Why Regionalism Matters
Amidst the rapid change happening throughout our nine counties, regional planning and collaboration are essential if we want our region to grow and thrive in the future. The need for regionalism is rooted in a number of benefits, including:
1
Improves Quality of Life
Our region’s transportation, economy, housing, workforce and social activity transcend county lines. Today, more than half our region’s population lives and works in different counties. Regionalism offers a coordinated solution that weaves these systems and geographic areas together. This ultimately connects individuals to more housing, transportation and education options, greater job opportunities and improved social centers.
2
Solves Large and Complex Issues
Some issues are too large for any one unit of government to tackle alone. Centralina has the experience, data and expertise to lead holistic area-wide planning. Our broad regional lens allows us to plan for a future with vibrant downtowns, walkable centers, better-connected transit, more efficient infrastructure and better delivery of goods and services.
3
Protects the Interests of All
Our regional framework considers how all our towns, cities and counties are linked economically, socially and geographically. We can objectively weigh how one county’s decisions could impact neighboring counties and provide more holistic solutions.
4
Improves Efficiency and Effectiveness
Regionalism encourages local governments to pool resources, talent and efforts. Collaborating in this way creates more effective planning that all governments, both big and small, can participate in. It also creates a larger budget to deliver stronger results. This, in turn, allows local governments to deliver services and address needs more efficiently within their communities.
5
Advocates for the Region
When local governments use our regional platform to define area-wide priorities, Centralina becomes a unified voice for the region. We use that collective voice to advocate for policies and funding at the state and federal level that will support the region’s shared priorities. It also aligns federal, state and local efforts to maximize efficiency and ensure planning efforts are working in the best interest of individuals.
What Makes Centralina a Regional Leader?
When it comes to representing the interests of our region, Centralina has the leadership, program capacity and strategic focus in place to make positive outcomes a reality. Our services and how we deliver them make the journey towards progress rewarding for our partners and local government members.
Innovation
With more than 50 years of service to the region, Centralina has a deep understanding of our area’s history and how our nine counties have evolved in terms of size, diversity and needs. By knowing the past, we can see what’s possible in our future. Our team never stops exploring new technologies, partnerships and creative ideas that will make our region stronger.
Connection
We believe that successful regional leaders are ones who can join the right information, resources and people together to spark action. Our team has spent decades building a vast network of federal, state, local and community partnerships that make regional planning more effective and comprehensive. We also have the benefit of 50+ years of regional data–both historical and real-time–at our fingertips. We’ve used our findings over the years to deliver relevant workshops, training and resources to individuals, businesses and local governments.
Collaboration
Centralina looks beyond borders to synergize activity that will lead to greater opportunity. We offer a neutral platform where all voices from the region can convene over shared issues and define our area’s priorities. This way, we are developing strategies that truly reflect our region’s wants and aspirations. Our efforts are led by a team of nationally recognized experts skilled in economic development, land use, transportation and resource planning.
Service
Our team is deeply invested in the success of our region because we too are individuals that live, work and play here. We lead with both hearts and minds, allowing us to deliver services with sincerity, act with integrity and lead as honest public servants.