveland with a healthy mix of low, middle and upper class incomes. Our community possesses some of the most educated citizens from the industries driving our economy. We have the most historic and architecturally significant housing with tree lined streets and beautiful parks. CH has relied on this reputation for too long and we have not taken the necessary actions to maintain our standing as a premier community. Today we face many challenges including a housing foreclosure crisis, high taxes but dwindling tax base, diminished services, population loss, vacant and abandoned commercial districts, crumbling infrastructure, public school problems and little regional cooperation. I am running for city council to put an end to our old stereotype of outdated city government and to establish a comprehensive plan and economic strategy that will encourage innovation, sustainability and growth. Our local government should act as a catalyst for capitalizing on our strengths and opportunities. I have developed a vision that best reflects where our government needs to improve and focuses on initiatives that will position our community as the premier choice for business and residential growth over the next decade.
How do you view recent residential and commercial developments in terms of overall planning, architecture, functionality and sense of place? What types of new development do you think are appropriate and realistic for Cleveland Heights?
Cleveland Heights is poised to usher in an era of innovative economic development and new commercial district growth. While Cleveland Heights has made progress over the past decade in catalyzing commercial area growth, the overall efforts of economic development and housing have not been sufficient to sustain the long-term viability of the community. Cleveland Heights lack of a comprehensive master plan and economic development strategy hinders the city’s ability to plan for long-term sustainable economic growth. Cleveland Heights must embrace a regional approach to economic development. I am proposing the creation of a collaborative Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to serve suburban communities on the east side of Cleveland. Cleveland Heights stands to be a leader in collaboration within government and many opportunities are available for supporting regionalism. This EDC would be tasked with driving sustainable economic development throughout the eastside suburbs and working within many communities to identify economic development opportunities, tax sharing models, job creation strategies and pursuing opportunities for business investment and real estate development. By working in this collaborative manner, Cleveland Heights can continue to support its recent commercial district success while also making investments into areas of our community that have fallen behind.
Describe one way that you think the city could realistically work cooperatively with other local governments to reduce costs and/or improve services.
There are dozens of ways for Cleveland Heights to exploring new strategies for efficient & effective government, including a review of current & potential city revenue sources, evaluating current city expenditures and opportunities for cost reductions and developing partnerships with surrounding cities for shared governmental services. Perhaps at no time in our region’s history has regional cooperation been more vital. As our tax base continues to dwindle, the pressures placed on local government continue to increase. Services that once were easily conducted at the local level have been cut-back or simply eliminated. One example of an opportunity for the city work cooperatively would be within the economic development community. Many eastside suburbs employ a group of individuals all working to catalyze economic development in their community. These professionals work against each other and there is very little coordinated effort to build a strong economy throughout our entire region. I would propose creating an eastside Economic Development Corporation (EDC) that represents a number of communities working together to encourage economic growth. Instead of employing people within each city government, we could employ a dedicated team that works each day to drive economic development in all of our communities.
What would you tell a current resident of the City of Cleveland Heights who was thinking of leaving town?
I would ask them to have faith in my leadership as a new city council member and reinforce my commitment to improving our community. It is important to also understand the nature of their problems. I would ask them to provide me with a better understanding of the reasons for their potential desire to leave the community. Once I felt I had a sufficient grasp on the issues I would work with the resident to find solutions to these challenges and work to prevent them from becoming a citywide concern. I would have a long discussion with the resident to explain not only the great positives of our community but to also reinforce that we are developing a plan and a strategy and that under my leadership we have a new dedication to improving our school perception problems, addressing the housing stock and providing better services and safer streets. In the end, it is part sales pitch and part community passion that has to be brought to the discussion. It also takes an understanding of challenges and problems and the commitment by our city to improve our quality of life.
How would you market the City of Cleveland Heights to a prospective resident?
Our community must build off of and promote its unique strengths and opportunities available to prospective residents. Cleveland Heights is one of the most urban and diverse communities in all of greater Cleveland with a healthy mix of low, middle and upper class incomes. Our community possesses some of the most educated citizens from the medical, legal, scientific and academic industries that are driving northeast Ohio’s economy. And, we provide access to great schools and educational opportunities throughout the entire spectrum of learning. Perspective residents should be shown these great qualities and be introduced to our community as an innovative and cutting edge destination city in Northeast Ohio. Perspective residents should know that Cleveland Heights is leading our region’s future and setting an example for great government, excellent education, diverse experiences and economic opportunity.
Please give one concrete example of how you propose to address one of the following real or perceived quality of life issues: crime, litter, vacant storefronts, disengaged youth, foreclosures/vacant houses, population decline, public school performance, high taxes.
Each of these issues will require a targeted and comprehensive plan of action. My vision for Cleveland Heights begins with the development of a master plan an economic development strategy. Cleveland Heights must establish a straightforward and comprehensive master plan and economic strategy that is implementation ready. This plan should encompass the various residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors and prescribe the vision for physical and economic development. Benchmarks should be established to measure the plans success on a yearly basis and resource allocation for economic development should be directly tied to the plan’s action items. The comprehensive master plan and economic strategy should include Commercial Corridor Plans, a Transportation Hub Strategy, Home Rehab & Modernization Programs and Economic Development Partnerships. These strategies, when developed comprehensively and implemented with precision, will drive Cleveland Heights’ bright future. This plan will also be the catalyst and driver for addressing crime, vacant storefronts, foreclosures/vacant houses, population decline and high taxes.
How would you work together with the CH-UH City School District to address the issue you identified above? Please restate the issue you are addressing.
Cleveland Heights-University Heights schools provide a quality educational experience for the young people of Cleveland Heights. CH-UH schools also face a variety of institutional, economic and social challenges that city government is poised to assist in addressing. Part of a comprehensive master plan for Cleveland Heights includes the development of a new educational partnership and major investment in helping CH-UH schools meet their full potential while growing the educational attainment of our citizens. My plan would include a city investment in marketing CH-UH Schools. Cleveland Heights should provide funds on an annual basis to support marketing the effectiveness and strengths of the school system including specific marketing efforts to address the varying stages of education. I would also launch a Joint Schools-City Family Education Program. Cleveland Heights should support programs that educate existing families about the strengths of CH-UH schools and encourage more people to enroll their children in the public school system. Finally, I would propose a Real Estate Industry Training & Marketing program that would include workshops and educational events to update realtors on the strengths of CH-UH schools and provide marketing materials to real estate agencies for prospective and new homebuyers.
To learn more about this candidate visit http://tobyrittner.com/.
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