I agree with Manxman about the dangers of “regional” government, but I’d like to point out that the perceived “need” stems from a certain shortsightedness that occurred around the time of the the Northwest Ordinance, the “Second Constitution,” which has had so much influence on Ohio history. State government assumed the (cultural) primacy of cities, and a straight-line development from rural to urban. It never crossed their minds that people would want to preserve a rural or semi-rural life when given the option. Much deviltry has ensued.
We should pay more attention to the Ordinance and the thinking that gave rise to it. It certainly was successful in populating the wilderness, but, to take one point of view, it’s unconstitutional, statist as all hell, and elitist to boot. But we have it just the same, and it casts a longer shadow on local affairs than the Constitution does.
