'Cincinnati Council goes forward'

 

http://www.wmub.org/post/cincinnati-council-goes-forward-29-million-streetcar-plan

 

In it there's a quote from John Schneider

 

Businessman John Schneider, one of the prime movers behind the streetcar, told council that opponents “no longer fear it will fail. They fear it will succeed.”

 

 

“No modern streetcar project has ever failed in the United States,’’ Schneider said, urging council to approve the financing plan.

 

 

"Cincinnati OK's finance changes"

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2012/09/council-oks-cincinnati-streetcar.html

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2012/09/council-oks-cincinnati-streetcar.html

^Voters were promised a jail during the stadium campaign. While that project was sponsored by Hamilton County, there was so much involvement with the City of Cincinnati that I can see why folks are confused.

 

I think the stadium campaign really hurt the Metro Moves / Streetcar / transit in general cause, because people just don't trust the "government."

I just now talked to a woman who is adamently against the streetcar, and is fired up from the media coverage. I asked her if she's been to Over-the-Rhine lately.

 

"No, I don't go to Over-the-Rhine. I don't even go downtown. The only time I've ever been downtown was for two Reds games."

There absolutely was no promise of a new jail as part of the stadium campaign. 

There was a vote in the county for the jail but voters didn't pass it.

It seems like the "well organized opposition" was simply throwing out live grenades hoping the council would bite.

 

How can you argue that "giving money to the neighborhoods" and "they promised us a new jail" and "economic development money" are well organized?

 

Its like saying the NAACP, The Tea Party and Sierra Club are natural allies... #facepalm

The truth is, poor neighborhoods are already getting a disproportionate amount of city support in the form of the police.  Downtown's earnings tax pays for the policing of all the areas where few people have high paying jobs or are employed at all. 

So, did Smitherman try to assault anybody this time?

Everything has to go through. Other wise ordering the streetcars would have been pointless and money wasting.

So, did Smitherman try to assault anybody this time?

 

Not sure about smitherman but Tom Luken attacked sanity and coast members attacked a blooming onion from outback

I listened to 700WLW this morning at 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 and each time they parroted Winburn's anti-streetcar talking points urging people to voice opposition at the 10:30am meeting.

 

It's also interesting to note that PG Sittenfeld is voting with Smitherman and Winburn fairly often.

There absolutely was no promise of a new jail as part of the stadium campaign. 

 

Maybe not a promise, but an expectation. Early campaigns were for two new stadiums and a jail. The actual ballot language for the first election was for a blank check, and didn't even specify stadiums. Nevertheless, the lack of a jail keeps coming up, as evidenced by the comments in today's council meeting.

 

Since the failed 2006 jail tax, the Queensgate jail closed, the Sheriff laid off dozens of deputies...but crime is DOWN.  We don't need a new jail.

 

I think the stadium campaign really hurt the Metro Moves / Streetcar / transit in general cause, because people just don't trust the "government."

 

^ This is true. I chaired the MetroMoves campaign and immediately after we lost, we held a series of focus groups and commissioned a poll of 500 Hamilton County residents.

 

Long story short: 45% of the voters who voted against MetroMoves said they did so because they didn't trust government because of Paul Brown Stadium.

I just now talked to a woman who is adamently against the streetcar, and is fired up from the media coverage. I asked her if she's been to Over-the-Rhine lately.

 

"No, I don't go to Over-the-Rhine. I don't even go downtown. The only time I've ever been downtown was for two Reds games."

 

Cool story, bro.

 

I think the stadium campaign really hurt the Metro Moves / Streetcar / transit in general cause, because people just don't trust the "government."

 

^ This is true. I chaired the MetroMoves campaign and immediately after we lost, we held a series of focus groups and commissioned a poll of 500 Hamilton County residents.

 

Long story short: 45% of the voters who voted against MetroMoves said they did so because they didn't trust government because of Paul Brown Stadium.

 

It's exactly why I think Mike brown should be banished from the  city by ordinance... The damage that a-hole did can't be underestimated

Glad to hear Council stood firm!

 

Does anyone know if there is some Cincinnati or Ohio or Federal law that requires Steve Deiters to post a Comment, or multiple Comments, as soon as an article about anything having to do with the City of Cincinnati appears in the Enquirer?

 

Just asking.

Does anyone know if there is some Cincinnati or Ohio or Federal law that requires Steve Deiters to post a Comment, or multiple Comments, as soon as an article about anything having to do with the City of Cincinnati appears in the Enquirer?

 

Just asking.

 

I was just wondering the same thing John. This seems to be Steve Deiters:

 

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:Tq-ULO-AnmkJ:www.moeller.org/Document.Doc?id%3D1807+Steve+Deiters+moeller+high+school&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjdURoZwYb8wPs4uQ1UmVYAEkfE2ns3YXvcsfWZZz7ezzEe8xvzgWB9e3Wi9XK-RklP892KGW1J-rGecsYuhXWBdkMF9UozVFaL1rSQ0WuGqHbov6b5H8sPiIiRCtOU-PzesIa_&sig=AHIEtbQ6EFa6Aihlxr-JkS8itiq--I69eQ

 

Deiters, Steve, '70 is owner of Diffused Gas Technologies, inc.

 

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/steve-deiters/45/715/395

 

http://www.manta.com/g/mm5bxxt/steve-deiters

 

Steve Deiters

President

Diffused Gas Technologies Inc

Lebanon, OH

 

http://www.corporationwiki.com/Ohio/Lebanon/steve-deiters/65218472.aspx

 

Steve Deiters is associated with several companies, including Cedar Investments LLC and Diffused Gas Technologies Inc. and is located in Lebanon, OH.

direct dial: (513) 934-4418 Source:Dun & Bradstreet last refreshed 12/23/2011

 

http://diffusedgas.com/

 

Diffused Gas Technologies

265 Harmon Avenue,

Lebanon, OH 45036, USA.

 

https://www.dandb.com/businessdirectory/cedarinvestmentsllc-lebanon-oh-15648473.html

 

Cedar Investments LLC

265 Harmon Ave Ste B Lebanon, Ohio 45036-7530

(513) 531-5466

Real Estate Agents and Managers, Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers

Contact:Steve Deiters Est. Total Employees:1 State of Inc:OH Year Established:2002 Est. Total Sales:$ 92,000.00

 

Since Steve is busy commenting on Cincinnati.com day and night, his trade at Diffused Gas Technologies and cedar Investments LLC must not be terribly busy.

Odd coincidence that both Steve Dieters and Mark Miller operate mysterious plumbing/waste water businesses. 

^I was thinking exactly the same thing. Both of them operate murky one man companies. at least Mark Miller used to, Plummetrics has been out of business for at least a year now.

Must be something about the business of moving raw sewage that makes them ideal internet trolls.

The truth is, poor neighborhoods are already getting a disproportionate amount of city support in the form of the police.  Downtown's earnings tax pays for the policing of all the areas where few people have high paying jobs or are employed at all. 

 

Cops circling the block in low-income communities further creases the divide from middle-class, Constitutionally protected America and the underbelly.  Poor people spend 50% or more of their monthly income just to survive and are the fuel for the American prison industrial complex, a multibillion dollar industry that employs hundreds of thousands in a variety of capacities.  Circling the block doesn't deter crime, casework and jobs accessible to members of low income communities does.  When people in the area see guys go down in big numbers due to cases made by the Organized Crime unit, it puts everyone doing petty crimes on notice to chill out.  What it doesn't do is stem any future upticks in crime because there is still nothing in the community to fill the void that economic vitality provides. 

 

Policing is 60% of any city's budget because it isn't executed efficiently.  Many burglaries and other robberies occur in middle class areas, the same areas that cry about public safety at council meetings and will turn a city upside down in the interest of their agendas.  Partitioning more police to these areas and focusing on casework and the day-to-day livability of main arteries such as Reading Road or California Avenue is getting more for your buck as a municipality, but police agencies really don't answer to anyone except judges.

 

Can't forget about the awful response times in poor communities.  How is it that police are always there, yet rarely ever respond to calls for service in an acceptably timely fashion, if at all?  These Hyde Parkers might be surprised how many times Avondalers call the cops to report serious incidents and Cincinnati police never show up.

I listened to 700WLW this morning at 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 and each time they parroted Winburn's anti-streetcar talking points urging people to voice opposition at the 10:30am meeting.

 

It's also interesting to note that PG Sittenfeld is voting with Smitherman and Winburn fairly often.

 

I spoke to Sittenfeld when he was running for council to try to figure out where he stood on a variety of issues.  He gave me no straight answers and wouldn't take a stand on anything.  His main argument during our conversation was that a vote against him was a vote for Smitherman, so if I didn't want Smitherman on council, I better vote for him.

 

Since he wouldn't give me any clue as to how he would vote on anything, I did not vote for him.  I think it is very interesting that he has been voting so closely to Smitherman, and on other issues than just the streetcar. 

 

The guy is just a demagogue. He's afraid to take a solid stand because it might hurt his political career down the road.

Council was not voting for the streetcar or against the streetcar, they were voting to to shuffle $29 million into the streetcar from other funds.

 

And once again the primary reason you can't trust politicians not to steal from one account to fund a pet project.

Council was not voting for the streetcar or against the streetcar, they were voting to to shuffle $29 million into the streetcar from other funds.

 

And once again the primary reason you can't trust politicians not to steal from one account to fund a pet project.

 

You should relay that message to John Kasich

^well, they were setting aside money the MIGHT need but don't intend to spend.

FWIW, Duke is one of the 47%. Their average Fed tax rate 2008-2010 was -7%.

Pg is quickly turning into Jeff berding V 2.0. He was on with Amy Murray on Brian Thomas radio show.

 

 

Seelbach was on Scott sloans show earlier

 

 

If there was ever any doubt about where PG stands, it was settled yesterday. He's on the side of COAST and Smitherman.

 

PG is the Mitt Romney of city council. A spoiled-rotten rich kid who buys his way into office by running as a mealy-mouthed moderate willing to say anything to get elected without actually taking a stand on anything, and once in office, adopts the agenda of the blue-blooded old guard who are desperately fighting to maintain Cincinnati's failed status quo. He's simply using city council as a stepping stone for higher office and couldn't give a rat's ass about the city he's getting paid to serve.

If there was ever any doubt about where PG stands, it was settled yesterday. He's on the side of COAST and Smitherman.

 

PG is the Mitt Romney of city council. A spoiled-rotten rich kid who buys his way into office by running as a mealy-mouthed moderate willing to say anything to get elected without actually taking a stand on anything, and once in office, adopts the agenda of the blue-blooded old guard who are desperately fighting to maintain Cincinnati's failed status quo. He's simply using city council as a stepping stone for higher office and couldn't give a rat's ass about the city he's getting paid to serve.

 

Honestly I don't think he's corrupt or anything like that. I think he came in naive and smitherman pounced on that.  Sillyman saw a weakness and turned him.... Like he's done with many others..

 

And now look what he's become.  A regular on Brian Thomas and 700wlw.  It's only a matter of time before he's speaking at COAST rallies. 

700wlw's' Scott Sloan just spent an hour talking about the streetcar.  You could tell he was forced to speak against it. 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120925/EDIT/309250038/Paying-for-streetcar-poses-problem

 

Enquirer editorial says city is "raiding" Blue Ash Airport sale proceeds.  Um, it's been the plan since 2007. 

 

This is all just so insane. 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120925/EDIT/309250038/Paying-for-streetcar-poses-problem

 

Enquirer editorial says city is "raiding" Blue Ash Airport sale proceeds.  Um, it's been the plan since 2007. 

 

This is all just so insane. 

 

Maybe the local fishwrap got surprised when a mayor and a majority of council actually stayed the course for five years and followed through on their promises?

 

The Cincinnati Enquirer: "When the news breaks, we fix it."

If there was ever any doubt about where PG stands, it was settled yesterday. He's on the side of COAST and Smitherman.

 

PG is the Mitt Romney of city council. A spoiled-rotten rich kid who buys his way into office by running as a mealy-mouthed moderate willing to say anything to get elected without actually taking a stand on anything, and once in office, adopts the agenda of the blue-blooded old guard who are desperately fighting to maintain Cincinnati's failed status quo. He's simply using city council as a stepping stone for higher office and couldn't give a rat's ass about the city he's getting paid to serve.

 

Honestly I don't think he's corrupt or anything like that. I think he came in naive and smitherman pounced on that.  Sillyman saw a weakness and turned him.... Like he's done with many others..

 

And now look what he's become.  A regular on Brian Thomas and 700wlw.  It's only a matter of time before he's speaking at COAST rallies.

 

I respectfully disagree, Sittenfeld was politically calculating from the beginning. He took great care not to take any positions on nearly any issue, particularly controversial issues (especially the streetcar). I believe that he planned to go right from the very start and use City Council as a launching pad to run for a higher office in the future.

If there was ever any doubt about where PG stands, it was settled yesterday. He's on the side of COAST and Smitherman.

 

PG is the Mitt Romney of city council. A spoiled-rotten rich kid who buys his way into office by running as a mealy-mouthed moderate willing to say anything to get elected without actually taking a stand on anything, and once in office, adopts the agenda of the blue-blooded old guard who are desperately fighting to maintain Cincinnati's failed status quo. He's simply using city council as a stepping stone for higher office and couldn't give a rat's ass about the city he's getting paid to serve.

 

Honestly I don't think he's corrupt or anything like that. I think he came in naive and smitherman pounced on that.  Sillyman saw a weakness and turned him.... Like he's done with many others..

 

And now look what he's become.  A regular on Brian Thomas and 700wlw.  It's only a matter of time before he's speaking at COAST rallies.

 

I respectfully disagree, Sittenfeld was politically calculating from the beginning. He took great care not to take any positions on nearly any issue, particularly controversial issues (especially the streetcar). I believe that he planned to go right from the very start and use City Council as a launching pad to run for a higher office in the future.

 

This. It's pretty obvious.

On 700 today Luken was saying the Streetcar would cost at least half a billion $ when it's all over and the city will recoup none of that in increased revenue.

 

Cunningham tried to say that no one walks from Fountain Square to Findlay Market, so why put a streetcar there, and Luken got confused and said he does it all the time, but no one will ride the streetcar.

 

Then Cunningham started saying that all of the development is going to happen around the casino and the Banks. He acted as if the streetcar didn't go anywhere close to connecting those destinations, but it goes into the eastern edge of The Banks and about 1.5 blocks from the casino. I wish there was just one rational person to debate him at all times and point out all of his (and others') failed arguments.

I respectfully disagree, Sittenfeld was politically calculating from the beginning. He took great care not to take any positions on nearly any issue, particularly controversial issues (especially the streetcar). I believe that he planned to go right from the very start and use City Council as a launching pad to run for a higher office in the future.

 

+1

 

He really doesn't care about Cincinnati residents as much as he cares about himself and his future political career.

700wlw's' Scott Sloan just spent an hour talking about the streetcar.  You could tell he was forced to speak against it.

And like clockwork, Smitherman was on WLW. I didn't bother to listen.

Smitherman on Cunningham's show now, trashing the streetcar.

 

He said he still has high hopes that the project will eventually be stopped after the next council election. He said that voters will send a strong message and elect an anti-streetcar mayor and council who will then, in turn, stop the streetcar construction wherever it is. He said he didn't care if there are rails down and construction is half-done - he said the next mayor and council will stop it immediately.

 

Cunningham then said that a streetcar can work in a city like Tampa, which is flat. But in Cincinnati with the hills it would be a disaster. He said it will never be able to make it up the hill to UC/hospitals.

 

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

If there was ever any doubt about where PG stands, it was settled yesterday. He's on the side of COAST and Smitherman.

 

PG is the Mitt Romney of city council. A spoiled-rotten rich kid who buys his way into office by running as a mealy-mouthed moderate willing to say anything to get elected without actually taking a stand on anything, and once in office, adopts the agenda of the blue-blooded old guard who are desperately fighting to maintain Cincinnati's failed status quo. He's simply using city council as a stepping stone for higher office and couldn't give a rat's ass about the city he's getting paid to serve.

 

Honestly I don't think he's corrupt or anything like that. I think he came in naive and smitherman pounced on that.  Sillyman saw a weakness and turned him.... Like he's done with many others..

 

And now look what he's become.  A regular on Brian Thomas and 700wlw.  It's only a matter of time before he's speaking at COAST rallies.

 

I respectfully disagree, Sittenfeld was politically calculating from the beginning. He took great care not to take any positions on nearly any issue, particularly controversial issues (especially the streetcar). I believe that he planned to go right from the very start and use City Council as a launching pad to run for a higher office in the future.

 

Word is he's going to run for mayor next year...if so, doesn't seem to be very calculating.

 

Nonetheless, his opposition is meaningless given how councils made up now.

PG usually ignores any critical feedback he receives from twitter and facebook but yesterday he replied to @taestell on twitter and tweeted:

"i know we all want whats best four city and show that commitment in many ways, but have different financial risk tolerance"

"there's a difference between doing something and doing it responsibly"

"I can certainly understand why there's so much emotion on both sides..."

"...but hope reasonable thoughtful minds can still have honest conversation ab its real liabilities and points of improvement"

 

Here's some of the media coverage about yesterday:

 

WCPO

http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/region_central_cincinnati/downtown/Council-prepares-to-borrow-money-from-neighborhoods-to-keep-streetcar-on-schedule

 

Enquirer Opinion Piece

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120925/EDIT/309250038/Paying-streetcar-poses-problem

 

WKRC

http://www.local12.com/news/local/story/Cincinnati-City-Council-Shifts-Money-to-Pay-For/497p8Fu-ykKnC-zrzKW-yw.cspx

 

Fox19

http://downtown-mtauburn.fox19.com/news/city-hall/98000-vote-will-keep-streetcar-project-moving-toward-2015-operating-date

 

Building Cincinnati

http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2012/09/committee-approvals-keep-streetcar-on.html

 

 

See the PR about the Cincinnati Railroad Improvement and Safety Plan....

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,1414.msg642445.html#msg642445

Council was not voting for the streetcar or against the streetcar, they were voting to to shuffle $29 million into the streetcar from other funds.

 

And once again the primary reason you can't trust politicians not to steal from one account to fund a pet project.

 

Did you read the explanation for why this is happening? It's because Duke is holding up the process and this money allows the city to move forward with streetcar construction now, instead of sitting around doing nothing. In the end, Duke will be forced to pay the city back for this.

In the end, Duke will be forced to pay the city back for this.

 

If a judge rules in favor of the city, that is.

Sloans main argument on 700wlw will be that he was just in Tampa and he saw no one riding them.

Naturally neglecting the fact it helped revitalize a crumbling Ybor City district and helped add over $1 billion dollars in economic development  in just over a decade

Council was not voting for the streetcar or against the streetcar, they were voting to to shuffle $29 million into the streetcar from other funds.

 

And once again the primary reason you can't trust politicians not to steal from one account to fund a pet project.

 

Did you read the explanation for why this is happening? It's because Duke is holding up the process and this money allows the city to move forward with streetcar construction now, instead of sitting around doing nothing. In the end, Duke will be forced to pay the city back for this.

 

Nope, if Duke loses they will charge that loss to their customers. Hell the City doesn't even have an annual operating budget for the streecar, they are not experts.

This isn't mass transit people.

And I suppose you're an expert?

^^ fyi Duke isn't allowed to just raise rates. They need permission from PUCO. And if a court says it is Duke's responsibility to relocate their lines (meaning Cincinnati wins the lawsuit) I doubt PUCO would grant Duke the rider.