PG Sittenfeld Fundraising for US Senate

 

---

 

That was quick.

 

Columbus media is already hyping up a Stittenfeld vs. Strickland showdown for the nomination.

Smitherman takes next step toward county commission run

 

Cincinnati City Councilman Christopher Smitherman, until now an independent, has pulled petitions for a run for the Hamilton County commission as a Republican, he announced in a tweet on Tuesday.

So does this mean Charlie Winburn, who has pulled petitions to run for county recorder against Democrat Wayne Coates, won't be asked to run?

 

​Winburn: I’ll run for county commissioner if asked

 

Cincinnati City Councilman Charlie Winburn said Monday he will run for Hamilton County commissioner if asked and could use $500,000 in campaign contribution pledges for a different county office he planned to seek for the campaign.

 

“I’m willing to serve wherever the citizens would like,” Winburn, a Republican, said in an interview. “If I’m asked to serve as a county recorder or county commissioner, I will serve.

Cincinnati City Councilman Charlie Winburn is considering a run for Hamilton County Commissioner.

 

“I’ve always had a dream of running for county commission. I was told to wait for my turn, and I did that. I’m a team player.”

 

​Cont

And Amy Murray said she may run for the position but wants to think about it over the Thanksgiving holiday.

So, should we be hoping that Smitherman does or does not run for County Commissioner?  As much as I'd like to see him off of city council...

I think he could do more harm as one of 3 county commissioners than one of 9 council members.

He'd lose to Driehaus

^That's what you said about Cranley and Qualls.

I think he could do more harm as one of 3 county commissioners than one of 9 council members.

 

I think Smitherman could do very little harm on County Commission. The current commissioners accomplish nothing and Smitherman would not change that. Just look at his record on city council -- what has he done other than voting against everything?

^also, the county commissioners are already anti-city. Smitherman wouldn't change that.

Amy Murray: I won't run for commissioner

 

Republican Cincinnati City Councilwoman Amy Murray said she won't run for Hamilton County Commissioner, a job she considered over the weekend after Republican Commissioner Greg Hartmann announced he would not run for re-election in 2016.

Also, The Enquirer put this together: Cincinnati City Council 2 years in: Would you re-elect them?

I think he could do more harm as one of 3 county commissioners than one of 9 council members.

 

I think Smitherman could do very little harm on County Commission. The current commissioners accomplish nothing and Smitherman would not change that. Just look at his record on city council -- what has he done other than voting against everything?

 

Sooo.... Vote Smitherman then?

I can't believe people are suggesting we vote Smitherman over Denise Driehaus for County Commissioner.

 

There is so much room for the county to improve cooperation with the city, elect responsible members to SORTA's board, improve regional transportation, etc. This isn't some office that has no impact on our lives. Please don't vote for Smitherman for County Commissioner.

The Cranley-Seelbach feud will never end. Here is a video clip of John attacking Chris' ability to read English.

 

^John really is the king of dickish jokes that fall flat at Council meetings.  He'll do it to anyone, including regular folks who just want to present their two minutes of public comment.  I don't think he can help himself.  It's really quite amazing.

King of dicks remains the king of ... being a dick.

In the paper today Winburn is quoted:

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2016/06/06/city-may-overhaul-tax-incentives-new-report/85514902/

 

...“When I was elected (to council) in 1993, no one was able to pull this together and we had always asked for it.”

 

Has he really been on council since 1993????  Such dead weight

 

Well, sort of... He was on for 8 years starting in 93, then came back in 2009.  He is termed out this next election. 

 

 

Council member mulled lawsuit against Cranley, leading to questions about a potential big downtown project

Jun 21, 2016, 6:57am EDT

Chris Wetterich

Staff reporter and columnist

Cincinnati Business Courier

 

Mayor John Cranley stormed onto the floor of City Council Chambers Monday afternoon to confront Councilman Kevin Flynn after Flynn said the mayor tried to kill one of his ordinances before it had a council hearing.

 

Their contentious argument over an obscure parliamentary procedure and a technical public finance issue may have shined a light on a potential big deal in the works involving the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/06/21/council-member-mulled-lawsuit-against-cranley.html

^This is an interesting story in that Flynn seems to be more Cranley than Cranley regarding the Streetcar in this case.  Refinancing the revenue-specific bonds into general obligation bonds is a (very technical) increase of the burden of the Streetcar.  It's also clearly the right thing to do, because the TIF bonds give the administration more flexibility.  Sort of amusing.

^This is an interesting story in that Flynn seems to be more Cranley than Cranley regarding the Streetcar in this case.  Refinancing the revenue-specific bonds into general obligation bonds is a (very technical) increase of the burden of the Streetcar.  It's also clearly the right thing to do, because the TIF bonds give the administration more flexibility.  Sort of amusing.

 

Yeah, the administration is clearly making the right move by refinancing these bonds using general fund debt instead of TIF district debt, for a variety of reasons. It's just extremely funny to me that Cranley, who ran on a promise of "stop investing in downtown and OTR / start investing in the neighborhoods" is making this move so that we use the TIF money to literally invest more in downtown/OTR.

People are missing that Cranley was the mastermind of the TIF funds back around 2003, when he was on council.  At that early date he was already scheming for ways to reward cronies with "free" TIF funds.  The streetcar pissed him off because it gobbled up TIF funds that he could have used to buy votes. 

Also, this is the first time we've seen Flynn pull off something pretty shrewd.  Cranley spouting off that stuff about speculative projects means nothing.  He could be just saying that stuff to distract or intimidate developers he has no contact with who are contemplating downtown projects. 

Ha, developers in a particular city are usually friends with each other since they don't look at each other as competitors too much. They like to get close so they can talk about construction companies, government incentives, properties coming up for sale etc. If they're leaving Cranley out that means they really don't dig him as a mayor or fellow developer.

Ha, developers in a particular city are usually friends with each other since they don't look at each other as competitors too much. They like to get close so they can talk about construction companies, government incentives, properties coming up for sale etc. If they're leaving Cranley out that means they really don't dig him as a mayor or fellow developer.

 

Well if you piss off Cranley that means you're doing something right. 

 

His "development" up in Price Hill is pathetic.  The only reason the Incline Public House has a crowd is because there is literally nothing else whatsoever that appeals to middle class whites in Price Hill.  The condos are just 10 feet from a giant radio tower. 

Flynn resigns from Dem seat, cryptic note prompts speculation

 

In an unusual move, Cincinnati City Councilman Kevin Flynn abruptly resigned from his leadership seat with the local Democratic Party on Tuesday.

 

Flynn quit his position as a precinct executive, a role that shapes party ideas and endorses candidates. It has nothing to do with his council seat, but the move comes one day after a public disagreement with Democratic Mayor John Cranley over streetcar spending.

 

Flynn's brief resignation letter to Hamilton County Democratic Party Chairman Tim Burke is cryptic.

 

"For personal reasons and due to recent events, I apologize but I must resign my position as precinct executive," Flynn wrote in the letter, obtained by The Enquirer.

 

Cont

Also, this is the first time we've seen Flynn pull off something pretty shrewd.  Cranley spouting off that stuff about speculative projects means nothing.  He could be just saying that stuff to distract or intimidate developers he has no contact with who are contemplating downtown projects.

 

Can you explain what was shrewd about it?  I thought he lost that point.  Honestly curious about what you're saying.

Also, this is the first time we've seen Flynn pull off something pretty shrewd.  Cranley spouting off that stuff about speculative projects means nothing.  He could be just saying that stuff to distract or intimidate developers he has no contact with who are contemplating downtown projects.

 

Can you explain what was shrewd about it?  I thought he lost that point.  Honestly curious about what you're saying.

 

 

Well I thought Flynn didn't have a voice when he was capitulating to Cranley or other established voices.  At some point I think he got so sick of how ridiculous it all was (mostly the Cranleys and the Smithermans and the dummkopfs in the local media) that he took a step back from the relationships he formed with people he was skeptical of who he now knows he is certain he doesn't like.  I think if he goes forward as himself that he could possibly win reelection even without any D or Charter endorsement. 

Charlie Winburn had contact with Sam Malone on dates that coincide with his ridiculous consulting contract with the MSD:

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2016/06/30/winburn-got-call-msd-paid-friend/86563682/

Council to discuss city manager's future

 

Cincinnati City Council will meet Wednesday to talk about the future of City Manager Harry Black.

 

Councilmen Wendell Young and Charlie Winburn called for the special meeting Tuesday. A press release from the council clerk's office said the purpose was to discuss "the status of the city manager."

 

Young, a Democrat, said he supports Black and wants to address rumors about his job security, including one that suggests Mayor John Cranley plans to fire the city manager, either now or if he wins re-election next year.

 

Cont

Derek Bauman[/member] is officially in the race for City Council in 2017!

Will all nine council seats go to Democrats?  In 2013, Amy Murray barely made it on. 

 

http://www.wcpo.com/news/insider/will-cincys-city-council-be-swept-by-democrats-this-fall-it-happened-in-columbus-and-cleveland

 

Here were the results from 2013:

P.G. Sittenfeld - 37,456

Charlie Winburn - 27,373

David Mann - 26,421

Yvette Simpson - 25,437

Chris Seelbach - 23,724

Christopher Smitherman - 23,585

Wendell Young - 22,589

Kevin Flynn - 22,038

Amy Murray - 21,960

 

Laure Quinliven lost by 800 votes. 

 

 

 

Smitherman will win, so it won't be nine democrats. I also think Amy Murray will win. The Democratic Party will endorse (god, please only) nine candidates. IMO, those are

 

Democrats running for reelection:

PG Sittenfeld

David Mann

Chris Seelbach

Wendell Young

 

Democrats previously endorsed, running again:

Laure Quinlivan

Michelle Dillingham

Greg Landsman

 

Newcomers who stand a chance at the endorsement (2 endorsements remain):

Derek Bauman

Tamaya Denard

Ozie Davis III

The only people who will for sure be reelected are Mann and Sittenfeld. 

 

These council races are so chaotic that the bottom 3-4 only get 100-2,000 more votes than the next 3-4.  Four years have passed, not two, so there's much more movement of demographics and sentiment than the previous 2-year gaps.

 

Looking back, if Flynn hadn't run last time, Quinlivan would have remained on council, and we would have avoided at least half of Cranley's drama.  We expected full-turd from Smitherman and Winburn, but without the wishy-washy half-allegiance of Flynn, Cranley couldn't have pulled as much crap. 

 

 

 

The mayoral primary could change the council race substantially. If Yvette and/or Richardson don't make it out of the primary, I imagine they would run for council. Simpson would be a shoo-in for a seat. If Winburn runs and makes it to the general election, some of the lesser known Republicans would get a bit of a boost.  If the mayoral election is Simpson vs. Cranley, that would in effect free up a seat that would otherwise be almost certainly filled by an incumbent.

I image that Cranley is working full-time to keep Winburn out of the race.  If Charlie formalizes his run, Cranley is toast in the primary. Hell, maybe he'll run for council!!!

^ He probably thinks he's above council. Can you imagine him and Simpson effectively switching roles? I don't think his ego would be able to handle it.

^ He probably thinks he's above council. Can you imagine him and Simpson effectively switching roles? I don't think his ego would be able to handle it.

 

Of course not!  He hated being on council because he's such a big deal. 

I think Jeff Pastor has a chance of being elected, too. I think 2017 will safely be 6 Democrats. Which will give them the ability to override a mayoral veto if David Mann plays along.

There's a Charterite or two out there yet.

More details on Winburn's mystery boxes:

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2017/01/25/winburn-boxes-prompt-state-investigation/97035358/

The mayoral primary could change the council race substantially. If Yvette and/or Richardson don't make it out of the primary, I imagine they would run for council. Simpson would be a shoo-in for a seat. If Winburn runs and makes it to the general election, some of the lesser known Republicans would get a bit of a boost.  If the mayoral election is Simpson vs. Cranley, that would in effect free up a seat that would otherwise be almost certainly filled by an incumbent.

 

This concept has been bugging me. I've heard different things from different people as to whether a primary loser could then run for council. Recently, someone I trust told me point blank that such a candidate would definitively be ineligible to run for council. I just checked the charter, which states:

 

An eligible person who has accepted a nomination for mayor as provided in Article IX, Section 4 shall not be eligible for election to the office of member of council that year.

 

Any person eligible to the office of member of the council or the office of mayor may be placed in nomination therefor only by a petition filed in such person's behalf with the election authorities and signed by not less than 500 nor more than 1000 electors.

 

It looks like allowing your name to be on the mayoral primary ballot would constitute having "accepted the nomination for mayor" and therefore that person would not be eligible to run for council the same year. If someone has a different interpretation, please let it be known!

^ Doesn't "accepting a nomination" mean you've won the primary for your party?

^ Doesn't "accepting a nomination" mean you've won the primary for your party?

 

Sure, in a partisan primary. But the wording of the charter leads me to believe that the "nomination" is the filing of the petition to get on the ballot, and thus "accepting the nomination" would essentially be allowing your name to be on the ballot.

In the past this hasn't been an issue since the mayoral primary was (for 2013) September 10 and the deadline to file for council was August 22. I wasn't aware there was any language to prevent this, but apparently there is. I wonder if you drop out if you are no longer accepting the nomination? May have to go to court if the loser of the primary wants to run for council.

Everyone in the know that I've talked to seems convinced that if you run in the mayoral primary and don't win, you are not eligible to enter the council race.

Several candidates marched in the Northside 4th of July Parade.  I got there at least a half hour after it started so I imagine that I missed a few.  Also, I didn't know what a few of these candidates looked like so I didn't know who to photograph. 

 

A PG Sittenfeld sighting:

 

Jim Tarbell:

 

Derek Baumann:

 

Henry Frondorf:

 

Sealbach:

 

 

Amy Murray:

 

 

Ozzie Davis:

 

 

Lesley Jones:

 

Jeff Pastor:

 

 

Michelle Dillingham:

 

 

Brian Garry:

 

 

Wendell Young:

 

Tamaya Somebody:

 

Who is this Foggie character?

 

Rodney Harris:

 

 

Cristina Burcica:

 

Seth Maney:

 

 

 

The nice thing about living in the burbs is that there were no politicians messing up the parades this year.  The only one I saw was Portman, which was kinda cool since it is cool to meet a sitting US Senator, and he is not running for re-election for another 5 years.

I think that all of these candidates for council are Democrats with the exception of Amy Murray, who is at risk of not winning reelection.  She narrowly beat Laurie Quinlivan for the #9 slot back in 2013.  If Laurie had won that fake Democrat John Cranley would have had almost no power.