Jon Honeck, PhD, GOPC Senior Policy Fellow presentation to MORPC Conference

1. Jon Honeck, PhD
Senior Policy Fellow
Greater Ohio Policy
Center
jhoneck@greaterohio.o
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2. ABOUT GREATER OHIO POLICY CENTER
An outcome-oriented
statewide non-profit that
champions revitalization and
sustainable redevelopment in
Ohio:
• Revitalize Ohio’s urban
cores and metropolitan
regions
• Achieve sustainable land
reuse and economic
growth

3. ABOUT GREATER OHIO POLICY CENTER:
SUBJECT AREA EXPERTISE
Urban regeneration
Sustainably revitalize
urban cores and
neighborhoods
Transportation &
infrastructure modernization
Develop improved &
modern infrastructure
Regional growth
Promote regional economic
development & collaborative
governance structures

4. ABOUT GREATER OHIO POLICY CENTER:
HOW WE DO OUR WORK
• Develop and publish research
• Use research to advocate for
practical policy solutions at the
state level
• Assist communities through
strategic assistance and
dissemination of best practices
• Build collaborative partnerships
to extend our reach and ability
to impact change

5. SUSTAINABLE REDEVELOPMENT POLICIES TO WATCH
FOR IN THE 2017 BUDGET PROCESS
Urban revitalization policies
• Water/sewer upgrades – Combined sewer overflows,
regionalization & asset management, lead service lines
• Brownfield Remediation
• Application of public nuisance statutes to commercial
and industrial properties (local government control of
blight)
Transportation modernization policies
• Dedicated Funding for public transit – Sales Tax on
Medicaid Managed Care Organizations will expire in
2017
• Statewide policy to ensure state’s roadways safely
accommodate all types of users

6. Wastewater
Treatment,
11.3%
Conveyance
System
Repair,
22.6%
New
Conveyance
Systems,
8.7%
Combined
Sewer
Overflow
Correction,
51.2%
Stormwater
Management
Program,
6.1%
OHIO NEEDS $14.1 BILLION FOR WASTEWATER
TREATMENT INFRASTRUCTURE, 2012 - 2032
U.S. EPA Office of Water. Clean Watersheds Needs Survey 2012 Report to Congress – State Fact Sheets. Ohio CWNS 2012.

7. OHIO NEEDS $12.1 BILLION FOR DRINKING WATER
INFRASTRUCTURE, 2011-2030
U.S. EPA Office of Water. Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment.
Fifth Report to Congress. EPA 816-R-13-006. April 2013.
Transmission
and
Distribution
66%
Source
4%
Treatment
18%
Storage
10%
Other
2%

8.  No safe level of lead exposure in children
 Ohio estimated to have about 10% of the 6.1 million total lead
service lines nationally (AWWA National Survey)
 Corrosion can controlled through chemical treatment but risk
still remains
 EPA requires testing under “lead and copper rule” but
protocols criticized as weak and not enforced (e.g., pre-
flushing techniques and failure to target test sites)
 Customers usually own service line from street to the home,
leading to disputes about who pays for replacement
FLINT, SEBRING AND LEAD POISONING:
INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC HEALTH

9. The water system did not know the location of lead service lines
The water utility and state regulators employed dubious lead
sampling techniques
Customers had little or no awareness of the potential for lead in
their drinking water
Utility construction was taking place without notifying customers
of the potential for lead contamination
Lead service line replacement is often looked at as unnecessary,
costly, and complex
-- Eric Rothstein, Member of Michigan Governor’s Flint
Water Advisory Task Force (Journal AWWA 2016)
WHAT IS NOT UNUSUAL ABOUT FLINT?

10.  Holds public water systems more accountable for recording and
reporting lead and copper levels.
 Imposes stricter monitoring of public water systems’ compliance with
lead and copper rules and imposes penalties for not complying with
reporting and recording requirements.
 Requires mapping of possible lead pipe lines by water systems
every five years
 Requires of notice to resident within two days of receiving
contaminated results from tests.
 HB 390 - $12 million for grants to schools to replace lead fixtures
($15,000 per school, OFCC)
OHIO HOUSE BILL 512 (2016)

11. BROWNFIELD REMEDIATION
 Ohio still has over 10,000 contaminated “brownfield”
sites
 Brownfield sites pose environmental hazards and
depress property values in surrounding neighborhoods
 Many urban areas are “built out” and lack available land
for commercial and industrial development
 If responsible party cannot be found, public funds are
usually needed to “level the playing field” with greenfield
sites
 JobsOhio Revitalization grant program focuses on sites
with strong economic development potential

12. PUBLIC TRANSIT FUNDING (2012)
$893 Million
Fares
13% Federal
25%
Local
55%
State
(ODOT+GR
F)
3%
Other
4%
Source: ODOT (2014)

13. REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY RELIANCE ON THE
MEDICAID MANAGED CARE SALES TAX, CY 2015
System Share of Total System
Sales Tax Revenue
Dayton RTA 9.2%
Cleveland RTA 8.2%
Akron RTA 6.9%
Stark RTA 6.5%
Central Ohio Transit
Auth.
6.1%
Portage RTA 6.1%
Laketran 4.5%
Source: Ohio Dept. of Taxation

14. March 7th & 8th, 2017
More information is available at: www.GreaterOhio.wix.com/2017-Summit
The Westin Columbus
310 South High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Investing in Ohio's Future:
Maximizing Growth in our Cities and Regions
More information is available at: www.GreaterOhio.wix.com/2017-Summit