Ten collaborative projects to enhance government efficiency are vying for public votes during the month of May, and after nearly three weeks, thousands have been cast.
The top three vote-getters will each get a portion of the more than $300 thousand dollars put up by the regional philanthropy group known as the Fund for our Economic Future.
The contest is now generating nearly 1,000 votes per day. Organizers expect that the on-line and mail-in ballots will increase as the contest winds down.
Topping the vote totals are a program to create a land bank in Mahoning County; and a Geographical Data Sharing effort in Trumbull County.
Fund spokesman Chris Thompson says the same region was the top vote getter in 2009.
CHRISTHOMPSON:
"Everyone's kind of elevated the bar, and I kinda thought a few of those other counties might surpass the Mahoning Valley, but the Valley - at least to this point - has raised the bar as well and stayed a little bit out in front of the others."
He says larger communities are beginning to show voting strength, with an inner ring project in Cuyahoga County clinging to the third and final grant slot. 14 area counties are represented among the ten projects.
Rick Jackson, 90.3.
