FakeCinEnquirer

This is why I disagree with the people who say that "the streetcar must be extended to UC to be successful". Of course that would be great from a pure transportation perspective. But I think the best scenario is that Phase 1A is up and running for a few years to encourage density in the CBD, OTR, and the eastern edge of the West End. Then we can expand to Uptown and Northern Kentucky and start expanding the density outward. apply for funding as it comes available. If we don't snag a grant for Uptown in the next two years it's anyone's guess if it'll ever happen. Absolutely will not happen while john cranley is mayor. There will be no applications from cincinnati for any federal grants regarding any new passenger rail related plans. The politics isn't there. I highly doubt cranley allows any applications For federal grants for the streetcar to help with operating costs either. He's got too much politically at stake to help it

One of Cranley's biggest political mistake was buddying up to Chris Smitherman. He went so far as to call him a 'dear friend' in public on numerous occasions. Smitherman is as unreliable and unpredictable as they get. I predict there will be a falling out at some point...Just like everyone else has had with Smitherman. Maybe not today, this week, this month, or this year, but the history shows us that that is a high probability This whole backing of the local NAACP leadership, with numerous tea party and talk radio members, is bizarre. But then again, if he is running for the house seat against Chabot in the future, things like this and the streetcar could solidify him

EDIT: I didn't read above.

While its good to know the kind of bs being spewed out of this radio station, I think its a heck of a lot more productive to summarize basic points instead of going crazy every time some petty little drama is stirred up by them. I'm kind of getting sick of these sorts of posts. Here's why I think it's important. Certain City council members are flocking to am radio to say things they won't necessarily say at council meetings. In a sense they are more honest and often times the host gets them to let their guard down. As for the hosts you're probably right. It's about drama and ratings

Kevin Flynn was on 700wlw last night The good news: he said 5 or 6 other individuals are now asking about how they can help pay for streetcar operations After RhineGeist example The bad news: sounded decisively anti rail. Said you can drive anywhere in this city from his home in less than 15 min. Said trains make sense in Chicago and that Cincinnatians value their time. I don't think the 6 votes will be there to even study phase 2 of the streetcar unless Murray has a 180 change of heart The host went on to bash millennial saying essentially no one is deciding not to come to Cincinnati because of public transit. Said Cincinnatians love to drive and that he's afraid were trying to be like nyc, Chicago and Austin. Said cincinnatians are not environmental 'granola munchers'

OKI, not FTA is the reason we aren't getting an operating grant. FTA said, submit it and we'll do it! but OKI gave it a horrendous rating so they didn't even submit it. So sick of the politics and politicians around here. So many literally trying to sabotage the project

Cranley now has threatened to fire the entire streetcar team http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/cincinnati-streetcar-mayor-john-cranley-alarmed-by-spending-projections-threatens-to-drop-team

Cranley responds by attacking city leaders and streetcar 'bosses' http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2014/12/10/cranley-to-streetcar-bosses-put-up-or-shut-up/20209159/ the man is hellbent on ensuring the streetcar fails. Harry black also said he will take out certain items

The cranley delay rising costs was so predictable and since everyone keeps telling me how brilliant he is, that means he knew all along how much it would cost and where the money would come from. So when he states after elected that it wouldn't cost much or won't cost anything (forgot which he said), he was lying Unfortunately I have a feeling were going to see more efforts to intentionally increase construction costs and deplete the contingency funds from the same characters Ordinarily this problem would stick to cranley like glue. It would be called some catchy name. But our local media is so inept that they wont. Enquirer will stir up another controversy and am radio will defend cranley. I got a feeling we are going to see a coordinated cranley Smitherman am radio tour today to go on the offensive to help people forget they are responsible for increasing costs

Is it true there is only 80k left in contingency? ?? That's a major problem especially when we have politicians actively trying to increase costs through various methods. Smitherma has repeatedly said he will bring another ballot initiative If the cost goes even one penny over

Sounds about right. Its just a shame the streetcar has: -Bankrupted the city -Turned us into Detroit -Brought down our credit rating -Forced us to fire police/fire fighters - Stopped us from building the MLK Interchange - Destroyed our road paving ability -Destroyed our garbage collecting ability -Forced us to not cap Ft Washington Way -Completely prevented other neighborhoods from building anything -Destroyed our ability to plow and salt roads for winter

Bill Cunningham compared the streetcar to Herpes. Add that to the list of extreme comparisons

From the Cincinnati Streetcar Facebook page

Just remember he's first and foremost a politician. He's trying to save face after the streetcar and now the plan is to stop Wasson way rail while creating a wedge between bike and rail supporters

Here's the audio http://static.theflypod.com/episodes/cmc-speaker/ "The red bike is more of the excitement of the future than 19th century technology" John cranley on the streetcar(and really all rail) Is towards the end during q and a on red bikes

@flemishinus said on twitter: @ChrisCinciBiz at a speech at the Masonic center he said that the red bike was an example of public transportation versus 19e century rail Referring to John cranley

All political payback from the mayor for losing on the streetcar issue. This mayor is still furious over losing the streetcar political battle. He is not to be trusted on any rail issue

Cunningham said 8000 to 10000 people a day will have to ride the streetcar in the winter. Smitherma ranted about how it's going to cost 1.50 to ride. Then he chided streetcar supporters again. Saying they've disappeared now that they have topay the bill and you can't find them with a search warrant. Oh and Chris Smitherman also supports the keystone pipeline. He railed that he's an independent then continued to bash democrats Then Cunningham called the streetcar Cincinnati's keystone pipeline

I agree with everything you've said. Unfortunately, Smitherman's political career has demonstrated over and over again that no matter how outrageous he gets, people still vote for him. From the syphilis talk to stating the CIA/FBI is following him to comparing himself to malcolm X to lunging at streetcar supporters at city hall to his insane media bridges videos. His political career just seems to keep moving forward. With 700wlw and 55krc directly behind him along with his connections at the county level, he's got great friends advancing his political career in high places

The gameplan for the diehard opponents has changed slightly. Smitherma n said it in jan. Its to delay all scheduled construction or progress to increase the cost so he can bring a 3rd ballot initiative. He said in January that 'If the project costs rise even by one penny, well bring it to the people again'

As usual, Chris Smitherman/COAST/700wlw/55krc/John Cranley are being proven wrong More and More everyday 'Firm: Streetcar, new jobs spurring Cincinnati apartment development' http://m.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2014/11/14/firm-streetcar-new-jobs-spurring.html?ana=e_du_pub&s=article_du&ed=2014-11-14&u=YhY%2FQfXAMCgNyFrEjw9v+w0e0d9800&t=1415997973&r=full

Amy Murray was on 700wlw with streetcar supporter Mike McConnell today. http://www.700wlw.com/media/podcast-bill-cunningham-bill_cunningham/streetcars-and-media-bias-11614-25534315/ Pretty rational discussion. No real outlandish statements. Its good to hear a normal conversation about the streetcar project

We still have two years to go to counter a lot of these am radio falsehoods. The pr has ramped up positively. Unfortunately I'm still reading these bizarre 'I'll never ride it out of spite' posts. Hopefully rational people start to prevail over time and the Cranley administration makes a genuine good faith effort to let the streetcar succeed It will also be interesting to see how smitherman, am radio and coast react to this bi partisan plan. I've heard rumors of coast and smitherman thinking about suing to stop it but nothing valid to substantiate it. Just random grumblings Cranley of course said his permit plan was better but that he's looking forward to putting this debate behind him. We've heard that before though

Yikes. Kasich reelected, gop take over statewide and in Congress. Combine that with cranley, Harry black, smithermam, murray, Flynn, winburn... can pretty much kiss any talk of streetcar expansion goodbye for awhile

They will do Whatever is politically advantageous under the leadership of John cranley, Christopher smitherma and Harry black. With this group politics trumps all