Five Cincinnati City Council committee members recommend streetcar project should go forward; Flynn, Murray & Winburn abstain. The measure now goes to full City Council @ 2 p.m.

 

The swing vote, Flynn, was apparently meeting with Mayor Cranley when the recommendation vote was passed. Flynn said he will announce at 1 p.m. which way he will vote at 2 p.m. He says he hopes to have a written financial committment from a potential streetcar sponsor by then.

 

If he doesn't have a commitment, why would he announce at 1:00?  Shouldn't he wait until the last possible minute before he would vote to cancel?

That doesnt sound good.

 

No matter which way this turns out, this needs to be turned into a movie!

Cindi Andrews ‏@cindiincincy 3m

1/2 Streetcar supporter @yvette4council just danced out of chambers & predicted she will be able to make a 3 pm hair apt today. @enquirer

 

2/2 "it's a good day for cincinnati," Simpson said. She declined to say more but Flynn, the swing vote, is making announcement in 30 mins.

That doesnt sound good.

 

No matter which way this turns out, this needs to be turned into a movie!

 

Or a South Park episode... Jeez...

Is there going to be a live video of his announcement?

 

From what I can tell, this guy LOVES the spotlight.

osogato beat me to it. This ish moves a mile a minute.

 

Too much drama. Flynn = drama queen.

 

Is it normal for something to happen like the swing voter getting pulled out by the mayor during important testimony? Seems like the mayor was making a Hail Mary pass, while shielding Flynn's ears from SORTA testimony. What a snake.

^ That's sure what it seemed like to me... Sleazy...

Jason Williams ‏@jwilliamscincy 1m

Flynn to hold 1 p.m. press conference. All I know is Haile Foundation's Eric Avber will be there. #cincystreetcar

 

This seems like very good news!

 

Then there's this:

 

Cindi Andrews ‏@cindiincincy 1m

Flynn's aide just said 1 pm presser is canceled - some things still being reviewed. Stills expects announcement, timing tbd @enquirer

 

Ugh...

EDIT: Beat me to it!

 

Yes, this sounds like Flynn will be the sixth vote needed for a veto-proof majority.

 

Latest.....

 

Cindi Andrews ‏@cindiincincy 3m

Flynn's aide just said 1 pm presser is canceled - some things still being reviewed. Stills expects announcement, timing tbd @enquirer

 

Jason Williams ‏@jwilliamscincy 1m

Flynn to hold 1 p.m. press conference. All I know is Haile Foundation's Eric Avber will be there. #cincystreetcar

 

This seems like very good news!

 

For every good news, there is equal and opposite bad news. Law of the Cincinnati Streetcar.

Yvette Simpson was just kicking a$$!

Ha, the 1 pm conference is canceled.

 

The only thing certain is uncertainty. Law #2 of the Cincinnati Streetcar.

but it sounds like it was cancelled to work out some final details? let's hope...

Yvette Simpson was just kicking a$$!

 

She is AMAZING. We are so fortunate to have her. Wendell Young and Chris Seelbach are also great. And PG has his moments, when he's not trying to be overly diplomatic.

Yvette Simpson was just kicking a$$!

 

She is AMAZING. We are so fortunate to have her. Wendell Young and Chris Seelbach are also great. And PG has his moments, when he's not trying to be overly diplomatic.

 

I've gained a lot of respect for PG over the past couple weeks.  Not solely because he now supports the streetcar (though that helped), but because he was willing to change his position based on new information.  Not a lot of politicians are willing to do that. See: Cranley, John.

The ON and OFF AGAIN nature of Flynn's announcements suggest he's having a helluva time tearing himself free from Cranley's ironclad grip.

 

He must be in agony over whose side he's going to come down on.

Winburn is looking for additional funding? Does that mean he wants phase 2?

 

Winburn is looking for additional funding? Does that mean he wants phase 2?

 

 

No, he wants it for the operating costs of Phase 1 so the city won't have to pay for any operating costs.

That doesnt sound good.

 

No matter which way this turns out, this needs to be turned into a movie!

 

Or a South Park episode... Jeez...

This drama BS is a load of horse poo. This is too big, it's been going on too long, the ramifications so long term, NOBODY could still be on the fence, no 'last minute' deals could possibly mean anything

It's insulting to cartoons

I picture the Cincinnati Streetcar (and Cincinnati's reputation) as perched precariously on the rim of the bowl of a very large toilet.

 

Will Flynn pull them back to safety from the brink or vote to let Cranley press the flush handle?

 

We shall soon find out.

Yvette Simpson was just kicking a$$!

 

She is AMAZING. We are so fortunate to have her. Wendell Young and Chris Seelbach are also great. And PG has his moments, when he's not trying to be overly diplomatic.

 

I've gained a lot of respect for PG over the past couple weeks.  Not solely because he now supports the streetcar (though that helped), but because he was willing to change his position based on new information.  Not a lot of politicians are willing to do that. See: Cranley, John.

 

What I find funny is COASTers calling him a "flip-flopper." I have always hated that term because it has negative connotations, and I don't know why it became so popular. It's a sign of intelligence to reevaluate any situation based upon current information.

 

It'd be like calling people flip-floppers when they finally decided to believe the world was round when Magellan made it back home.

 

 

Ugh... Where is Flynn?! The suspense is killing me!!!

well, this is fun...

It's our very own soap: "As The Pig Flies"

Since we're in the 11th hour, did we ever get a final tally on signatures?  I'm really hoping that it won't matter anyway.

All Aboard Ohio ‏@AllAboardOhio 7m

The #cincystreetcar waiting is like the scene at the end of Apollo 13 when everyone is waiting to see if the astronauts lived or died.

 

Brent Spence Bridge ‏@SpenceBridge 2m

Will Kevin Flynn be broadcasting #TheDecision as an hour-long special on ESPN?

 

Semi News ‏@fakeenquirer 1m

Someone needs to write a Cincinnati Streetcar Screenplay.  Seriously.  Get George Clooney to act, produce and/or direct it

Kevin Osborne ‏@kevinwcpo 1m

Things happening: Eric Avner of Haile Foundation is meeting privately with Kevin Flynn in his office right now @wcpo

Seelbach just posted a picture of his giant smile, saying that's all he could say until 2:00.

Chris Seelbach ‏@ChrisSeelbach 1m

All I can say is this for the next 32 minutes..... pic.twitter.com/Qa0NdzPU5f

Chris Seelbach ‏@ChrisSeelbach 1m

All I can say is this for the next 32 minutes..... pic.twitter.com/Qa0NdzPU5f

 

WIN

Here's my question: If city ordinances require readings at three meetings on three different days, will this not be final today, and will it effect the Federal deadline of midnight tonight to restart the project?  If they have 7 votes, they can waive the 3 day thing, but I don't know who on the opposition would waive that.

This live feed is getting strange. Im now taking a walk through City Hall. Im not sure they know the camera is on!

Movement updates: Eric Avner of the Haile Foundation entered Flynn's office.  Cranley left Flynn's office, and now Murray and Smitherman are in Cranley's office.

The press conference area has been packed up and media is moving to council chambers instead.

This is probably not an ordinance. More likely it's a resolution.

^ The feds just wants assurances the project will continue. Ordinances means nothing to them. They will yank the funds immediately if the project is not continued.

^ Funny, you could actually watch them walk the camera over to Council Chambers on cincinnati.com's live stream.

Would an ordinance not be required to end the "Pause"?

Kevin Osborne ‏@kevinwcpo 29s

Seelbach & Simpson are hinting there are now 6 council votes for continuing the streetcar project

 

EDIT:  Cunningham is now saying on 700 that sources are confirming to him that Flynn has flipped to continuing.

Cranley and Flynn to have a news conference in 5 minutes...

Chris Wetterich ‏@ChrisCinciBiz 3s

Cranley and Flynn will have a news conference in 5 mins.

 

EDIT: Beat me by six seconds!

You guys are fast. It was 42s ago on my Twitter feed and you both already posted. LOL

^ I'm being a bit obsessive about my Twitter feed today... It's not healthy.

I've never hit the refresh button on my browser so many times in one day

Ive now watched that SPCA commercial about Rocky like 30 times from refreshing the live feed the last few days.

Cindi Andrews ‏@cindiincincy 52s

BREAKING: Mann said mayor "has indicated he will be magnanimous and accept the will of council." Thinks Flynn firm as 6th vote.

Jason Williams ‏@jwilliamscincy 18s

Mann: "Flynn is going to explain why he came over" to now favor moving fwd with #cincystreetcar @Enquirer

Done deal.

Cindi Andrews ‏@cindiincincy 52s

BREAKING: Mann said mayor "has indicated he will be magnanimous and accept the will of council." Thinks Flynn firm as 6th vote.

 

Now's not the time for bitterness, but being "magnanimous and accepting the will of council" would be true if he said he wouldn't veto a 5-4 majority.  With 6-3, that just makes Cranley a sore loser who is trying to make himself look better.  //EDIT: Unless Flynn is just paraphrasing for the mayor to be nice.