Outgoing Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell also plans to run for county commission in 2014, with Foley’s seat the only one on the ballot.
Asked about priorities, Foley said he would continue to push for a more diverse local economy, building on momentum in aerospace, logistics and other areas. The former county Clerk of Courts wants to continue improvements to the criminal justice system, and he’s supporting a collaborative effort to study development options along nearly 100 miles of the Great Miami River.
But Foley also pointed to his leadership in the OneDayton group that calls for government consolidation. That group hopes to have up to 10 community forums on the topic in 2014, with the possibility of writing a charter and putting an issue on the countywide ballot in 2015. Foley said a consolidated Montgomery County would be bigger than Cincinnati or Cleveland, giving the area more economic clout.
“I think this work is starting to get some momentum,” Foley said. “And in terms of my decision to run again … I’ve been trying to get this out into the public realm, and it feels wrong to me to start the conversation and then walk away from it, because I think it needs to happen.”
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