Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Cranley Still Hates the Urban Core

The former Cincinnati City Council member and the architect of the City's Budget Deficit, John Cranley continues to push an anti-city agenda. This time he's in the COAST corner of opposing the Streetcar. More importantly he is lying about it, calingl the property increase a "Streetcar Tax" instead of what it really is: a tax to put more money into the police budget. Cranley was part of the council majority years ago that pushed to increase the police force even though the police chief didn't want more police officers. Instead of using more funds to build up the technological efforts to confront crime, Cranley and his ilk went for FOP votes. Most of the leadership of the FOP don't give a damn about the City, it's just a paycheck to their members, nothing more. That's the mentality Cranley endorsed.

John's history of support for the Urban core consisted of wanting to suburbanize the Downtown Riverfront so he could enjoy a beer at a chain restaurant after a Reds game, and then jump in his car and flee back to the West Side.

This former Democratic office holder is starting to sound more like a former Democrat. The more he plays the COAST tune, the more he slips into the anti-city camp.

7 comments:

  1. John Cranley's hypocrisy is galling. His Price Hill Incline Square development is being funded with a massive influx of City Taxpayer funds: $3.3 Million from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2, $1.8 Million from the Cincinnati Community Reinvestment Area LEED tax exception, as well as $1.7M City HOME loan among other sources. Also, Cranley's Price Hill Square development is directly benefiting from the $55 Million Waldvogel Viaduct Project, courtesy of Cincinnati Taxpayers. Mr. Cranley is as responsible for the proposed tax increase as other person or project in the City of Cincinnati.

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  2. Ironically Cranley's meddling in that development in Price Hill is what saved the streetcar, as pro-streetcar Greg Harris was appointed to his seat at a critical moment in 2008.

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  3. So Cranley is planning on running for Mayor in 2013. Looks like he wants to replace Urkel, BUT he has another thing coming.
    Rumor has it a real man is coming for the position. That's right, The Peoples Mayor Sean Holbrook is coming to take his rightful spot as Mayor in 2013.
    How does it feel Cranley, to know that a real man of sweat and muscle is coming to drop his hairy forearm in the middle of your plans?
    Now listen up the rest of you Cincinnati Sweat Hogs, try to stop feasting on Mr. Holbrooks raging biceps for a moment and listen to his platform.
    It's simple, just two easy words to remember. Common Sense.

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  4. Cranley's plan of disappearing for years and then suddenly appearing to beat a dead horse to death alongside COAST & Bill Cunningham is a brilliant political move that is sure to reap rewards!

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  5. Seriously Brian? John Cranley led on a ton of issues for a vibrant Cincinnati urban core. As Finance Chair and Councilperson under the Luken and Mallory administrations, he lead coalitions to put in-place public-private partnerships to invigorate the urban core of Cincinnati like 3CDC and Uptown Consortium. He led on the creation of new economic tools for Cincinnati like TIF districts across city neighborhoods and all the ones in downtown, Over-the-Rhine and the West End. With groups like 3CDC - which John championed from the start - along with economic development tools like TIF and other economic incentives, Cranley supported the overhaul of Fountain Square, a booming Backstage District, the ability to redo Washington Park and create the Gateway Quarter. Without the TIF districts the casino wouldn't be in the position it is in today. He also backed the expansion of the Convention Center leading to more tourism and visitors with conventions NAACP and World Choir Games. He helped negotiate the Banks development out of being stuck in the mud. He championed MidPoint Music Festival in its inaugural year and beyond, supported plenty of other urban festivals like Bluesfest and the Black Family Reunion. These are just a few examples of how he played a critical role in supporting the infrastructure necessary for the urban renaissance Cincinnati's urban core is experiencing. These are all real economic development successes in the urban core for which he played a major role, if not the main role in many of these instances. Of course, he did not do this alone. He did time and time again in bipartisan budgets, with an occasional unanimous budget. He also focused on Cincinnati's neighborhoods, keeping property taxes down, and adding cops to the streets in a way that made the police department more community oriented. He led on other issues to make Cincinnati a more inclusive place, changing city law from discriminating against people based upon sexual orientation and passing a living wage ordinance. So, despite all those examples, you think he hates the urban core because he doesn't think the streetcar should be a top priority? Or, that the city should be transparent about its financial dealings with the streetcar? Can there not be a rational discussion on choices? When you take money from the Banks TIF to pay for the streetcar, you don't have enough money to finish Smale Park. It's a choice. When you have to make $5M in annual payments to service the debt on the streetcar, there are less property tax dollars to spend on capital projects like street paving. With transparency, good government choices can be made. This tax and budget document doesn't even mention the streetcar. In 200 pages, which includes programs as small as educating the public on how to safely install a child seat in a car, no mention of the streetcar. Whether you are for or against the streetcar, transparency on its financing is critical. Having said all that, trying to paint John as against the urban core is just wrong.

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  6. Cranley championed for more police officers, when we didn't need them. John championed and presided over the budgets that put us the deficits we have now.

    John followed on the big issues (didn't lead) and instead pushed suburban ideals on the Banks. It was John who was most concerned about WHEN he would be able sit at the ESPN Zone (or was it the Hard Rock Cafe) and drink a beer at the banks. Wow, the culturally important chain restaurant was what mattered most, that and serving the suburbanites who only go downtown to see a reds/bengals game.

    I also don't recall Cranly doing much for OTR, except bring in a racist consultant to tell the city to keep out the minorities and build chain restaurants to serve suburbanites.

    If Cranley is foolish enough to run for mayor next year, he will have to start begging the Republicans for support. That's his only remote chance.

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  7. Our newly elected Mayor Cranley has a vested interest in renewing the incline district of Price Hill. He has invested much of his own money as well as diverted city funds and grants towards his pet project of which he is a partner..THAT is why Cranley did not want the street car to go through. It would be competition for his pet project. It would take tourists away from his venture and keep money from HIS pockets. It had nothing whatsoever to do with what the tax payers (who voted for and won the election for the street car) wanted. Also he is hoarding all of those grants for HIS little bit of Price Hill and is keeping it from other places that really need those funds for revitalization like my neighborhood.

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