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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2009 > November > 11 > Entry
Editorial: Kettering newcomer right to back down
The 2009 election will be remembered for the high-profile mayoral upset by Gary Leitzell over Dayton’s Rhine McLin. While those two candidates were going at each other in the city, a Kettering candidate was running against Dayton, inventing new slang that’s offensive and divisive.
“Daytonization” is the brainchild of Ashley Webb, a Kettering City Council candidate who joined Mr. Leitzell in unseating an incumbent. Mr. Webb now says he regrets coining the term and says he has dropped it from his vocabulary, going so far as to scrub his campaign Web site to remove all references to it.
What is “Daytonization” shorthand for?
Here is how Mr. Webb explained himself in a videotaped interview with the Dayton Daily News from earlier in the campaign:
“First, I want to help stop the Daytonization of our northern neighborhoods, and I’m not just talking about property maintenance issues. I’m talking about the fact that our neighborhoods on the northern side of the city are starting to look like neighborhoods just on the other side of the border in Dayton.
“It does include property maintenance. But it also includes how neighbors treat each other, how they treat the property and just a general sense of community. We have a lot of community groups in Kettering that are thriving. But there are places where we don’t have any.
“I’d like to be an instrumental part of making sure we develop those community groups and enable neighbors to help neighbors fix problems, whether it is something wrong with their house or just general issues that we all experience in life.”
Mr. Webb said he did not, at first, realize how derogatory toward Dayton he was being, nor did he grasp that he was whipping up sentiment that, at best, over generalizes and, at worst, encourages people to stereotype. Mr. Webb said he began to rethink the way he was speaking after he was criticized by fellow candidate and Councilwoman Amy Scrimpf, who suggested he cut it out.
“It’s not a helpful term,” he said. “The last thing I want to do is to be tearing them down to make a point. We are inextricably connected with Dayton — as our central city — as a first-tier suburb.”
Mr. Webb, who campaigned relentlessly and seems to have his eye on higher office, said he first became concerned about neighborhood deterioration based on what he was told while going door-to-door.
“There were people who moved into Kettering because they wanted to experience Kettering, and they were fed up with things in Dayton,” he said. “Over time, they said their neighborhoods were beginning to look like the neighborhoods they came from in Dayton.”
Mr. Webb sees community activism at the neighborhood level as an antidote to some threats and deterioration. Citing neighborhood associations and neighborhood watch groups as examples, he said such initiatives connect people and prevent problems.
Indeed, those are good ideas, ones that are exemplified in Dayton’s most tight-knit neighborhoods.
Mr. Webb’s change of heart and mouth is encouraging and instructive. There is nothing inherently wrong with the Dayton neighborhoods bordering Kettering. Certainly, there is nothing that must be “stopped,” as Mr. Webb said early in the campaign.
What is true for Kettering and other older suburbs is that the urban issues that were once small problems for them are growing. Kettering and other so-called “first-tier” suburbs have increasing numbers of poor families, aging houses and rental properties.
If you’re poor, it’s hard to keep up your house. And, of course, poverty can foment crime and family turmoil. Old homes are expensive to maintain, and rentals can drag down a neighborhood if landlords aren’t doing the necessary upkeep.
Dayton has faced Kettering’s problems on a larger scale for a longer time. Both communities can learn from one another. Their relationships, though, can only be productive if their leaders show respect and sensitivity.
Permalink | Comments (24) | Post your comment | Categories: Editorials, Elections, Scott Elliott, Suburban Communities
Comments
By Bill Pote
November 11, 2009 8:24 AM | Link to this
Mr. Webb’s attitude toward the City of Dayton is an unfortunate example of the overall region’s attitude toward the urban core. Too many people would rather keep the poverty and crime out of their communities and consolidated in the city-proper while pretending it isn’t their problem, and then almost in the same breath act like Dayton is completely negligent because of its inability to manage all of the crime and poverty. There is always more that can be done and new ideas that can be explored, but there is only so much that can be done with a shrinking city budget and a growing poverty level - at least without engagement from the whole region. The suburbs ignore the city’s problems at their own peril; as an older inner-ring suburb, Kettering is now seeing that first-hand. Twenty years from now, it could very easily be Centerville complaining about crime and poverty coming over their border from Kettering. It is time for the leaders in this region to work together on solutions that will benefit all. It is easy to blame the city for the problems that it has inherited, but that won’t prevent the city’s problems from spreading.
By tg
November 11, 2009 8:26 AM | Link to this
Dayton is not unique in that the ‘burbs tend to push all the social ills into the core, then turn their back and say “well you deal with it”. What do you think would happen if Dayton suddenly said we are not going to provide you with courts, jails, homeless shelters, food banks, job & family services, SWAT teams, bomb squads, methadone clinics, landfill, water, etc. Get your own or help us with the problems. We cannot keep pushing poverty and all the related issues to the urban core and then wonder why Dayton is listed as a dying city. And we can’t keep running from the problem and contributing to urban sprawl.
By Scott
November 11, 2009 9:00 AM | Link to this
It does not bode well for our region or Kettering with people like Mr Webb in office. It does not matter that he backed off, he said it and meant it. Hopefully he only gets one term
By alice feber
November 11, 2009 9:46 AM | Link to this
It’s nice to see that there’s someone who sees it for what it is. Many of us don’t want what is in dayton in our own communities. Sure, we’re all willing to help… and help keep it out of our neighborhoods. No to Daytonization!
By tg
November 11, 2009 10:05 AM | Link to this
So what is the “it” that you want to keep out of “our” neighborhoods? This is the opportunity for a great community wide conversation and a chance for all of us to take an honest look at the situation and offer solutions. Continuing to run from the problem and leave it for the City to figure out is not working for anyone. We all have to own this. I think everyone wants a safe, clean, friendly place to raise their family. What needs to stop is the demonization of the City. It is the heart of the region and when it fails, it hurts the extremities.
By THOMAS J
November 11, 2009 10:35 AM | Link to this
I give credit to Mr. Webb for bringing up the subject called ‘DAYTONIZATION” we could also call it creepig crud.I beleive the city of Kettering has inspectors for such problems,maybe we could start with them when there is a problem and also the neighbors that have to put up with such problems.It is plain and simple that Dayton has not done that in the past all one has to do take a look at West Grand and Superior Av’s.Dayson has indicadet that it has over 2000 homes to be demolished,could this be because of lack of home inspections?Im sure Kettering will not allow this’CREEPING CRUD” to even get a start .
By bobby
November 11, 2009 10:55 AM | Link to this
There are those of us in the suburbs that acknowedge that the failed federal housing policies of the past must be replaced by the dispersement, in the entire region, of those that are subsidized. A primary concern is that repeating the mistake of concentrating poor people in one area may allow for a change in the norms that residents of that area are used to… The bigger question is how does this region find a way to move the recipient class to the productive,tax payer side of the ledger…
By Rick
November 11, 2009 12:26 PM | Link to this
A lot of Dayton’s problems are of its own makings. I have found that housing inspection is totally inadequate. Many of the housing inspectors don’t care. It takes forever for some of them to issue a citation on the most obvious problems. They do not go out and look for problems but only write citations in response to complaints.
By disappointing
November 11, 2009 12:41 PM | Link to this
I agree with Scott. It doesn’t matter that This so called “leader” back down from using this word publicly. He meant it, he thinks it and will subsequently,continue to behave and operate through this very narrow lens. Can he be an effective and open partner to Dayton leaders with that kind of thinking? Inappropriate and Sad, Mr. Webb. You knew that term was damaging when coined it. It was “cute” until you started hearing criticism. Lead through collaboration not isolation. Think more about solutions and less about “catch phrases.”
By Dayton Resident
November 11, 2009 12:59 PM | Link to this
Don’t expect “alice feber” to say what “it” is, tg. Or expect “THOMAS J” to proofread his post. Civilization isn’t different from elsewhere as it is in Dayton, nor will it all of sudden advance itself. Tiers of society and social discrimination will go on here and elsewhere. The segregated population will have to look at itself as a whole and morally upgrade itself to undo what has been going on since before written history. But if those out there (even those who troll DDN) want to make a change, they will have to analyze themselves, their community, their family, their religion, their upbringing, their discrimination… and stop stealing the spirit of those who try and make a difference. You can help those who need help and point them in the right direction with something called compassion. Poor are those without compassion.
By Bill
November 11, 2009 1:39 PM | Link to this
Some of these comments are significant reminders that there are many who believe that ALL of Dayton is bad, when in fact there are very desirable neighborhoods in the city, and many city residents that choose to live in the city despite being able to live anywhere. Poverty and crime know no boundaries, and the more you concentrate it in the urban core, the bigger problem it will become for the entire region. What can the average person do? Start by changing your attitude.
By davidss2
November 11, 2009 2:40 PM | Link to this
It’s amazing how people who caused the Dayton cluster of people who have a mentality of not being made responsible for the appearance of their home and the upkeep of their neighborhood react when someone points it out. Dayton spent a decade and more spreading their little finger of annexations out into the surround area to take anything producing tax money and avoid areas that would require costs and services with little reward. Dayton didn’t want to make its residents uncomfortable with things like drug control and alcohol control. Dayton didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Now Dayton’s out of money and they give pencil pushers a raise and still don’t want to give police and fire a raise who actually do the work!!! And some posters want to preach about how the problem is the suburb’s problems and the suburbs should fix it. There is no fixing without Dayton City taking responsibility. Mr. Lietzell as mayor is a first step. He shouldn’t patronize any culture as they have been in the past 8 years. The preachers don’t have a damned thing to say about policies for the city. They can run their church. Lord knows enough of the people professing religion don’t live their religion the rest of the time.
By Bill
November 11, 2009 3:23 PM | Link to this
I should point out that a large number of dilapidated houses in Dayton are in fact owned by slumlords who live in the burbs (including Kettering) and don’t give a hoot about their responsibilities as property owners in the city. Many do not keep up on maintenance and will rent their houses to anybody without any concern for the community that then has to deal with the blighted homes and irresponsible neighbors.
By joe_mamma
November 11, 2009 3:54 PM | Link to this
If I lived in Kettering and found out that my city council members were taking governing advice from the Dayton City Council like Scott Elliott suggested I would be very concerned.
By Martin Gibson
November 11, 2009 5:07 PM | Link to this
Bill Pote’s comments are true except that Centerville is already complaining. Our community is filling up with “Section 8” housing. Go down 48 and you’ll see that more than half of the older apartment complexes are all “Section 8”. Kettering has been there much longer. Huber South is a low income renters haven.I applaud Mr. Webb
By ludacris
November 12, 2009 12:43 PM | Link to this
This whole piece of work by Scott Elliott is a waste of space. First of all, Webb didn’t coin this term. It has been used for years by elected officials and suburban city managers for years. The fact that Gottleib wrote days ago about Dayton’s west side exodus confirms the fact of the Daytonization of the first tier suburbs. Traditional Kettering folks have moved farther south. The neighborhoods are reflecting this transition and migration. Kettering’s neighborhoods have traditionally been nicer than Dayton. That is why people move to our county’s 2nd youngest city. If the suburbs weren’t safer, cleaner, and nicer all around, folks from Dayton would stay in their neighborhoods and not desire to move to points north, south and east. Webb was right and changing the name of the situation doesn’t make the situation go away. What is happening is large numbers of people are moving from Dayton into Kettering, Centerville, Miamisburg, West Carrolton, Huber, Vandalia and Englewood. They are looking for something better. Every councilmember has discussed how to protect their neighborhoods while welcoming their new neighbors from Dayton into their suburban communities. The goal has always been to Suburbanize the Daytonians and prevent the Daytonization of their neighborhoods. The use of the word may seem derogatory to some, but protecting the sensitivities of those offended doesn’t lessen the challenges posed by the migration of Daytonians to the suburbs. Hey Scott, lets focus on the challenges and not the vernacular used to describe it.
By Rob
November 12, 2009 12:54 PM | Link to this
Daytonization? Yeah, I’d call it that. And no, I do not want it here. Get a Job. And please don’t tell me you can’t…get off your backside and make soemthing happen…but we all know that doesn’t happen in places where Daytonization has taken hold…
By To Alice Feber
November 12, 2009 3:52 PM | Link to this
Alice Kettering is already feeling the sprawl. To my knowledge there have been at least two shootings there this year. The poster that spoke about Kettering getting their own services is right…heck our bomb squad was just out there. Get your own SWAT, bomb squad, methadone clinics, create your own homeless shelters. Doesn’t sound so great when I put it into that context huh? An inner tier suburb like Kettering or Trotwood need to brace themselves, it’s only going to get worst.
By To Alice Feber
November 12, 2009 4:00 PM | Link to this
Sorry Worst= should be W-O-R-S-E.
By Brad
November 12, 2009 9:08 PM | Link to this
The term Daytonization was coined shortly after the Dayton Peace Accords and has been used to describe proposed and implemented geographical restructuring events in Bosnia, Israel and Palestine. Mr. Ashley Webb, the newly elected Kettering City Councilperson used it during his early campaign to identify some of the issues facing northern Kettering neighborhoods bordering Dayton. The Dayton Daily News, and particularly Mr. Scott Elliott, used it to single out Mr. Webb and criticize him a week after Kettering voters elected him by a significant margin over his opponents. As the Dayton Daily News did not endorse Mr. Webb as a candidate before the election, nor did it endorse Mr. Gary Leitzell, couldn’t one conclude this nitpicking criticism now is simply an underhanded attempt by this newspaper to make an issue out of a non-issue? Daytonization, unlike say Beavercreekization, Oakwoodization, Centervilleization, or Springboroization, is derogatory, disrespectful, insensitive, offensive, and divisive, according to Mr. Elliott. I found Mr. Elliott’s lame attempts to incite this paper’s remaining few readers to be more divisive and offensive than anything attributed to Mr. Webb. I do not believe Daytonization was used by Mr. Webb to be shorthand for anything. I do not believe Mr. Webb was whipping up sentiment that over generalized, nor do I believe he was encouraging others to stereotype. I do believe Mr. Webb, like most Kettering residents, is genuinely concerned about the welfare and future of Kettering, for which he should be congratulated and commended by Mr. Elliott instead of demonized
By Webb had it right!
November 13, 2009 11:42 AM | Link to this
I knew immediately what Mr. Webb was talking about when I first heard the phrase. I didn’t need it explained to me as the term is as clear as the nose on your face. What has happened to Dayton in the past 20 years is indeed blight; mostly brought on by people in charge who aren’t in tune with the what the problem neighborhoods need or care about. Kettering had better take heed and get the housing and neighborhoods back in line or it’s only a matter of time before we follow suit. Does calling a spade a spade make Mr. Webb divisive? Not in my book! It tells me his eyes are open to what’s going on around him and that he can see a big potential problem coming and isn’t afraid of the challenge to correct it. It’s good that he wants to work on the obvious. As Henry Kissinger quoted, “A problem ignored is a crisis invited.”
By Vic
November 14, 2009 12:14 PM | Link to this
This issue sounds like a good argument for more “County” government.
By Greg W.
November 15, 2009 4:39 PM | Link to this
I think Mr. Webb only said what everyone else is thinking, Dayton has been a cancer on the area for a long time especially the last 8 years.
By Mark W
November 20, 2009 4:01 AM | Link to this
In a news database search, the oldest use of the word “Daytonization” that I came across referred to the infusion of the Dayton store chain’s management style into the Hudson’s Department Store’s culture after the two companies merged. Dayton Hudson -> Target. :-)