Cleveland Region Focuses On Municipal Cooperation

"When one Cuyahoga County municipal ity gains population and jobs, chances are it's because another lost them.

That's what happens in nongrowth markets. But small signs indicate that this winner-take-all mind-set is starting to change, thanks in part to agreements dealing with water that Cleveland has forged with about a dozen communities.

Under the agreements, whenever a business moves from one of the participating towns to another, both municipalities will split a portion of the income tax receipts. Mayor Frank Jackson's goal is to have local cities "stop stealing from each other." "