John Schneider

For Immediate Release November 7, 2011 Cincinnatians for Progress today re-filed an action with the Ohio Elections Commission, charging COAST and Mark Miller (who sends out Twitter posts on behalf of COAST) with knowingly making false statements to affect the outcome of the Issue 48 election vote. The filing cites 20 instances in which Miller, on behalf of COAST, stated that Cincinnati firehouse brownouts resulted from the city's streetcar project. COAST's tweets urge voters to support the anti-rail charter amendment based on these repeated false statements. Knowingly making false statements to influence the outcome of an issues election violates Ohio Revised Code section 3517.22, an offense punishable by six months in prison and a $5,000 fine. Cincinnatians for Progress is leading the effort to defeat Issue 48, which would prohibit the city from investing in rail transit until 2021. We are pursuing this case because we believe COAST and its leaders must be held accountable for their misleading tactics.

A motor bus that is decorated to look like a streetcar from the 1910 era is sometimes called a "trolley." This is what Winburn and others want to initiate instead of a streetcar on rails. Louisville has one of these that is marketed as a "trolley." ... and probably costs about $6.00 for each person who sets foot on it. Got to http://www.protransit.com/FAQs/ and scroll down to "Is Charlie Winburn right .... "

^ I still have a standing offer to bet that we'll hit 1,000 by the time the streetcar starts carrying revenue passengers. Say $100. Any takers?

^ I doubt we'll ever be hearing from Stephan Louis again.

LOCAL BRANCH CONFLICTS WITH NAACP PRO-RAIL POLICY Today, Cincinnatians for Progress began running a radio spot featuring former Cincinnati NAACP president Dr. Milton Hinton urging voters to reject Issue 48 and embrace the pro-rail position of the national organization. In the spot, running on WMJO-FM, WIZF-FM and WDBZ-AM, Dr. Hinton notes that the national organization has “called on members and local branches to support – and I quote – 'passenger rail options, including streetcars, light rail and high speed intercity passenger rail services.' ” Dr. Hinton, who served three terms as president of the Cincinnati NAACP chapter, recorded the radio ad because the position of the national NAACP has been overlooked and misunderstood in the Issue 48 debate. The Cincinnati Chapter of the NAACP has ignored the national policy, in place since 2009, and supports Issue 48. CINCINNATI HERALD ENDORSES NO ON ISSUE 48 Also on Friday, The Cincinnati Herald today urged its readers to vote “NO” on Issue 48, saying the anti-rail charter amendment would hurt the city's prospects for growth. “"We could lose jobs, and opportunities to develop our city,” the newspaper said in its ballot guide. The award-winning newspaper serving the African-American community also endorsed pro-rail City Council candidates Kevin Flynn, Jason Riveiro, Yvette Simpson, P.G. Sittenfeld, Cecil Thomas and Wendell Young. Cincinnatians for Progress thanks both Dr. Hinton and The Cincinnati Herald for supporting rail options that benefit every part of the city through economic development, new jobs and more resources for city services.

THESE CANDIDATES SUPPORT THE CINCINNATI STREETCAR: Wendell Young Kevin Flynn Chris Seelbach Yvette Simpson Laure Quinlivan Cecil Thomas Roxanne Qualls Nicholas Hollan Jason Riveiro Kathy Atkinson THESE CANDIDATES OPPOSE THE CINCINNATI STREETCAR: Wayne Lippert Amy Murray Mike Allen Chris Smitherman Leslie Ghiz Charlie Winburn Catherine Smith Mills Particia McCollum

THESE CANDIDATES SUPPORT THE CINCINNATI STREETCAR: Wendell Young Kevin Flynn Chris Seelbach Yvette Simpson Laure Quinlivan Cecil Thomas Roxanne Qualls Nicholas Hollan Jason Riveiro Kathy Atkinson THESE CANDIDATES OPPOSE THE CINCINNATI STREETCAR: Wayne Lippert Amy Murray Mike Allen Chris Smitherman Leslie Ghiz Charlie Winburn Catherine Smith Mills Particia McCollum

For now.

So, Chris Finney has now gone to U.S. District Court in Cincinnati to sue the State of Ohio to have Ohio's law against making false statements to affect the outcome of an election declared unconstitutional. We were set for a Probable Cause hearing tomorrow where we would have almost certainly prevailed. This is kind of taking on a life of its own.

^ Excellent post.

You're right except it may have been Voinovich. Transit Center was designed for peak bus and train use.

^ Elected, but not appointed, officials can do that. For some reason, the Dems keep nominating him and we keep electing him.

Close. Earl Blumenauer, Portland's congressman, will be here all day Tuesday.

From today's Enquirer: "They're at it again. The folks who brought us Issue 9 in 2009, that weasel-worded, yes-means-no proposition meant to befuddle voters into killing the Cincinnati streetcar, have reprised their antics with Issue 48. And as with that 2009 issue, we vigorously oppose Issue 48 and urge voters to reject it." http://goo.gl/FSTL2 Perhaps just as important, the Enquirer endorses seven streetcar supporters for the nine seats, though regrettably, a couple of our most loyal supporters didn't get the endorsement. http://goo.gl/8vPZj

^ That is the correct way to look at it.

The evidence is overwhelming, and they were still doing this within the last hour from what I hear. [edited to remove phone numbers]

Sounds like Stephan Louis totally lost it during the Channel 12 taping of Newsmakers today. It airs at 11:00a on Sunday.

Also, Dawson debates Louis, I guess -- can't imagine they are still putting him out there after his performance at the Aronoff last week -- on Channel 12 Newsmakers at 11:00a Sunday.

They are going to have a bad day tomorrow.

Got the note below from Cincinnatians for Progress, which group has taken more than a few shots from this page of UrbanOhio during this and the 2009 campaign. But with a couple of exceptions, I'm unaware that anyone who often posts here has been helping in the campaign much, either in the form of contributing or volunteering. Most everyone here seems content simply to act as armchair observers and commenters. Want to have rail here soon? Or not for a long time? So do your part and pitch-in over the next ten days. Then it's over, one way or another. [CFP email follows] All, We are at critical mass in terms of "Get Out The Vote" efforts and need your help. Wednesday and Thursday we are conducting phone banking from 5:30-7:30 pm at our Main St (1420 Main St. 45202) office. Canvassing is also important to motivate our base and get the facts out to voters that may be undecided!! We will meet at CSC offices (2135 Dana Ave, 45207...Suite 240) this Saturday & Sunday from 11 am - 3 pm to distribute lists and coordinate these efforts. Please contact me to confirm the time you are able to assist with spreading the "Hate on 48." Harsh but necessary language!!! Warm regards, Jenell N. Hubbard Cincinnatians For Progress [email protected] (m) 513.203.9092

Or work the polls on election day. It can make a huge difference. For example, the CBD had two polling places in 2009. We staffed the one at the Library intensely, the one at Christ Church not at all. Result: the "No" votes at the library were ten points higher than the "No" votes at Christ Church. It's good to be the last person someone talks to before they vote.

I'll be glad when this is over. And it will be over on November 8th. I'll see you in Arnold's Courtyard that night. We'll have a lot to celebrate.

Can't -- canvassing door-to-door in Madisonville against Issue 48.

Don't apologize here. Apologize to Carolyn Washburn. We need to build relationships, not burn bridges. That's what COAST does.