Twitter can only make you look bad.  So don't be on twitter. 

Councilwoman Tamaya Dennard tweeted an explanation of why she voted against two OTR tax abatements that were recently brought in front of City Council. (I assume they still passed, but don't know that for sure.) While I disagree with this particular vote, I think this goes to show that Tamaya is one of the more level headed people on council and one of the few who's willing to meaningfully engage with her constituents online.

 

The reason I disagree is that the current tax abatement policy essentially states that anyone in the city who makes improvements to their property is eligible to receive the tax abatement:

 

When you build a new home or invest in renovations, your property taxes can go up. The City of Cincinnati’s Residential Property Tax Abatement makes it possible for property owners to minimize the taxes they pay. The Abatement allows owners to pay taxes on the pre-improvement value of their property for 10-15 years. Property tax abatement is available for any increased valuation that results from improvements to the property for new construction and renovation.

The program aims:

 

Stimulate Community Revitalization

Retain City Residents

Attract Homeowners

Reduce Development Costs for Homeownership and Rental Projects

 

Tax abatement benefits stay with the property the entire length of the abatement and transfer to any new property owner within the approved time period.

 

While Tamaya is correct that no one "is entitled" to a tax abatement, the current policy doesn't lay out any specific reason why you are not eligible for one. Therefore I don't think it's fair to pick and choose which projects don't deserve it. (OTR? They're doing well enough. No tax abatement for you!)

 

What would make way more sense is a comprehensive policy like what Columbus has adopted laying out very specific criteria for which projects are/aren't eligible for a tax abatement. If Cincinnati were to say, "projects in Downtown and OTR are only eligible for a tax abatement if they ____," we would have clear criteria and it wouldn't be up to council to judge each project individually.

Councilman proposes new measure to limit campaign contributions to Cincinnati officials

 

Donors to Cincinnati political campaigns would be limited to $1,100 per election cycle under an amendment to the city charter that could make it onto a ballot sometime this year.

 

Councilman Chris Seelbach said he plans to unveil the amendment with the goal of making it to the Nov. 6 ballot.

 

The current limit technically is $1,100 per cycle with a primary and general election being separate cycles, but donors and politicians have skirted the limits by donating from separate limited liability companies, a practice deemed legal by the Cincinnati Elections Commission.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/03/01/councilman-proposes-new-measure-to-limit-campaign.html

This is all about how he does not like Cranley.

Even Cranley said he agrees with this idea. Right now people can donate unlimited money to any candidate by starting multiple LLCs. So even though it's capped at $1,100, it's actually unlimited.

 

Also, this law would not affect Cranley at all. He has already run for mayor the maximum number of consecutive times he's allowed...

I don't really understand the controversy with what Wendell Young said at the council meeting that the Plush family stormed out of.

 

He basically said that different bodies would try to make it right as best they can, but no amount of money or blame can fix what happened. Seems pretty simple to me.

 

The family obviously took that as him accusing the family of seeking large amounts of money from the city/police/etc, but I don't think he was saying that at all. I can't imagine being in their situation, but I really think this was a misunderstanding.

I don't really understand the controversy with what Wendell Young said at the council meeting that the Plush family stormed out of.

 

He basically said that different bodies would try to make it right as best they can, but no amount of money or blame can fix what happened. Seems pretty simple to me.

 

The family obviously took that as him accusing the family of seeking large amounts of money from the city/police/etc, but I don't think he was saying that at all. I can't imagine being in their situation, but I really think this was a misunderstanding.

 

They didn't even show the actual comment on Columbus news, just Cranley and Young arguing then Young apologizing for what he said to the family members.

Young completely embarrassed himself, and the city. The portion of his comment I found to be the dumbest was his statement that the events were a perfect storm and that there was no way the boy could have been saved. That's ridiculous - if the city had marginally better communication practices, computer/phone equipment, and oversight, and the boy would still be alive today. He was really downplaying the situation. IMO there is going to be an ongoing debate about eliminating the city's Emergency Communications Center and that was obviously on Young's mind. The seemingly growing consensus is that the city seems somewhat inept, and that this service should be handled by the county. The liberal end of council is going to oppose this, and try to keep it with the city so they can control it, keep union jobs, etc. even though that may lead to deadly errors like this one again in the future.

I don't really understand the controversy with what Wendell Young said at the council meeting that the Plush family stormed out of.

 

He basically said that different bodies would try to make it right as best they can, but no amount of money or blame can fix what happened. Seems pretty simple to me.

 

The family obviously took that as him accusing the family of seeking large amounts of money from the city/police/etc, but I don't think he was saying that at all. I can't imagine being in their situation, but I really think this was a misunderstanding.

 

Young made a completely tone deaf comment. I believe he had good intentions and in his heart he was trying to show empathy and be sympathetic to the family and what they were dealing with but the words that came out of his mouth were inappropriate for the situation and looked really bad. He essentially was trying to sympathize while making an analogy about the cost of a life and how the city is going to have make a big settlement out of this. - Again it was a horrible comment but I think in his heart his intentions were much different. THis stuff happens. I don't think he needs to resign over this, and I while personally thing Wendall Young is a clown and a horrible councilman, this incident should be forgiven (but he needs to watch it for a while going forward)

I'm still suspicious that this is a cover-up for the police.  Let's see the body cam footage of the search for this van.  Then we'll see if there was a genuine mistake or if the police didn't thoroughly check the various parking lots. 

Jake - but what do you think of Youngs comments?

Jake - but what do you think of Youngs comments?

 

I didn't hear them because I dropped my TV in a hot tub. 

Greg Landsman is using the 911 call center issue as an excuse to agree to Harry Black's severance package. I still don't understand the logic of giving Harry Black a $400k severance package because of all the bad things he supposedly did as City Manager. If he did a bad job he should be fired, not given a large payout.

Still no mention in The Enquirer of the hot tub incident.  Jason Williams still writing high school poetry about Cranley. 

Landsman will flip, vote to oust Black

 

Cincinnati City Councilman Greg Landsman will vote to oust City Manager Harry Black, giving Mayor John Cranley the five votes he needs to remove Black.

 

Landsman's decision comes a day after Black released a memo accusing Cranley of unethical, pay-to-play conduct. Cranley, while not addressing the specifics, has responded that his conduct has not been unethical.

 

The councilman issued a statement calling for the end of the dysfunction at City Hall and accused Black of not being fully focused on the problems with the city's 911 system. Landsman did not answer a question posed to him about Black's allegations against Cranley.

 

"We promised the public we would get this fixed. The manager is not fully focused on this, and we continue to be distracted by the ongoing saga surrounding the manager and mayor," Landsman said. "A new city manager alone will not end the dysfunction or solve our 911 issues, but it’s an important next step."

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/04/19/landsman-will-flip-vote-to-oust-black.html

Greg Landsman is using the 911 call center issue as an excuse to agree to Harry Black's severance package. I still don't understand the logic of giving Harry Black a $400k severance package because of all the bad things he supposedly did as City Manager. If he did a bad job he should be fired, not given a large payout.

 

Because paying him off will be cheaper in the long run than just firing him. Trying to fire someone with an employment contract can be extremely expensive.

So the City and the Reds axe their managers on the same day. I wonder if that's ever happened anywhere else before?

Depends on how many other MLB cities have a city manager form of government, for one.

Landsman flaked.  We can now count on another 5 years of Cranley lead coalition.  Cranley will cry, lie, create a media firestorm, etc. to get his way and now he knows Landsman will always fall on his side.

 

Prepare for 3 more years of the same old same old.

Although according to what Chris Wetterich is saying on Twitter, Council won't be approving a big severance package, they'll just be firing the City Manager and paying out the minimum penalty specified in his employment contract.

Additional detail: it would take seven members to suspend the rules and fire him immediately, otherwise, three readings of the ordinance must take place on different days before legislation can be put to a vote. On top of that, in order to take immediate effect, an emergency ordinance must receive six votes. Otherwise the ordinance won't go into effect for, what, 30 days?

As I suspected, the body cams show that the police are at least partly culpable in the death of this kid in the van:

https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/body-cam-videos-dont-show-police-exit-car-to-look-for-kyle-plush

 

So the 911 pile-on, as I suspected, was a bit of a cover-up for the police, who didn't get out of their car.  Landsman sez the 911 thing was what motivated him to flip and fire Harry Black, yet it's quite obvious that the police bear some of the blame. 

So the (under factory recall) back seat went booby trap on him and he eventually suffocated? He was able to call 911 early on but after a while was incapacitated.

Additional detail: it would take seven members to suspend the rules and fire him immediately, otherwise, three readings of the ordinance must take place on different days before legislation can be put to a vote. On top of that, in order to take immediate effect, an emergency ordinance must receive six votes. Otherwise the ordinance won't go into effect for, what, 30 days?

 

Harry Black decided to resign rather than go through the long process of being fired. So ultimately, City Council made the right decision here rather than just agreeing to go along with Cranley's $400k severance package.

So the (under factory recall) back seat went booby trap on him and he eventually suffocated? He was able to call 911 early on but after a while was incapacitated.

 

Correct, and mysteriously not able to answer various calls from 911 to his phone, which led the police to suspect it was a prank and so they did not diligently inspect the school's parking lots. 

 

Cranley used this incident to highlight supposed systemic problems with the 911 system, got Landsman to flip, and now Cranley "wins" even though the whole thing was a big freak accident and the police are at least as much to blame as the supposedly incompetent 911 operator.  And by "to blame" I mean hardly to blame.  I think people are sometimes unable to step back and accept that sometimes really unlucky things happen.

 

 

I didn't like the look on his face when he was admonishing Young during the meeting, either. There was a little too much glee.

Council Member Jeff Pastor, who was originally a member of the Budget & Finance Committee but then decided to leave, has now asked to rejoin the committee.

Would your boss take out mortgages worth a total of $550,000 on your behalf?  :o

 

 

Cincinnati Councilman Jeff Pastor's boss and benefactor seeks city help with $500K sewer dispute

 

Cincinnati City Councilman Jeff Pastor's boss and benefactor sought relief from the city in January for flooding that he says has cost him more than $500,000.

 

In an email to the city manager's office, businessman Charles Shor said Pastor advised him to reach out for help with the problem.

 

"I would greatly appreciate the City Manager's help in resolving this pressing issue as quickly as possible," Shor wrote in the Jan. 25 email, which was obtained by The Enquirer.

 

Cont

People are going to wake up and realize that Pastor might be the biggest stooge on council.  And that's saying a lot! 

^^ What a bizarre article. It's borderline incoherent - every other paragraph leads the reader off on a tangent that doesn't really seem newsworthy at all. It's like they had 2 or 3 articles that weren't important enough to publish, so they just took bits and pieces of them, copy-pasted them into one story, and published that. What's the point they're trying to make? Is it just a classic hit piece? It just seems to be a collection of a few marginally odd things about the guy.

^ I agree. Let's say his boss said "hey is there anything you can do for me on this MSD issue?" And his response was "nope, you should reach out to the city manager's office." That's a non-story. If there is no quid pro quo then all you are doing is arbitrarily questioning the ethics of one member of council. Pastor is running a multi-million dollar foundation. While a half-million dollar mortgage as part of his compensation package is somewhat unconventional, it is not outside the bounds of reasonable.

^^ What a bizarre article. It's borderline incoherent - every other paragraph leads the reader off on a tangent that doesn't really seem newsworthy at all. It's like they had 2 or 3 articles that weren't important enough to publish, so they just took bits and pieces of them, copy-pasted them into one story, and published that. What's the point they're trying to make? Is it just a classic hit piece? It just seems to be a collection of a few marginally odd things about the guy.

 

"What's the point they're trying to make? Is it just a classic hit piece? It just seems to be a collection of a few marginally odd things about the guy."

 

Odd things that are just that....odd.  We shall see if it leads anywhere.

 

I met Jeff at a neighborhood forum during the election where almost all the candidates showed up, and got to meet with every citizen in the room for five minutes. I was interested in meeting him, because he was a new face, and represented one of the few more conservative candidates. I appreciate a diverse council.

Anyway, you know how when you meet someone and you just don't trust them? It's just my opinion, and it was my gut reaction at that time. I didn't vote for him, but was not upset in any way that he won a seat.

I'll be watching this with interest.

Anyway, you know how when you meet someone and you just don't trust them?

 

Yep.  The "not to be trusted" siren was blaring full-blast the first time I saw this guy. Smiles way too much.  Way too folksy. 

And now, this:

 

Near election, councilman handed out $25,000 checks from foundation to churches

 

Cincinnati Councilman Jeff Pastor presented $25,000 checks to several predominantly African-American churches from a foundation he directs around the time of the 2017 City Council election, according to a person who witnessed one of the gifts and two pastors whose churches received money.

 

One of the checks came before the election, according to a witness to it, one came after, according to the pastor of the church who received the gift, and a third's timing is unclear, with pastor of the church receiving that gift saying he was not sure when it was received.

 

From its founding in 2002 until 2016, the Cincinnati-based Charles L. Shor Foundation for Epilepsy Research has focused its giving on academic and medical institutions, not donating to a church until 2016, according to 15 years' worth of tax records examined by the Business Courier. Shor’s father, David, started Northern Kentucky-based Duro Bag, the world's largest paper bag manufacturer, in 1953; the firm was sold in 2014. Charles Shor has suffered from epileptic seizures since age 25. The foundation had nearly $32 million in assets as of 2016.

 

Cont

Not to be trusted...

 

Near election, councilman handed out $25,000 checks from foundation to churches

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/05/09/near-election-councilman-handed-out-25-000-checks.html?ana=e_cinci_bn_newsalert&u=9YB82WFtnl1D7%2FyTNOuvAQ0be8c4a0&t=1525898195&j=81494271

 

EDIT: Just beat me to it, but yes the not to be trusted vibe is getting more fire to go with that smoke.

Pastor needs his own thread.  This is going to be a long four years. 

What does Cincinnati see in these slimeballs?

What does Cincinnati see in these slimeballs?

 

He's not going to raise taxes.  Going to overturn Roe v. Wade. 

Cincinnati City Council voted today to ban bump stocks within city limits. A device that, to my knowledge, has never been used during the commission of a crime in Cincinnati's 230 year history. This legislation opens the city up to a lawsuit as it's a pretty clear violation of state law, that restricts cities from legislating firearm components. A bump stock is, by definition, a component of whatever firearm it is a part of.

 

City Council passes legislation banning bump stocks in Cincinnati

 

http://local12.com/news/local/city-council-passes-legislation-banning-bump-stocks-in-cincinnati

 

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Cincinnati has become the first city in Ohio to pass an official ban on bump stocks.

 

The Cincinnati City Council voted 7-2 to pass legislation banning the sale, possession and use of bump stocks Wednesday.

 

 

Cincinnati City Council voted today to ban bump stocks within city limits. A device that, to my knowledge, has never been used during the commission of a crime in Cincinnati's 230 year history. This legislation opens the city up to a lawsuit as it's a pretty clear violation of state law, that restricts cities from legislating firearm components. A bump stock is, by definition, a component of whatever firearm it is a part of.

 

I disagree that it is a component of a firearm. It's an addition to an existing firearm. Happy to let the courts figure this one out.

I disagree that it is a component of a firearm. It's an addition to an existing firearm. Happy to let the courts figure this one out.

 

Something that is an addition or customization is still a component and/or a "part of a firearm," by definition.  The law doesn't say that a component must be an original/factory part. Lots of guns are scratch built and/or heavily customized, and thus might not even have original/factory parts. I think the intent of the law is pretty clear, and further it states that the City will be punished financially for a violation.

 

I'm not sure what grounds are needed to sue - it's entirely possible that there isn't a single bump stock within the entire City of Cincinnati. Would someone need to actually be ticketed/arrested for this or could anyone sue? Hopefully it's the latter, and hopefully it doesn't waste too many taxpayer dollars.

You have to show damage in order to sue. So someone could walk up to a Cincinnati Police officer and say "I have a bump stock" and get ticketed/arrested if they really wanted to force the issue.

Is there an amnesty period for people to turn in their bump stocks?

This probably won't take long:

 

Groups prepared to sue Cincinnati over bump stock ban

 

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/05/10/groups-prepared-sue-cincinnati-over-bump-stock-ban/598772002/

 

Two Second Amendment advocacy groups have told Cincinnati they could sue over the bump stock ban passed by City Council Wednesday.

 

Ohioans for Concealed Carry (OFCC) and the Buckeye Firearms Association have both sent letters to the city suggesting it could face expensive litigation.

 

Is there an amnesty period for people to turn in their bump stocks?

 

According to one of the articles, the law went into effect immediately, so anyone in Cincinnati who owned a bump stock at the time was instantaneously in violation of the law.

And now, this:

 

Near election, councilman handed out $25,000 checks from foundation to churches

 

Cincinnati Councilman Jeff Pastor presented $25,000 checks to several predominantly African-American churches from a foundation he directs around the time of the 2017 City Council election, according to a person who witnessed one of the gifts and two pastors whose churches received money.

 

One of the checks came before the election, according to a witness to it, one came after, according to the pastor of the church who received the gift, and a third's timing is unclear, with pastor of the church receiving that gift saying he was not sure when it was received.

 

From its founding in 2002 until 2016, the Cincinnati-based Charles L. Shor Foundation for Epilepsy Research has focused its giving on academic and medical institutions, not donating to a church until 2016, according to 15 years' worth of tax records examined by the Business Courier. Shor’s father, David, started Northern Kentucky-based Duro Bag, the world's largest paper bag manufacturer, in 1953; the firm was sold in 2014. Charles Shor has suffered from epileptic seizures since age 25. The foundation had nearly $32 million in assets as of 2016.

 

Cont

 

It appears Pastor is retaliating against former City Councilwoman Laure Quinlivan for her role in breaking the above story.

 

Laure Quinlivan, a former City Council member, said that Councilman Jeff Pastor’s office is retaliating against her and neighbors on her street because of quotes she provided to the Business Courier for a story about how Pastor delivered $25,000 checks to churches before the November 2017 election.

 

Pastor’s chief of staff, Steve Megerle, yanked a pedestrian safety measure that would place stop signs on her street from a Monday meeting of the committee Pastor chairs.

 

“This is a ridiculous abuse of his position,” Quinlivan said. “Is he going to really punish and endanger children because of this?” [...]

 

Quinlivan and her neighbors have sought enhanced safety measures along Kroger Avenue in Mount Lookout for several years because of speeding cars, they said.

Cincinnati City Council Democrats propose a brand-new tax and to raise an old one

 

Cincinnati City Council members proposed a new tax on off-street parking spaces as well as an increase in the city’s admissions tax as they grapple with a $34 million budget deficit and look for ways to permanently fund human services and other outside groups, which typically are targeted for cuts each year.

 

Council members Chris Seelbach and Wendell Young introduced a new 5 percent tax on all paid, off-street parking spaces within the city that are available to the public. The tax could increase the price of a $100 per month parking space to $105 per month or a $10 daily parking space to $10.50, assuming parking lot and garage owners pass it along to motorists directly instead of absorbing it into their fees. That tax can be imposed without voter approval.

 

Meanwhile, all six Democrats have signed onto a proposal to send a 2 percentage point increase in the admissions tax to voters this fall. That would increase the admissions tax from 3 percent to 5 percent and bring in $3.6 million annually. The admissions tax applies to all for-profit sports, theater, music and other ticketed events in the city, including tickets to the Cincinnati Reds, Cincinnati Bengals and FC Cincinnati.

 

“Here’s what we know we can’t continue to do: allow worthy organization to be pitted against worthy organization, each vying for the final chunk of the budget which is discretionary. Our city is smart enough and prosperous enough to offer a better way,” said Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld, who introduced the proposal along with Councilman David Mann.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/06/21/cincinnati-city-council-democrats-propose-a-brand.html

Seelbach is a such a clown.

Such a great idea. Tax the $#!+ out of parking spaces.

Such a great idea. Tax the $#!+ out of parking spaces.

 

Yessssss. I'm ecstatic about this. I just wish it was larger. Other cities do this and it has been a very effective tool to get parking lot operators to reevaluate the use of their property. There should be zero surface lots downtown.

I am happy with the parking tax, and fine with the admission tax.

 

I do think they should amend the admission tax to only apply to places that have a capacity of over 100ish and/or venues where the admission cost is greater than $10ish. So if you're a small bar charging $5 admission for a concert, you shouldn't have to apply for a $50 license to collect revenue and then pay a percentage of each $5 ticket.