Hamilton County Decentralization?

What does a $70/hr consultant know about Hamilton County? The Republican county commissioners appear to believe he knows something. I don't know how. You know all governments and communities are alike, so we can just take a cookie cutter, apply the shape this man is selling and shut up and like it.

Si Leis is pissed about hiring this guy, a source indicates. Si appears to be pissed generally because his budget faces cuts, which is a common reaction, but when he talked with the commissioners recently it illustrated friction, not unity with his fellow Republicans. Now, who would not have friction with Si Leis? Other than ignorant voters of course.

What makes me nervous are the goals of Phil and Pat, illustrated by this from the article:

The contract with Roberts is written broadly enough to give him a consulting voice in reforming virtually all aspects of county government under the control of the county commissioners, including "a redistribution of responsibilities" with the city of Cincinnati.

Is this a plan to just dump down the government functions, or all those it can, from the county to the municipalities? Or in the case of Hamilton County, a way for the burbs to dump on the City?

The toxic twins of the Cincinnati GOP are already threatening to cut the funding of SORTA, will they just pull out and force the city to cover it all? There have been plans floated recently for the city and county to swap service responsibilities, but what services and who stands to gain? I can only see the Blue Ashs, Maderias, and even Norwoods looking to keep county services on things they can benefit from, not others outside their areas.

Open Thread

Running Late, Go Nuts, with a little class if you please.

Typical Bronson Yet Again

Question to Peter Bronson: What are your thoughts on how Bob Huggins was treated by the cops and how managed to keep his job coaching young adults?

Dildo Cover Takes Balls

A big hat's off to CityBeat for their cover this week. The cover story is a Valentine's Day themed montage of articles on various love related topics.

What takes balls is CityBeat going to the edge with cover art that slides in a Dildo on the end of the machine gun. It is subtle enough for the non-reader to catch while shopping at Biggs or other locations that fear the right-wing prudes (CCV) who have worked to ban CityBeat from as many places as possible.

Sam I Am

In what appears to be a text rendering of acceptance speech from Chris Monzel we lean that the newly appointed councilmember plans on working with Sam. That Sam is Councilmember Sam Malone. We are told that Monzel will work with Sam, work with Sam, and work with Sam some more. We don't read how he will work with anyone else, you know, like the other 7 members of council and the mayor. Without working with at least a few others they will not get anything done.

Why didn't this gain attention:

And during this past year, I have been asked many times by people: "When are you moving?" and "now you don' have to live in the city any more." And honestly my wife and I did think about moving out to the suburbs.

So who is asking Chris when he is moving and why? Also, WHY WOULD YOU APPOINT A PERSON TO COUNCIL WHO CONSIDERED MOVING TO THE SUBURBS? If he can't commit to living the in city no matter if he is on council or not, then he does not belong on city council.

This reads like something Steve at BlueChip Review wrote as satire. The problem is that it appears real. Steve should have made a better reference that it was a speech, not a column written specially for his publication.

Blackwell vs. Petro

Are we seeing the first blow in what I hope becomes a bloody Republican primary for Ohio's Governor?

Conforming Bronson

I see Peter lacks in originality. That might be a shocker somewhere in in China, but not to those who subject ourselves to his columns. Today he attacks both Miami University and a radical professor from Colorado which is the hottest talk-radio/O'Reilly crusade of the week. I also wonder if Steve Szaronos, the student quoted, is affiliated with the Miami Young Republicans club. It seems that Peter has a special email address just for Conservative activists at Miami. Will Peter write a column against any university who pays Ann Coulter? Coulter once joked about blowing up the NY Times building, wanted to use the US Army to convert Muslims to Christianity by force, and calls all liberals traitors. I guess dissent only counts if you are skinny conservative blonde walking pile of dung.