Resolved for NKY: Keep thinking regionally

The state of Kentucky faces another big budget crunch. There is the increasing inability of the federal government to adequately fund things (like the Brent Spence Bridge) or solve problems (like immigration and Social Security) that clearly should be primary obligations.

That suggests the pressure is on Northern Kentucky to do more for itself as a region, dealing with its own problems and exploiting its opportunities.

Some situations still get lost in parochialism or traditional thinking. Southgate, for example, desperately needs a new fire house. Voters rejected a $2 million tax increase to do it. Officials say that Southgate is just too far from Wilder, Newport or Fort Thomas to justify merger or consolidation talks for fire services.

Now, come on. The boundary lines of all these municipalities are about a mile from the Southgate facility, and the other fires stations are close. According to Google Maps, the Fort Thomas station is 1.8 miles from the Southgate station. Someone needs to call a meeting between officials of these four Campbell County communities to see if there's an opportunity here.

That's a small piece of the bigger puzzle.

Larger-scale example: The NKY Chamber (Disclosure: I'm on the board.) is taking a leadership role in seeking ways for the community to deal with skyrocketing health care costs. It's not just a health issue; it's an economic development issue, too. Imagine the power in the hands of a business recruiter representing a region that has a national reputation for helping employers control health costs, making community health a priority and having decent benefits for workers.

Maybe it's crazy to think that one region of one small state can do anything significant about the health-care mess. But, under the circumstances, it's crazier not to try.

That's also why the Vision 2015 plan for Northern Kentucky is so important. It provides a road map for a 10-year journey in which it is increasingly clear that Northern Kentucky won't be getting nearly as much help as local leaders want from the state and federal governments. Sooner rather than later, the Vision 2015 goals will need approaches and funding mechanisms that are less tied to government grants and earmarks.

Visionary, regional thinking with community leaders working together and presenting a united front has had a lot to do with Northern Kentucky's success. My New Year's resolution for NKY is for leaders to act on the knowledge that it's more important than ever.