Pay Attention, Suburbanites!

I know the air is a little thinner out there, but the author of the 4th letter to the Enquirer today needs to know that Hamilton County is not planning on building a "Trolley." The City of Cincinnati "approved" a plan to build a Streetcar. They have not really approved building one yet, but they like the plan for it. It is funny how people don't pay attention.

Next thing we'll get is someone writing a letter to the editor bitching about Cincinnati Public Schools for banning a play by Jessica Fletcher.

Method to the Madness?

I often wonder how independently the county administrator (Patrick Thompson) operates from the elected county commissioners. And the recent wrangling over the county's public safety budget makes me wonder even more.

Last week, Thompson made public a series of proposed budget cuts, including one requiring townships to pay for the deputies that patrol their streets. At the time, it seemed to be taken for granted that in the wake of the defeat of Issue 27, the county would discontinue funding for the patrols in Over-the-Rhine.

Yesterday, following a public meeting attended by several HamCo sheriff's deputies, we get this statement from Todd Portune:

"I expect the balanced budget will include Over-the-Rhine patrols. I expect it
will include no changes for township deputies. I don't know what we'll do to get
there, but I believe strongly we will accomplish our goals."

Here's my point: by raising the issue of county-subsidized policing for the townships, Thompson may have made it politically impossible for the OTR patrols to be de-funded. The average City resident, prior to last week's news reports, probably didn't realize the extent to which places like Greene, Colerain, Anderson, and other townships rely on the county for the provision of police services. How could the commissioners (particularly Portune and Pepper) have justified to City residents the expenditure of funds for public safety in the suburbs at the same time county funds for public safety in the City would be cut off entirely? The backlash from City residents would have been enormous (and perhaps rightly so).

So I wonder--was the issue of the township patrol budget floated intentionally, to ensure the commissioners would have political cover when they found money for the OTR patrols, or is that giving our local leaders credit for too much guile and foresight?

Those crazy suburban schools...

I've been doing theater for a long time, and had no idea that Ten Little Indians had an alternative name other than "And Then There Were None". Apparently the NAACP in Butler County has other ideas-- this alternative name (that few knew existed) will incite racism. Who knew? So these kids put in hours of work on a show that has nothing to do with African Americans (or Native Americans, for that matter) and it's all taken away because one group holds so much sway over the Lakota board. Convenient that Gary Hines does "diversity training", isn't it? I'm all into diversity and equality, but we can't rewrite history. Let's clean up To Kill a Mockingbird and Native Son and sanitize the slurs used against African Americans; let's sanitize Night and remove references to violence that surrounded the Holocaust. This cleansing doesn't benefit kids, it merely renders them unable to comprehend reality in which some people are racist and violent. There is indeed life outside of West Chester. Hopefully, Lakota will wise up and let the show go on-- but I won't bet on it.

Hot Air

It appears Greg Flannery and a couple of other activists are doing what ever they can to derail progress in OTR. It isn't good enough that the Washington Plan adds more green space. It has to create something that will cost more money and not be used to its potential. In fact what Greg wants is to keep more concrete in the area instead of helping add more oxygen to the atmosphere! Come on Greg, I thought you were Pro-Earth!

City Council does the right thing (for once)

Well, at least part of it has. The Enquirer reports that the Finance Committee voted unanimously to approve the funding request from 3CDC for improvement in OTR. Hopefully, the rest of Council will support it as well. The only way that improvement will "stick" in OTR is if the City is backing it financially as well as with some lip service.

A Nice Donabedian Profile

After a big opening Winter season I'd bet Bill Donabedian, Fountain Square Manager, is liking the Enquirer's profile. It it actually quite fair to him personally and gets insight from people who have worked with him. The square looked great on Friday during the day. I'd like to know if anyone was there Friday Night and can chime in how the event went?

Plans For Washington Park Look Great

The plans to expand and renovate Washington Park look excellent. Here is a pdf map of the plan.

Something that was mentioned in the article was the Drop-In Center, but the reason for it being mentioned is not obvious to anyone not familiar with the underlying issue: the Bums must go. All of the renovation of the Park will be lost if the bums still camp out in the Park and along 12th Street. That is the big question about Park renovation. If they have no plans there, then it will not matter how nice it is, the bums will do two things: keep people away and they will quickly ruin many of the renovations.