Streetcar Debate

Just over a week ago, advocates for the Streetcar held a debate at UC about the Streetcar plan. Here's the video:

The video is from Explorecincinnati.com via Bearcast Radio.

I as of this point have not watched the debate, but there is coverage from the CincyStreetcar blog, Urbancincy, and Start Working, Start Living.

Since I couldn't attend and haven't watched the video yet, I will reserve judgment. If you were there, how did it go?

Regional Media or Cost Cutting?

Why was this article from Louisville Courier-Journal listed in the "Latest News" section on the front page of the Enquirer's website?

This is a valid news story, but if the Enquirer felt it newsworthy for Cincinnati area readers, why not have a story from their own site, instead of one from a Sister publication?

I find this a way to push a more gripping news story without having to pay a reporter to do anything. I'm torn by the this practice. I want local news, including near by cities. This is regional, something I would like to get more of in the form of statehouse news from Columbus. Getting crime news from Louisville is only a little bit more relevant to Cincinnati than watching a car chase from Miami, FL on WLWT-TV 6PM News.

Charter Reform: The "Blago Amendment"

From this week's CityBeat, we learn that Councilmember Leslie Ghiz is proposing a charter amendment that would end the practice of filling mid-term Council vacancies by appointment. As we all know, the current process is that each Councilmember designates a "proxy" who has the responsibility of choosing his or her replacement should he or she vacate the office for any reason mid-term.

Over the last several years, it's become increasingly common for term-limited councilmembers to resign mid-term, permitting their appointed replacements to run as incumbents in the fall election. Ghiz proposes--gasp--elections instead.

I think Ghiz (pronounced with a hard "g'"--get your mind out of the gutter, folks!) has got this issue exactly right (or nearly so). This practice of early resignation to make room for hand-picked successors has become an abusive practice. (And I say this as one who is, frankly, delighted to have Greg Harris on Council, particularly as a replacement for Cranley.) The last few election results make clear the power of incumbency in Council elections, and politicians should not be able to bequeath their seat to their favorite Facebook friend (or whatever other criteria is used).

The criticism from HCDP Chair Tim Burke--that elections are expensive--is misplaced. First, that's life in a representative democracy. But his critique also misses the mark: if the "Blago amendment" passes, term-limited councilmembers will stop resigning early (unless they have a better job offer--and even then, there would be party pressure not to leave prior to November). So there wouldn't be a flurry of midterm elections; instead, there would be a flurry of elected officials fulfilling their commitment to voters.

Nonetheless, I wouldn't mind seeing the proposal altered slightly to include some sort of "25th Amendment" exception. If a councilmember becomes gravely ill or dies while in office, it might make sense to fill the position by appointment. The test could be simple: a majority of council would have to vote to certify that the departing councilmember is incapacitated due to illness or death. That would trigger a proxy appointment, and eliminate a lengthy time period during which Council might operate with an even number (there's no procedure in the current Charter to break a tie vote). Because even though it's fun to call this "the Blago amendment," no one is suggesting that anyone has sold or tried to sell a Council seat. But the rearrangement of the deck chairs just prior to elections is distasteful; Ghiz's proposal would end that, and an illness or death exception honors her intent.

This is a good proposal from Ghiz, and one I'll vote for if it makes it to my ballot this fall.

Cincinnati Magazine's Top Ten Restaurants

Oh, boy, do I have issue with this list. Thanks to @ChasingPolly for so kindly typing this out in 140 characters or less.
1.Orchids
2.Nicola’s
3.Boca
4.Via Vite
5.Daveed’s
6.Nectar
7.Cumin
8.Slims
9.Hugo
10.Riverside Korean

Let’s compare to last year, shall we?

New to the list: Riverside Korean, Via Vite and Hugo.

Off the list: Pigall’s (I assume because it’s closing, I guess they got that detail in right before going to print), Jo An and JeanRo Bistro.

Though JR Bistro is still open, I wholeheartedly agree that it’s not one of the top ten restaurants– and wasn’t last year. The meals I’ve had there in the past few years were mediocre at best.

I am so glad to see some real ethnic food– not just fusion– on the list. Though Cumin is good, it’s not “authentic”, and I think that very well prepared, authentic cusine that isn’t Italian, French or American should be included, and Riverside would be my choice. I like Jo An, but I like Riverside better. It’s an old favorite. I’ve actually eaten at all of these restaurants except for Nectar. Friends have recently gone to Nectar and enjoyed it as well.

I’ve never quite figured out how these top ten lists work. I confess that Terry and my Top Ten Barbecue is completely and utterly subjective; and this top ten list is too. How is Orchids better than Nicola’s (Nicola’s would be my top, if anyone’s asking). How did Boca fall to 3 from the top spot last year?

And, most importantly, how in the WORLD is there no Jeff Ruby restaurant on the list? The Jeff Ruby’s Jewel was rated the top steak in the country, better than all of those top Chicago and New York steakhouses, and it doesn’t even get a mention in the Cincinnati Magazine top ten? I just don’t get it. The food is always great, the service is always stellar. It’s not delicate food, and it’s not chef-owned, but it’s a place I know I could take friends or clients and they’d be equally happy. I’d be poor, but everyone would come away happy. Someone suggested that it was because it was a "chain", but it is no more a chain than Jean-Robert's restaurants were (and, I suppose, Wade's restaurants are).

What would be #1 on your list?

New Restaurant Coming on Seventh

I'm a little late with this (Queen City Survey noticed it about two months ago), but there's a new restaurant preparing to open on Seventh Street downtown. Gilpin's Bagel & Deli will be nestled into the space next to the former Gondola, on the block between Vine and Walnut.

Gilpin's has a MySpace page (someone should tell the owner that unless his target market is fifteen-year old girls, he'd be better off with a Facebook group). Gilpin's promises to be "upscale, modern, affordable, healthy, and fast." (Geesh, that's a lot of pressure for a bagel.) Apparently, music, movies, and video games will all be part of the ambiance. As for music, the owner promises "soothing" music in the morning, a DJ at night, and "what[ever] we like on our Ipod that day" at lunch. And hopefully, the soundtrack on the website won't ever be played in the restaurant.

I'm looking forward to a bagel!!!

Hartmann Weighs In On HCSO Budget Mess

Yesterday, I suggested that HamCo Sheriff Simon Leis needs some help in the public relations department. It seems that help won't be coming from within his own party. Today, Republican HamCo Commissioner Greg Hartmann piles on with an open letter to Leis in the Enquirer.

Hartmann is critical of Leis's refusal to use money from drug forfeitures to save deputies' jobs. The most pointed part of his letter is probably this:

You have stated that lives are at risk, and we take you at your word. However, you have also demonstrated that you are unable to make the necessary decisions in your operation to protect public safety. Now, I have to.

Those are tough words indeed from one Republican official to another. And one has to respect Hartmann immensely for going public. After all, as the sole Republican on the Commission, he could just as easily sit this fight out and blame the Democratic majority later on for not fixing the public safety budget.

Hartmann also proposes shifting responsibility for all courthouse security to the Clerk of Courts, leaving Leis free to redelegate the funds he would have spent there to patrol and corrections. (Commissioner Portune has endorsed this suggestion.) If anyone other than Hartmann had offered this as a potential (partial) solution, I'd wonder how the Clerk's budget could absorb this. But until a couple months ago, Hartmann was the Clerk of Courts. If anyone knows where money can be squeezed out of that budget, it's Greg Hartmann.

Certainly, Hartmann will have ideological differences from his Democratic counterparts on the BOCC. But it's good to see Hartmann constructively offering suggestions--and his colleagues paying attention. Hartmann brings a skill set and knowledge base previously lacking on the Commission, as he is the only member who has experience working in the criminal justice system. (Before being elected Clerk, he was an assistant prosecuting attorney.) In that regard, his voice should be heard loudly and often in discussing local criminal justice reforms. Often, when I hear or read proposals from Portune or Pepper that touch on the criminal justice system, it's clear that (although they're certainly well-meaning) the two have little or no experience with criminal law. And while I'm sure Hartmann will often bring a pro-government point of view with which I won't always agree, I'm glad to see someone with practical insight helping to make policy.

The commissioners need to continue to set aside partisan differences, where possible, in order to best serve the community in these tough times. And it looks like the newly constituted Commission is off to a good start.

Prescience

As I was looking for an old blog post that I wanted to link to, I came across several older posts with predictions and realized how smart I really am. (Heh heh.)

I predicted the Bengals would finish 6-10 (they were 4-11-1--not too far off).

I predicted Driehaus's victory.

I wished (but didn't predict) that Greg Harris could be on Council instead of John Cranley. (An aside here: I'm glad that Harris is now on Council, but am presently a bit disappointed with him. Nearly a week ago, I emailed him regarding a matter that seems to be important to him, and haven't gotten a response--not even a "sorry, it's really busy, hope to answer you soon." I know it's got to be tough getting use to the faster-than-you'd-think pace of the life of a Councilmember, and I'm just a dumb blogger. But I am voting in November.)

Of course, I also predicted that Martha Good would win, that the Portune-Rothenberg race would be close, that Groppe would retain her office, and that Obama would win far fewer states than he actually did.

So I got the easy stuff right, and missed wildly on the tougher questions. Maybe I'm not so smart after all. Just lucky. What's that expression about the sun shining on a lame dog's ass.....?

UPDATE (2/16/2009): I just received an email from Greg Harris indicating he didn't receive the email I sent. So I'm resending my email, and my prior "disappointment" has now been vanquished.