A $2 weekly user fee. Water and sewer rates increasing. Power rates that have increased about 50%, on average, over the past two decades.

The cost of living in Wheeling, while still much lower than many other parts of West Virginia and across the nation, is now on the rise. And if the city, Ohio County and the surrounding region can’t find a way to attract new residents here — and soon — that burden only will increase and lead to additional issues for residents.

A shrinking population, quite simply, leads to fewer residents shouldering more of the burden for essential government services. And when you consider where Wheeling and this region have been, and the fact the city’s physical size and infrastructure have not changed while fewer people are here now paying into the system, it’s clear this could quickly become a real problem.

These figures, from the U.S. Census Bureau, tell the story:

∫ The Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area — Ohio, Marshall and Belmont counties — had a population of 152,850 in 2000. At the end of 2024, those same three counties had a combined population of 135,136 — an 11.6% decrease in 24 years.

∫ The city of Wheeling had 31,382 residents in 2000. Today, the estimate is 26,208. That’s a 16.5% decrease in two-plus decades. And the figure is dropping at an average rate between 0.5% and 1% each year.

∫ And if you go back 45 years, to the 1980 Census, Wheeling’s population was 43,096.

Those numbers say it all. Today, there are far fewer people here paying into the system. And with an aging population, many of those that are paying find themselves on fixed incomes, with little room to spare in their family budgets.

The challenge we face today is one where the cost of providing essential city services — public safety, water, paving — is escalating quickly. Equipment, materials and salaries don’t decrease in price just because there are fewer residents. That leaves local governments with difficult choices: cut services, raise taxes and rates, or both.

There is another option, one that local leaders have scoffed at over the years but frankly may serve the best path forward: consolidated government.

Several communities across the country have moved to a consolidated government system, where city and county services merge under a single umbrella. It has been successfully implemented in Louisville, Kentucky, and Nashville, to name two. While those areas are larger than ours, the principle is the same: by combining services such as law enforcement, public works, administration and even parks and recreation, communities can reduce duplication, streamline operations and ultimately save money.

Here’s a question: Does Wheeling, with 26,208 residents, and Ohio County, with only 14,882 residents that live outside the city limits, really require two separate police agencies? In the current 2025-26 fiscal year, direct law enforcement costs for the Wheeling Police Department and the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office are $13.7 million. Is there a better, more efficient approach to where one consolidated police force could handle all of Ohio County?

This type of shift — a new way of thinking — could ease the burden on taxpayers while maintaining — or even improving — the quality of services residents receive. Because until we figure out a way to grow the area’s population, the cost of living here only will continue to rise.

Yes, this idea has been discussed before to no avail. We understand that. However, that was nearly 20 years ago. The situation locally has not improved. At some point, as we have been doing throughout this year, someone needs to step forward and lead this community. That’s where we’re falling short.

Wheeling and Ohio County have such a rich history. That spirit of innovation and risk-taking that shaped this city — that led to the creation of our state — must guide us again. By willingly considering new approaches — including consolidated government — we can ensure that those who call this region home are not crushed by the weight of maintaining a community built for far more people than it now holds. Let us set forth on this, together.