Rabbit Hash

If given the choice between being in the rail cult or the anti-growth/stupidity cult, I choose rail.

I live in Centerville, about 40 miles north of the streetcar line. I have also lived in Montgomery and Mount Washington. I own zero property and zero businesses anywhere near the line. And I am 110 percent behind the Cincinnati streetcar. I couldn't be more disappointed in the path that the city is embarking upon. Honestly, my enthusiasm for Cincinnati - and that means everywhere: suburbs, city, downtown, Kenwood, everywhere - is waning. I used to come down at least twice a week for a variety of things. I haven't been once since Nov. 5. Thank you for capturing my thoughts. As an outsider, I am a huge consumer of core Cincinnati. Mainly it's parks, restaurants and special events. Watching Cranley's maneuvers on this issue is really bringing out my vindictiveness. The only vote I had before the election was to visit OTR and DT, spend money and expose my children to the city. The only vote after is to chose something else. Cranleyville won't have the same appeal. He hates Cincinnati. So why should I care anymore? /rant

TROLLINCITI is more like it. I wouldn't waste your time engaging.

Fake: After the lambasting that circus act Cunningham laid on PG yesterday, I wonder if he will invite Flip-flopping Flynn on to do the same? And wasn't Winburn wavering?

^From the sounds of it, his council majority is starting to budge.

Cranley's house of cards is beginning to fall.

nati: the other thing I was thinking too is that with each new ordinance the clock would be reset on the 30 days. Or am I wrongly assuming that they would have to be chronologically passed?

In Wetterich's article he writes, "But Ian James, an organizer of statewide campaigns, warned of one potential Achilles heel in any referendum - the new council could pass multiple ordinances canceling the streetcar with language that varies slightly, making it difficult to gather signatures. It's something supporters have to be ready for, he said." What are your thoughts on this? How would this play out?

I'm glad I set my expectation low, way to go PG! Sorry for the multiple posts but I need somebody to relieve my disbelief here. Does this mean PG is pro-streetcar now?

Wow. Even as the tide begins to build against him, he entrenches.

Yep. Glad to see Jake on the report.

Put the project on hold and the federal funding goes away. I don't think that is a complicated scenario to understand. If it is too complicated, then perhaps they should rethink their ability to oversee the basics of running a major city. That's the thing. It seems they are trying to align their abilities by demoting Cincinnati from "major city" status.

True, but the quality and cleanliness of Frisch's has also plummetted in the last 20 years. Listen, I've never gotten a fish sandwich that good in a hospital. Believe it or not there was a Roy Rogers DT at one time too! Back OT: Should Sherman include the proposed W&S tower on the spinning time/temp sign site?

Speaking of this, I know the McAlpin's Buildings became condos(?) a while back. How are those? Separately, the West Fourth area seems to languish. With all of the hotel rooms sprouting on 4th it sure would be nice to see that block regain some life in the form of tourist friendly restaurants, etc.

No where in the neighborhood of being an expert on this. It still doesn't look like $70 million worth of upgrades to me.

Am I right to say that 4th has really suffered form the age of the building stock? Repurposing these buildings from office to res is thrilling. The commercial merchants that have survived should be jumping. As I think if it, in 2016, will there be a more diverse/complete street than 4th? It will have everything!

My best guess on Burger King was that it went away with the 5th and Race demo years back. Wasn't there one there along with an Arby's. Frisch's on 4th is a throwback too.

The part when he has the convo with the guitar in Yankee Rose is rock n roll gold.

Wouldn't a drain just look like a drain? Seeing that just makes me feel that there is some unseen, nameless force behind all of the headwinds this project has seen and will see. Maybe it's all of the conspiracy talk with the Kennedy anniversary that's got me in a weird frame of mind. And I apologize for waxing philosophical on page 9999... But what makes Duke cook up (given the pic above) something so far-fetched and contrived? What's in it for groups that oppose it so fervently? Is the streetcar that big a threat to solvency? Or something else? I heard someone once say "follow the money". Wonder if that applies here? And how.

And don't discount the suburban support for this. We're out here.

I'm sorry. This sounds like a ridiculous generalization. The part about Laure wasn't a generalization, as I mentioned her specifically. My opinion about her and campaigning was based on my experiences with her; I can't remember if she outright said to me that she disliked it, but that was certainly how I took it. While I understood the sentiment, I found it surprising, as I thought she was pretty good at it and I generally like doing things I'm good at. The part about the liberal politicians was certainly a generalization, but given Qualls' & Mallory's performance in getting the streetcar to be more popular after nearly 4 years, I stand by it. Same thing with the conservative politicians. Cranley's statements that we can just shift the streetcar funding always were obvious bullshit. Every argument marshalled against the streetcar can be used with equal validity against the MLK interchange. If you don't demonstrate any intellectual integrity with your constituents, then you clearly don't have any respect for them, and consequently I argue you demonstrate you think they are beneath you. Ridiculous? Well, everyone is entitled to their opinion; only some bother to explain why they hold them. On second/third reading, I think I agree with you. Retracting. Thanks for the explanation.

Mann is on DuyaElDubya. I'd tell you what he was saying but I'm too distracted by the sounds of him trying to lick his elbow.

I'm sorry. This sounds like a ridiculous generalization.

Scary, but I agree. And since he hasn't commented on it publicly (to my knowledge), we have no idea of this project's fate either. I'm sure he would claim to have better ways to spend city money than by subsidizing a new tower and a grocery store. A statue of himself? A bike path through Queensgate?

Not Cincinnati, the State of Ohio: codes.ohio.gov/orc/705.92 "705.92 Procedure for removal of elective officer by recall. Any elective officer of a municipal corporation may be removed from office by the qualified voters of such municipal corporation. The procedure to effect such removal shall be: (A) A petition signed by qualified electors equal in number to at least fifteen per cent of the total votes cast at the most recent regular municipal election, and demanding the election of a successor to the person sought to be removed, shall be filed with the board of elections. Such petition shall contain a general statement in not more than two hundred words of the grounds upon which the removal of such person is sought. The form, sufficiency, and regularity of any such petition shall be determined as provided in the general election laws." Given the dismal turnout on 11/05, signatures totaling 15% of the votes cast should be attainable. So wouldn't that be the most attainable of the sig gathering ventures?