Independent Candidate for County Executive, Ken Lanci answers Observer questions

1.) If elected to the position of County Executive, what three or four goals would top the list of things that you’d hope to accomplish during your term in office?

The top priority is to create jobs for the people in Cuyahoga County. I have been creating good jobs for 40 years. I will not only strengthen existing businesses but will go out and aggressively market our region to bring new jobs here. I will develop the www.CuyahogaJobs.us website which will be a database of the county’s physical assets (land, commercial property, etc.) and a database of the county’s human resources, listing all of the unemployed and underemployed and their skill sets. 

Restoring integrity to county government is extremely important. I will restore the people’s trust in their public servants, first leading by example. I will also establish the Commission on Public Integrity to root out corruption and incompetence. The commission will develop and implement a strong code of ethics for public and elected officials. I will overhaul the appraisal process to make sure property taxes are fair. Only qualified professionals (appraisers, real estate professionals) will be involved in making sure valuations are fair and accurate. Of course, a major function of county government is providing health and human services. I will fight to make sure the safety net is working effectively and efficiently.

2.) What do you regard as the major challenges that must be met in order for the new system of county government to succeed?

We are starting a completely new form of government and will be creating and defining along the way. Fortunately, I have extensive experience with startups and understand the challenges. I know that you must go in to the nooks and crannies of the departments and understand how they work and know the strengths and weaknesses. I have already visited 60 of the agencies and met with more than two dozen mayors so I have a very good working knowledge of county government and what’s needed. I will be able to hit the ground running on day one.

3.) How do you define good government?

It’s very simple but the politicians, who have made a career out of public service instead of actually serving, seem to have forgotten this. Good government exists for the greater good of all the people, not the parties or the politically connected.

4.) Do you believe the new County Executive/Council structure can put an end to the corruption and patronage that have dominated news headlines for the past several years?

The new structure is a good start but it will take more than just a new structure. It will take the right leadership. It will take a leader like me who will set the tone on my first day in office. I will create an environment of integrity and responsibility. We will make sure the people in position are qualified and competent. An important point too is that I am not owned by anyone. I have instituted my own campaign finance reform by limiting contributions to $250 and not accepting money from corporations or PACs. When I take office, I won’t owe anyone any favors. My only obligation will be to work for the greater good of all the people.

5.) Under the new charter, several top county officials who in the past were directly elected by the voters will now be appointees chosen and approved by the new Executive and County Council. Do you see that as a positive step?

This is a positive step.  It is much more efficient and those appointees will now be selected based on their qualifications and ability to do the job.

6.) What approach would you take to working with the new County Council to keep lines of communication open in order to achieve consensus on major county wide objectives?

I will do what I have always done as a manager and CEO. I will have an open door policy and be accessible. I will involve them in the processes so they will have a good understanding of what’s going on and they will be well-informed when it comes time to make decisions. 

7.) When will Cuyahoga County voters know if the new government structure is working as envisioned—and how will they know?

Their lives will be better. They will have better job opportunities. They will be paying fair property taxes. They will look around and see the billions of dollars of economic development. Young people will choose to stay in their hometown because they will have opportunities to succeed. There will be less of a strain on the safety net because the people of Cuyahoga County will be working again and able to contribute. Voters will experience the excitement of living in a county undergoing a renaissance.  They will see that Greater Cleveland is once again “The Best Location in the Nation.”

8.) Do you believe the new structure has the potential to spark economic growth and job creation in Northeast Ohio? If so, how might that happen?

The structure is definitely more business friendly. It has the potential to spark economic growth and job creation if the right person is executive. I have 40 years of experience in business working out mergers, acquisitions and turnarounds.  These skills are exactly what the new county executive needs. The structure allows the executive to negotiate with businesses and work out deals and contracts which can be brought before the council for approval. It takes a business person to understand business needs. I will go out and market Cuyahoga County to the rest of the world to bring new business and development here.

9.) There has been much talk about “regionalization” as a mechanism to improve government efficiency—and hopefully, reduce the tax burden on the citizens of Cuyahoga County. Do you view the new government structure as a positive step toward achieving these goals?

There are many opportunities for collaboration. I will develop a comprehensive joint procurement and purchasing program involving county government, all municipalities, school districts, independent boards and commissions, and non-profit institutions. This program will save these entities millions of dollars.

10.) In your analysis of Issue 6—the charter amendment that ushered in the sweeping changes in county government -–what did you find to be its strong points? And what, if any, weaknesses did you detect?

Just having a charter and scrapping a dysfunctional form of government is the greatest strength of our new charter.  Forcing the county to have a strong economic development policy was very smart. Combining the auditor, recorder and treasurer into a chief fiscal officer was crucial to re-establishing quality government.

Some of the weaknesses are not having a strong campaign finance component and not adequately defining the role of County Council. Also, the salaries for County Executive and County Council members are way too high. 

I look forward to working with council to amend the charter once we see the plusses and minuses. We’ll ask the people to vote accordingly.

11.)  Do you see a need for further “tinkering” with the County Charter to improve prospects for a successful transition? If so, what changes would you hope to see incorporated? 

Not yet. The charter sets us on a positive course. I know Mayor Fitzgerald wanted to keep things the way they were.  But I supported the charter and believe this will get us where we need to go. I have been doing mergers and acquisitions my entire career, and am confident in my ability to make this work for the people. I can’t wait to get to work for all of the people.