10albersa

Can we shout out Clark County for voting Yes (albeit barely) on both issues last night? That was one of my biggest surprises. It certainly could just be that turnout was really low since Trump wasn't on the ballot, but it's really nice see a legacy blue collar area vote for Democratic policies.

Even without the gerrymandering initiative, the yes votes on issue 2 were widespread. Plenty of rural counties voted yes on 2 today, so even gerrymandered legislators would be ignoring their voters https://decisiondeskhq.com/ohio-election-results-statewide-ballot-issues-and-more/

DOTE released a few recommendations to ODOT on BSB: 1. Build a deck on Ezzard Charles at I-75 that can support up to 3-story buildings. This is huge news if adopted. Likely signals where the City wants to expand the streetcar. 2. Add a road on the east side of I-75 from 5th to 9th st. This was probably always where we were going to land as a middle ground between BridgeForward and ODOT. 3. Make Gest/8th/9th an intersection. Seems like this will be chaos, that intersection looks really busy. https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/dote/news/city-shares-recommendations-for-brent-spence-bridge-corridor-in-cincinnati/

1. Completing this piece highlights how critical it is that we build out the rest of the Mill Creek Greenway, so that this can connect to Northside and further north. For now, it's still a trail that will connect two parks, but still dead-end into the railyard. 2. The Great Miami trail getting built out is huge for the under-invested western half of Hamilton and Butler Counties. It obviously needs to connect into the Mill Creek Greenway or follow all the way down to the Ohio River, but there's potential to make this trail like the Little Miami and start to build tourism off of it.

Well sure it is, but the Ohio house/senate are gerrymandered so that you can afford to make moves like this without risking your seat. So that's not a good reason.

He said 'widespread' and 'pervasive' not 'acute' and 'rare'

I completely agree. She's the only Republican I've seen that I'd actually support if the Democrats ran a buffoon against her (locally or nationally). Since 2016, I've only voted straight ticket Democrat, but she is that reasonable. She absolutely would be competitive in the mayor race when Aftab is termed out, but the easier path to a win will be Hamilton County commission, against anyone but Driehaus.

On one of the more recent "Above the Fold" podcast episodes they had the manager of the Hard Rock Cincinnati on to talk about the casino. He mentioned that it's still on, but Hard Rock Corporate has a couple of other hotels ahead of us that are on their priority list before we get our turn. I imagine we're 5 years out.

Smitherman again maybe? Keating would lose if she runs as an R against a popular incumbent. It would have to be a democrat or independent that tacks dead center.

Given how popular the city administration has been this term, he's also likely popular by association. And he's charismatic. He won't have a strong challenger from the Democratic party. They wouldn't want to eat their own, especially one with a "rising star" label on him.

Completely agree. It's sandwiched between some big roads and warehouses, but it is a really neat park. Great for a quiet walk.

Good to hear that this is still on the menu at least. I figured they'd abandon that segment all together given the length of bridge necessary. It would have to be one of the longest and tallest (non river-crossing) bike trail bridges anywhere in the US. Combined with the one through Ault Park and you're basically on a bridge for a 1/3 mile and you're way above the creek.

This has been the most competent, least complacent city council since I've lived in Cincinnati. That's why there's few candidates. They're at least trying to address priorities of the voters, rather than towing the Cranley line. There's only one vulnerable person on council and it's the guy who wasn't elected to it in the first place.

I'd appreciate if they'd move the Police HQ, but obviously there isn't public money to do that (and there are other Police Dispatches that need improvements). If they pay to move them, that's a win. Tearing down the high school though, that's not going to happen. They already built them a stadium, the optics of tearing down a high school and just shuffling the students to other random schools is not going to happen. It just won't.

It will depend on if they win the tax credits in round 31 of the historic tax credit awards. They have to start work before 5yrs after winning the credits to hold onto them, so it still could be 2-4 years before they start. My money would be on them starting after Macy's is done.

do we know this for a fact? Are the shelters full? Is there an outreach problem and they don't know what's available to them? It's Clifton, so there certainly could be a blind spot in outreach compared to downtown.

They have veto power over specific developments at The Banks (of which Heritage Bank arena is a part). Even if there's nothing explicitly mentioned, I'm sure the Bengals' would use a potential re-allocation of funds to Heritage Bank as ammo in lease negotiations. They'd veto it because there's only so much of that tax money to go around, and if Heritage Bank is getting a refurb it would be a huge project, and that means less money for their improvement projects.

Developers want rent-control outlawed, so they went to the place where they know they can get this done: SCOTUS, the beloved activist court we were all warned about when Obama was president. It isn't unconstitutional YET, but it will be soon. https://www.nahb.org/blog/2023/06/rent-control

Yeah probably, I imagine the Bengals and Reds would veto any use of the stadium tax for US Bank refurbs as well. I know that means we miss out on conventions and NCAA tournament games, but I'm so tired of FCC just getting whatever they want. The stadium would be easily the worst use of that land. Model creates a bit of an OTR spillover design, which is great since 12th is a major OTR street. A stadium just cements that Central Pkwy (regardless of redesign) remains a wall to the West End that pedestrians aren't invited to cross.

I know we're all scarred and cynical, but I don't think it'll be the arena. Council is less susceptible to the Berding posse than the previous council and mayor. The chamber and Berding keep pushing that we NEED an arena, if that's true, there's plenty of other places they could put it (especially with the BSB land that was reclaimed.) It doesn't need to be in a prime location, especially if it won't have a full-time tenant. There's an emphasis on housing need in the council, they'll choose Hines or Model. I like the look of Model better, but either one of those is a win.

Honestly, this is a good thing. I was certain (given the Gerrymander wasn't effective enough in 2022) that they would make it worse since they have a chance. The future of Ohio democracy resides in this 2024 Amendment. We can't continue to have one party rule legislatively.

Isn't 4 basically what we have now, but with trees and cleaner bike lanes? I'm good with 1 or 2. I have little interest in 3. And they might as well pocket the cash, and not build this, if they're going with option 4. Also, what's the rush on getting the 2026 MLS All Star game? Why not put a bid in for 2027 instead? This all seems like FC using the exact same tactic it did with the stadium build and creating panic and using it as leverage to get what they want. That Jeff Stine quote is not what I want to hear.

15 minutes in on this video: https://bit.ly/47RPaDf Here's the (not) Twitter link: https://nitter.net/ccc_jeffreys/status/1696209959959048392#m

Yeah if inclusion is the issue, 3CDC has been the best property manager at finding minority-owned businesses for their storefronts.

The point is to educate, and education is less effective when students are uncomfortable and distracted with that discomfort. This is the same reason that free school breakfast and lunch is important. Students can't learn as effectively if they're sweaty and hungry.