DAVEINCITI

It's not here yet. Not trying to be pessimistic, but like the villain at the end of the credits… COAST is already hinting at another ballot initiative. Today the battle was won, but the war goes on folks. This is a definitely a moment of celebration for those who support this. But, as long as this project remains unpopular in the city overall, its final fate is not certain. Many of us have to think move this thing forward with our heads (because of cost to kill), while our hearts tell us that the city should pull the plug on this. I just don't understand why this project has been so controversial, unlike the MLK exchange, that most everyone sees as worth the investment by the city. People in support of this better continue selling this, because there are many in this city who disagree, and the majority may wind up inserting itself into this project again before it is over. A project being built with this much ill will has every reason not to become a success....

It goes to show that a highly motivated group of people can get a large project rammed through, even when it does not enjoy much support in the city beyond OTR. The main business community seems uninterested in the outcome. Even I, as someone who does not support this project, have to admit that we are in too deep (given cancellation estimates) to get out at this point. I only hope that those who don't support this project keep council members understanding that we will hold them fully accountable if this project does not come in on budget, and operating costs do not stop the city from other important projects. Further, I hope this will allow us to move forward with important work for other Cinti neighborhoods, many of which have been ignored for too many years. I don't see a political future for the strong supporters of this unpopular project (starting with Qualls and Mallory), especially if the project winds up being a failure. So this will be their legacy, good or bad....

They don't want "streetcar people" moving in. They want a blue-collar West Side, an old money East Side and people on public assistance in the middle. They don't like educated people, non-DINOs, hipsters, musicians, artists ect. in "their" city. Absolutely. People aren't going to like what I'm about to say, but much of the opposition to the streetcar lies in Mallory's homosexuality. Because Mallory became the face of the project, streetcars and OTR's revival was intrinsically tied with his mysterious personal life. Bullies on talk radio had a field day with Mallory before his wild pitch and before the streetcar. They started getting upset when the city started turing around under the tutelage of someone they would have beaten up back in high school. They hated that he was thin, well-spoken, and that he knew that his mere existence made them uncomfortable. He had powers over them beyond those conferred by the elected office he held. They knew that he could make them nervous and disarm them in front of their wife. The imminent death of the streetcar has everything to do with the emotion the public was coerced into feeling about its figurehead and the areas where it was being built. If David Pepper had been elected in 2005 and had decided to go ahead with the streetcar, it would be here. That's no slight against Mallory -- I admired his leadership style and we are all indebted to him for going to bat on this -- but the fact is because Mallory was perceived as a cultural threat, the streetcar was a cultural threat. COAST, Smitherman, and Cranley sensed this emotion and used it to get elected. Now they're solidifying their place in their base's emotions by destroying any physical or cultural vestige of Mallory's intimidating persona. I wasn't going to comment on your blog today, since I know you are all unhappy with today's decision, and I know what it can be like to fight hard for something and not have it understood. I had to comment on the statement on Mallory's sexuality. There are many in Cinti who are beyond issues like this. Mallory grew up in Cinit, and he is well known in this city. Many Mallory voters knew who he was (including this), even though that was not made into a blatant issue. Look at the election of Seelbach, someone who many people (such as me) voted for even though we do not agree with his position on this issue. Just like this crowd feels misunderstood, people outside of downtown/OTR have felt left out and excluded from the streetcar project. Mallory should have been in the same communities that elected him explaining day in/ day out how they were directly impacted by this project, and what it could mean to them, and why they should support the streetcar. Streetcar supporters should have been reaching out and bringing in the other neighborhoods, because big projects require broad coalitions to get them done. That was Mallory's main problem. If I supported this project, I would be reaching out to leaders in the neighborhoods right now, and asking them what is needed for broader support, if it is not too late already.....

This is what I mean. Anyone who suggests Cinti is 46% Repub has not lived in this city for very long. Why would Repubs not even run a candidate for mayor in a city that was even close to 46% Repub? Mallory barely won in his last race because he lost a significant chunk of his Dem support.... Parking did play into the Cranley election, but everyone who followed the race knew from the start that the streetcar was the marquee issue. The parking issue was a late gift to Cranley, but Qualls was already well on track to lose the race by then. Parking was the icing, but the streetcar was the cake that brought us Cranley....

You can call me all the names you want. It only shows any neutral readers on this issue where you are coming from, so bring your so-called insults on if it makes you feel better. Maybe you are one of these precious " young professionals" we have heard so much about (with emphasis on the "young" in that, since you think words like troll get you anywhere). I also assume you are young, because you don't seem to understand how elections happen. Cranley used the streetcar as his central issue because he knew it would sink Qualls. How else could he have soundly defeated a very popular Democrat who consistently was the top vote taker in numerous council elections. You can blame the media all you want, but Mallory knows the black community and its leaders very well, so he could have bypassed the media to make a case for the streetcar directly with them. In fact, a black mayor, black city manager, and black majority on council certainly could have made their way to the black community to sell this project to them had they taken the time to do so. They were not going to win over Repubs and conservative Dems, but they could have at least neutralized this issue in the black community had they taken the time to do so.... I heard voters on black talk radio state repeatedly that they did fully not understand the ballot language, no matter who wrote it. Others were concerned (just as I was) that the way the referendums were presented, future rail projects that might be proposed could also be hindered. This point was made repeatedly by your side. Those commercials never did directly take on this project. If the streetcar is as popular as you folks think (and I think you are living in a bubble where you can't take other opinions, which is why you call people who don't agree with you names), how on earth did the Cinti elect a mayor by a landslide who stated repeatedly and loudly that his first order of business would be to kill the streetcar? I think you guys are really blind to what is going on with this issue.....

I hardly know where to begin. Maybe we should require a reading/literacy test, like the ones that were used to exclude blacks from voting in the South? I hope that other city residents are reading these comments, since they show the arrogance that some streetcar supporters feel versus their fellow city residents.....

Winburn stated today that his scientific polling showed that 72% did not support this project. If you don't think that Cranley did not poll test this issue when he basically made it the centerpiece of his campaign, you are not dealing with how politicians get elected. Cranley knew that he would win Cinti Republicans, conservative Democrats, and the black community on this issue (and therefore, he would win the election). That is exactly what happened on election day..... Projects this big require coalition/consensus building to make them into a reality. Where was that work done by the last council, especially in the black community? You guys are very close to winning this on a TKO because of the money already spent; but, that is not the way to get a major project done.....

People here keep glossing over the fact the previous referendums might have hindered/killed ALL rail projects in Cinti. That was a major point that was made repeatedly by streetcar supporters in their commercials on. I did not support ballot issues that could impede all rail projects, so I also voted the first issue down. Also, many voters complained that the wording was not clear, especially the first time (Yes/No did not mean exactly what some believed). I strongly feel that a clear yes or no vote on this streetcar project (not ALL rail projects) will allow the issue to be soundly rejected. Cranley, Winburn, and others who have polled residents on the issue know it is clearly unpopular. They are not concerned in the least about a referendum issue that is clearly and narrowly written just to deal with this one project....

If the streetcar goes down, the people you should be blaming are the last council and Mallory. People refuse to deal with the fact that Mr. Cranley would not have the power to kill the project if the polls did not show that the streetcar is unpopular outside of OTR and downtown. The previous mayor and council did not make the case to the neighborhoods, period. Neighborhoods have helped pay for stadiums, Fountain Square update, and the new Washington Park recently. Everyone benefits from these projects (which we should benefit since we all pay taxes). However, my question is, how much is enough for downtown, and when do we start working in the other neighborhoods? I don't think for one second that Westwood would begrudge a development project for Bond Hill. However, when one area (downtown/OTR) starts getting all the most notable development projects, other neighborhoods do start taking notice, and it does become a neighborhood vs. neighborhood issue. We have too much crime/ shootings in this city. The last administration could have at least tried to require every major streetcar contractor to offer construction apprentice opportunities to some of the young men in these troubled neighborhoods while building the streetcar. Such a program probably would have led to more buy in in the neighborhoods, especially the black community. The project should only move forward if the cost to cancel is independently shown to be very close to the cost to complete.....

Civ, I think you will soon find that our new Mayor and new city council see Cinti much more like I do than you....

Mendo, if I cared about someone calling me a name (such as troll or whatever), I should head back to the nursery where they belong. As for straw men, here are some of the other comments made in reply to me: It makes no sense to just do little projects here and there in Westwood or Hyde Park or wherever when the central core is still struggling. You simply can't get the same ROI from a similar investment in other neighborhoods. Which is why this project is much better for Westwood than a similar investment in Hyde Park. The fact is Downtown Cincinnati and OTR are what should be looked at as 'Global Cincinnati.' It is the city's global hub, its global brand, and people ought to start treating it like that and stop pitting it against regional and neighborhood centers like Westwood and Hyde Park. Nobody in the national economy gives a shit about Westwood or Hyde Park; In a nutshell, properties in the core are an order of magnitude more valuable than the sprawling neighborhoods. The streetcar would greatly accelerate bringing these parcels up to their potential value. And by the way this doesn't even factor in vacant parcels. Cinti is much more to me than property values and ROI. It is also about a decent neighborhood for all residents, not just the new hipsters who are investing in property downtown/OTR. I remember what neighborhoods like Westwood were like when I was growing up here, and I am very sad to see what they have become today. I too could have left here years ago, but this is my hometown and I hope it will always be. Cinti is more than a business investment to some of us, and that means all of Cinti, not just downtown.....

Several interesting responses to my prior comments. I just don't share in the dream that some here apparently have of a gleaming downtown surrounded by wasteland and vacant neighborhoods. I want a strong central core, but I want all of Cinti to share in my local and federal tax dollars. The project probably should move forward because of the money already spent, but it would be just fine me if the new leaders decide not to move forward. The best project (which I strongly supported) was the full light rail project covering the whole 71 corridor that was proposed years ago. Sensible light rail projects that really move people around whole city make sense; Streetcars going basically to no where do not....

Everyone keeps talking about what a great ROI this will be for the city. As far as I know, these are theoretical assertions only. Can anyone name 1-2 significant employers (with reference) who are locating to downtown because of the streetcar? What evidence is there that this ROI can only be achieved by this project (OTR seems to be progressing fairly well without it). There have been other major projects recently in that area, such as the redo of Washington Park. How much is enough for OTR/downtown? Will the time ever come when Cinti should start working on its other neglected neighborhoods, of which there are many?

Jack, everyone wants a strong central core. City taxpayers are already paying for stadiums for downtown. We have paid for past expensive projects also (anyone remember the downtown skywalks and other previous projects?). Cinti consists of many neighborhoods, some of which have gone for many years without any major projects like this one. If we spend all our improvement dollars on OTR and downtown, Cinti will cease to be a city also. I, for one, think that 20 smaller projects in various neighborhoods all over make more sense than one huge project that only benefits downtown/OTR. Many of us want to see balance from city hall when it comes to spending, not one area receiving a huge project while other areas never see anything. That little project in Hyde Park might not mean anything to you, but it means a lot to those residents and property owners in that neighborhood.... The sad thing here is that (as someone who is very liberal) I probably agree with the pro-streetcar crowd about 99% of the time on all issues....

Well, I can assure you that I am not Mr. Cranley (nor have I ever met him). I am very concerned with the future of this city, having lived here for the 50 years I have been alive, so I do have an interest in what happens here. As for having years to acquaint myself with this project, that is part of the problem. If the project was a clear winner for Cinti, it would already enjoy majority support. Most people I talk to who don't reside on the line and are therefore not directly benefitting do not understand the need for a project that cannot clearly sustain itself. Fortunately, PG is someone who I respect, so I will listen closely to his input on how to proceed. Just throwing rocks at residents who are on either side of this issue will surely lead to the failure of the project. Is this site just for supporters to rally each other, or are others welcome to share their views on the project?