Showing posts with label streetcar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label streetcar. Show all posts

11.06.2013

Cranley Wins-Shortsighted Cincinnati Has Spoken Again

When the Hamilton County Chairman of the Republican Party goes on television and says he is very pleased with the results of last night's mayoral election...and both candidates running were Democrats, there's a big, big problem in Cincinnati and Black people, this is your doing.

Once again, the Black community followed the religiously based Pied Pipers and professional black politician/hustlers down the Yellow Brick Road. It remains to be seen what will be lost this time, although after so many years, there is not much else left to lose.

In Cincinnati the best man for the job of Mayor was a woman, but the male in the race won. He won handily, I might add. Some are even calling it a landslide.

Only 23% of the electorate bothered to exercise their privilege, telling the rest of us that they don't really give a damn about what happens here.

A “landlside” of 23% of all possible voters is an embarrassment. You can read the sorry details here,

So don't walk up to me, message me on FB, text me about any problems you may be having with current events, because I'm going to tell you what to do with your bogus concern.

Ya didn't vote...I'm telling you what you told me by your lack of action...”fuck you. Fuck you very much!”

But back to John Cranley. Cranley campaigned on two issues, stopping the streetcar and leasing the parking meters. He promised that his first action would be to stop the street car project. However, in his victory speech last night, he said he would see what he could do about stopping the project. That is different from stopping something. It shows that Cranley really has no idea what he is going to do, if anything, about the streetcar.

It is being built with federal money. Federal money allocated for the project in question. You can't just take that money and spend it somewhere else. Cranley should know this. Yet he promised exactly that and shortsighted Cincinnati, the ones who can't see across their own street much less the big, down the road picture, bit on the lie hook, line and sinker.

This AM he has asked City Council to suspend all spending on the streetcar until he takes office next month. The streetcar is already under construction, by the way. People are already working.  That is different from when Governor Kasich derailed light rail a few years ago. When Kasich pulled the plug stateside the project was still on paper and in the planning stages. Here it has already begun.

It will be interesting to see what happens when the Feds ask for their money back-money already spent and in the ground, that is. Maybe the City can begin giving paid tours of the Cincinnati Subway and Cincinnati streetcar projects-the people mover projects that never were, sort of thing, in order to raise revenue.

As for City Council-voted sorta clueless. Sittenfeld led all voters. That is a good thing. Seelbach won too. We've still got the openly gay man on council. That is good. Young and Simpson return. That is good. David Mann, former mayor, Councilman and Congressman returns. That is great. Winburn and Smitherman, Cincinnati's version of Herman Cain and Alan Keyes are back for yet another encore. The newbies are Republican Amy Murray, who is also a returning Councilmember and Kevin Flynn, an attorney who had been running unsuccessfully for a few years now.

So now what? Everybody gets sworn in next month and then let the games begin.


11.02.2011

2011 Ohio Election, My Take


 For Cincinnati City Council: Wendell Young, Jason Riviero, Roxanne Qualls, Yvette Simpson, Laure Quinlivan, Chris Seelbach, PG Sittenfeld

These are the people for whom I intend to vote. There are 9 slots to be filled but I'm not happy with the rest of the candidates and their past performances, so I have included four newbies who, at least on paper, and in person, say the right things to get my attention.

Issue One: Mandatory retirement for Ohio Judges...If someone can do the job effectively, I personally don't think they should be forced to retire just because they've reached a certain age. Vote: No

Issue Two: Proposal to repeal SB 5, Governor Kasich's attempt at union busting in Ohio, like what went down in Wisconsin earlier this year. SB 5 makes it illegal for workers to speak up for themselves in negotiating better working conditions. It criminalizes free speech in this context, in fact. You can actually be fired from your job if Kasich prevails on this. Make no mistake about it..if SB 5 is voted down by the people, our slippery little governor will find other ways to impose his wingnut policies on the State. Vote: No

Issue 3: Proposal to write into the State Constitution, a ban prohibiting Ohio from abiding by the federal Health Care Law, approved by Congress a couple of years ago. Success of this law means insurance companies can return to discriminating against people with pre existing conditions or against women's health care in general. It reads: "no law or rule shall compel, directly or indirectly, any person, employer or health care provider to participate in a health care system." Vote No


Issue 48: A proposal to literally screw the City of Cincinnati until at least the year 2021. What it does is hinder any and all major development downtown along with the street car. This proposal is badly conceived, badly written and will keep Cincinnati the third rate backward city that it has become for years to come. Vote No

Issue 44: A plan to lower electric rates by forcing Duke Energy to the negotiating table....Two proposals on the Nov. 8 ballot promise Cincinnati residents and small businesses the chance for bigger savings on their electric and gas bills. These plans are already working in other parts of the state. What I've read about aggregation, sounds good on paper and I am all for anything that will rein in the arrogant Duke Energy. Vote Yes

Issue 32: Permanent Levy for the Cincinnati Public Schools. Money to be used for books, computers and building renovation...NOT SALARIES OR BENEFITS. The levy hopes to raise $49.5 million..meaning the owner of a home valued at $100,000 would pay an additional $243 per year in taxes.. Vote: Yes

Issue 37: Hospital renewal levy. Doesn't cost us any money and provides a much needed service. Vote Yes

Regardless of whether or not you agree or disagree...the important thing is to get off your ass and vote. It is the only weapon that you as a citizen have against mediocrity and stupidity in your government....
You stay home...we all suffer!

VOTE NOV 8TH!