McMain Street?
After reading this article I have the feeling that Main Street may not be a vibrant strip of cutting edge bars and restaurants and instead become a tourist trap. A Hard Rock Cafe? Are they serious? Why not just open a fast food joint? Don't make your marquee establishments outside corporate businesses. We need local business to thrive, not remote corporate cookie cutter franchises.

Again, if you want a feel for the nightlife here in Cincinnati, Cincinnati Tomorrow has a great weekly event where they take you to vibrant and "happening" places around town, with a heavy focus on the Main Street area. I have to apologize to those folks for missing last night’s event. My mind was up for it, but my body was not. I will though be joining them in the coming weeks.

My advice to the City, keep the crap the wimpish suburbanites want on the riverfront, let the urbanists have Main Street. Give Main Street the same attention you are giving it, just keep out the national chains.

The Kroger Garage
This is clearly the next issue that each council candidate has to answer. I will try and get them all to answer for my VigPol column next week, but I would guess the tap dancing on it will rival that of the Late Gregory Hines. Alicia seems like she is gunning for a grandstanding record. Here is a media round up of articles:
Enquirer: Greg Korte, Greg again.
Post: Kevin Osborne
WCPO: Here

CityBeat Error
I think Stephanie Dunlap needs to review the facts about Cynthia McKinney. She wrote

Speakers also included the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, former U.S. Rep. Walter Fauntroy (D-Wash., D.C.) and former U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.), widely considered to have lost reelection because of her vocal opposition to invading Iraq.

Cynthia McKinney lost in the Democratic primary because she opposed the resolution authorizing use of force against Afghanistan, not Iraq. The primary was held in August of last year before the vote to authorize the use of force in Iraq. She did not support the Iraq War, but no, she lost because of Afganistan and her desire to investigate the possibility that Bush knew about 9/11 before it happened. Tin foil hats might be standard issue for some at CityBeat, but the rest of us liberals would rather keep the nut cases out of the spot light.

Sponsored by Brian Garry for Council
Greg Flannery's column this week writes this about council candidate Brian Garry:

The Rev. Damon Lynch III wasn't the only city council candidate who joined the 40th Anniversary March on Washington last week. Brian Garry, another independent candidate, also went. That's not the only activity the two candidates share. Lynch, like Garry, is reaching out to young African Americans in inner city neighborhoods. Garry has been going to "Short Vine" Street in Corryville on Sunday nights for several weeks, saying he wants to represent urban youth. Lynch also is campaigning there.

When Harry Belafonte visited last week, Lynch took him to Ollie's, a restaurant in Over-the-Rhine. If Garry and Lynch can mobilize thousands of young black voters, they might be able to channel a political force that's never really been felt in Cincinnati.

Shill is just too week a word for this. Ok, Greg and City Beat like Brian Garry. Fine, but honest questions are being raised about a council candidate's credibility and what does CityBeat report? They instead heap praise on him, (the him being Damon Lynch of course). Why not just roll over and endorse Damon Lynch now, save us from the suspense.

I see Greg mentioned Harry Belafonte’s visit. No mention of Cynthia McKinney, I wonder why?

Lynch-Gate
Okay folks, I think I am willing to come out and state the obvious here: this is now officially a scandal. Today's articles have the goods, just don't connect the dots: Greg Korte, Roy Wood, and Kevin Osborne. Now, all of the dots are not clear, but I think enough is there to point to the truth. The two bottom line issue are that Damon Lynch lied to Greg Korte when he said he has been living in Price Hill for 2 years, and his son's enrollment at a Cincinnati Public school without being a city resident raises the issue of out of city tuition. Now the facts.

Lynch's Lie?
What Lynch said in Korte's 08/26/2003 column:

Lynch himself seems nonplussed by the issue. "I've lived there for two years," he said of his Price Hill pad. "It's public record. It's easy to prove - just ask my neighbors. It's a real non-issue, and anyone who raises it is ignoring other issues that need to be discussed."

Now the comments from Ken Lawson, Lynch's lawyer:

Regardless, Lynch has lived in the condo for months, often staying there after working at his church until late at night, Lawson added.

and the report confirming Lynch was a resident of Woodlawn as of June 2003

But Lynch has claimed a 2.5 percent property tax credit on his Woodlawn residence, most recently in June. The state credit, which saves Lynch $77.06 yearly in taxes, may only be claimed on property that is owner-occupied.

So what does this say? To me it says that last week Lynch claimed he had lived in Price Hill for two years, but this week his lawyer says he lived there only a matter of "months. " As of June this year Lynch "declared" to the State of Ohio that he was a resident of Ohio by his act of accepting the special state tax credit. In my opinion that is clearly a lie. In an effort to get on the ballot at the last minute, Damon Lynch was not honest to the public. Is this a crime? I don't think so. Should this be reported in the big press? Well, the pieces are there, but why is no one connecting the dots?

Walnut Hills Tuition
This is a thorny issue for the Lynch family. The Post reported today:

One of Lynch's sons, Eric, attends Walnut Hills High School within the city and doesn't pay non-city resident tuition, which would be about $6,200 annually.

This is where questions need to be asked. How long as Eric Lynch attended Walnut Hills High School? Did he attend last year when his family was claiming residency in Woodlawn? If so, then did the Lynch family pay tution for last year or prior years? Will he now pay tuition for the current year? Does this rise to the level of fraud? Is anyone in a place of power asking these questions? Is the School Board asking these questions? Is Mike Allen asking?

What is keeping Greg Korte from exploring these two issues? The Post's Kevin Osborne has taken on this issue, why not Korte? Larry Frazier was torn apart in a Korte column, but not Lynch. Is he holding back or being held back? Maggie Downs had a column on Convergys held back during the debate on that issue, is Korte being held back in a similar manner until Lynch's ballot status is resolved? It would be odd since these issues directly relate to his residency status and his motives for owning two residences. This makes me wonder. If I can see these facts, I would think others would.

Jene Galvin earned the title of "Stupid Galvin" this week by doing Damon Lynch's dirty laundry.

"Politically, this is the cheapest of political shots and, sadly, it has racial overtones," said Jene Galvin, an adviser to Lynch.

Come on Jene, don't play the race card. Make Lynch do it himself. If a man is going to cry racism, one would hope he is going to make the claim himself, instead of using his white surrogate to shield him from hypocrisy. I wonder if Nate Livingston's challenge to Pat DeWine's residency has "racial overtones?" Hmm, I wonder what Gene would say about that?

UPDATE: Chris Anderson adds some comments. His opinion of Jene Galvin's tactics are akin to mine, but he brings up the hypocricy with a much more vivid view.

Chris Anderson Returns!
And with a roar towards Krogers.

Vigilancia Politica 20030903
I don't know if this one is as good as the last column, but at least it is done. I have some more fun at the expense of a few candidates and other political cast members. If anyone see any areas need address please let me know. I am considering having a theme week next week, maybe a profile of the criminal records for all candidates. I don't know, but that might be worth checking.