The LWVCA supports the modernization of county government through some form of reorganization, such as adoption of a county charter or one of the alternative forms of county government permitted by Ohio Law.

Criteria to be used in defining/judging “modernization”:

• The county executive should be appointed by the county governing body.
• The county executive should have budgetary responsibilities and powers of policy execution and be directly answerable to the county governing body.
• Hamilton County governing body should have implied powers and some self-taxing ability.
• The county governing body should be elected in combination method including districts and at-large and should have 5-11 members.
• Means of citizen participation should be explicitly provided.
• Members of the county governing body should serve four-year, staggered terms.
• Means of citizen recourse should be explicitly provided.
• All county department heads should be appointed.

For more information on this issue in other states and at the national level, click the Issue link below.