^^ 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.

 

What does concern me is that Kasich appoints the PUCO board...Right?

^^ 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.

 

What does concern me is that Kasich appoints the PUCO board...Right?

 

Our ace in the hole is that if PUCO rules for Duke, that company and all other utilities will bill be able to bill ODOT and the State for any work they perform for highway, road, bridge and other similar projects. You can bet that Kasich doesn't want to have to pay those bills.

 

 

Unless Shannon Jones introduces a bill that allows utilities to bill the City of Cincinnati, and only Cincinnati, for all relocation costs for any reason whatsoever.

 

Also, have there been any developments on the amendment that Chabot added a few months ago to that transportation bill? I don't remember it ever getting resolved.

>Unless Shannon Jones introduces a bill that allows utilities to bill the City of Cincinnati

 

Since about 1910 the Ohio legislature cannot pass a bill exclusive to a particular Ohio municipality or county.  The 1915 act that enabled Cincinnati to form the Rapid Transit Commission to build the subway applied to all Ohio cities.

Allowing Duke to raise rates to pay for streetcar relocation and not other infrastructure projects would be an assault on the disabled population.

This year they passed a bill that applied ONLY to Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority to force more suburbanites on the board (it was already a simple majority of suburbanites). While they aren't a municipality, it's clear this GOP state legislature has no issues trying to signal out Cincinnati for attack.

P.G. Sittenfeld has sent out a mass email regarding his vote this week. I hope it's OK that I post it here:

 

Dear Friends & Fellow Cincinnatians:

 

Since Monday's vote in our Budget & Finance Committee meeting, I have received an enormous amount of correspondence from a broad cross-section of people, whom I know care deeply about our community.  Many people told me they are grateful that I voted the way I did; many others expressed disappointment - sometimes, I'm sorry to say, in a mean-spirited way. In government and politics (and in life), we all know there's no such thing as making everyone happy. The promise I will always honor is that I'll work as hard as I can to gather information thoughtfully, and from there, to act on my common sense and do what I believe is right. Even when we disagree, I trust all of you would do the same. Thanks for your ongoing commitment to our city.

 

Sincerely,

P.G.

 

 

Why I Voted As I Did:

 

We took several big votes this week in City Council, and the truth is, they were about much more than just the streetcar. My "No" vote on the transfer of $29 million is a reflection of the need to change the way the city administration does business. It is a reminder of how desperately greater transparency is needed at City Hall. Here is why I voted as I did:

 

1) Responsibility to Taxpayers: The city now proposes to front $15 million to pay for the relocation of Duke's electrical and gas lines, while there remains a dispute between the city and the utility company regarding who should pay for what. If the city and Duke do not ultimately come to an agreement, and if the city were to be unsuccessful in litigating its desired outcome, we would then be left to shoulder a huge unexpected cost. Putting up $15 million dollars when you're far from certain you're going to get it back is not the kind of gamble the city should be making with taxpayer dollars. This is all the more true when that same $15 million was to be committed to improving Cincinnati's neighborhoods. Further, we no longer have the assurance that streetcar-related costs will not be passed along to utility rate-payers. I think there are many of us who support the concept of a streetcar and grasp its potential, but also feel that the handling of the project has strayed dramatically from the original promise made to citizens: that is, that this project would not raise our taxes and would not compromise the delivery of basic services. When we are suddenly taking tens of millions of dollars from new sources, thoughtful and reasonable minds should insist on concrete answers as to what services are we, in turn, sacrificing. "Act now, answer later" is not an appropriate or fair way to govern. 

 

2) Public Transparency: In the midst of the city administration's move to make tens of millions of dollars in changes to various funds, many Councilmembers have never received a call, email, or visit from anyone within the city administration. We found out about the proposed funding changes via a mass press release that went out the second half of last week. The city administration seems - I hope and trust unintentionally - to have demonstrated an attitude of "Let's not tell them any more than they need to know" - and often even less than that. Specifically, they now tell us they have "found" $14 million from a fund established in 1995 that, in the face of a significant budget deficit for next year and pressing needs in so many of our neighborhoods, has never before been mentioned as a source of funding. When Councilmembers feel in the dark or like information is willfully being kept from us, we can only imagine how most citizens, who have much less access, must feel. Unlike the city administration, Councilmembers are directly elected to be the people's representatives, and citizens and Councilmembers alike deserve better, more transparent treatment. 

 

It's okay for people to disagree, and it's okay for there to be debate.  I remain committed to the idea that our best decision-making happens when we do our work with citizens, not to citizens. I also trust that our community and its leaders realize that the progress of our city does not and cannot depend solely upon a streetcar, nor should our political debate be solely on that topic. Both the vote this week, and what will happen in the weeks and months ahead is, frankly, bigger than the streetcar - it's about good, responsive, and inclusive government. What's needed is an open, honest, respectful, and transparent conversation about continuing to make real the promise of a Cincinnati Renaissance, and to do so while living within our means.

^ poor PG got his delicate fee-fee's hurt by the valid criticism he's receiving. That post reads like it could've been written by Monzel or Berding. Sittenfeld is nothing but a liar and a mealy-mouthed panderer, and he's getting called out as just that.

Keep in mind that Duke is currently under fire for the recently firing their CEO and giving him a $44 million severance package. Several states (I'm not sure if Ohio is one of them) are looking at Duke skeptically and telling them, basically, you better not pass those costs on to your customers. Additionally, they just unveiled a new logo and will likely spend millions re-branding all of their vehicles, website, etc. That can't look good next time they go asking to raise rates.

I can't post the link from my phone but according to the twitterverse the full City Council just voted approve the finding modification for the streetcar.

 

And in other news, Finney got his butt kicked in Federal Court. COAST lost their fight with the Ohio Ethics Commission and their attempts to legalize their compulsive lying were shot down: http://sns.mx/2Cq8y

Why do they need some flashy new logo? What's the old logo gonna do, make me turn my lights off when I'm not home?

I could easily see a grass-roots campaign smearing Duke, in the face of rate increases.

 

What was the name again of the outgoing CEO? Juan Percent? Oh, that's right...Juan Day.

A new post on the TOAST blog proclaims that TOAST is winning the streetcar war.  :drunk:

 

Yea, they're "winning" just like Mitt Romney is "winning".  TOAST should hire Tarik Aziz, Saddam Hussein's former Information Minister, as their spokesperson. Aziz would probably spin more believable tales than these guys are capable of doing.

 

Don't forget Charlie Sheen, he was "winning" too!  Maybe COAST, Smitherman, Winburn, Horstman, et al all have tiger blood too!

 

A new post on the TOAST blog proclaims that TOAST is winning the streetcar war.  :drunk:

 

Yea, they're "winning" just like Mitt Romney is "winning".  TOAST should hire Tarik Aziz, Saddam Hussein's former Information Minister, as their spokesperson. Aziz would probably spin more believable tales than these guys are capable of doing.

 

 

Sounds like COAST has finally cut its losses and sub-leased the anti-rail portfolio to John Cranley. Did you notice that it was a whole new crew at City Hall on Monday with not a COAST member in sight?

 

Being anti-rail is not a sustainable winning issue for elected officials. Rail opponents tend to lose favor with the public over time. I've seen it happen in almost every city. I don't understand what the precise mechanism is that results in this happening, but it appears they wear out their welcome and seldom advance to higher office.

 

Americans generally like the idea of rail and don't discriminate much with respect to light rail or streetcars or inter-city rail. They know it has a place in our future, more or less.

Speaking of new characters, COAST celebrates Brian Shrive:

 

Finally, now that he has finished law school and taken the Bar Exam, COASTer Brian Shrive this week stepped to the plate and took a few swings of his own against the Streetcar, and we thank him for his leadership.

 

http://www.coast-usa.blogspot.com/2012/09/has-cavalry-arrived.html

 

 

But earlier in the year, there was "no relationship" between Shrive and Chris Finney:

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/politics/2012/02/03/gop-foes-in-2nd-district-house-race-dive-into-mud/

Speaking of new characters, COAST celebrates Brian Shrive:

 

Finally, now that he has finished law school and taken the Bar Exam, COASTer Brian Shrive this week stepped to the plate and took a few swings of his own against the Streetcar, and we thank him for his leadership.

 

http://www.coast-usa.blogspot.com/2012/09/has-cavalry-arrived.html

 

 

But earlier in the year, there was "no relationship" between Shrive and Chris Finney:

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/politics/2012/02/03/gop-foes-in-2nd-district-house-race-dive-into-mud/

 

Shrive is another one of Finney's lackeys.

 

On another note, one of my Twitter friends (and many of yours too) had a phone call from PG Sittenfeld today. Sittenfeld told her that he wanted to set the record straight. This is from her twitter feed (I'll keep her name out of it):

 

"Hear ye, hear ye- retweet far and wide- @votepg is on record as '100% in support of the #streetcar.' had a great talk with him earlier!"

 

"for reals. Wants it to be done right, but very much in favor of rail transit in our lifetime."

 

This is laughable of course. From the outset Sittenfeld has qualified his so-called "support" for the streetcar with statements including "it shouldn't be our top priority right now", "when we can afford it" and other similar gems. He has voted against the streetcar at each and every opportunity. He is going on AM radio speaking out against the streetcar. Sittenfeld is as anti-streetcar as they come. What is evident is that he's starting to feel the heat from the push back that he's getting from pro-streetcar and other pro-Cincinnati advocates, and he's hedging his bets, flipping and flopping. Frankly I would have more respect for the guy if he had any principles at all and had the courage to stand behind them instead of being the mealy-mouthed hypocritical weasel that he is.

 

Upside is that Sittenfeld is feeling our heat, so let's keep applying it.

"Not the right time" "Not the right project"

 

Typical rail-opponent tripe.

 

If the decision is made to build the streetcar, which the first ballot issue should have confirmed it has, then it needs to be carried out with aplomb. It is bad government to second-guess the project once the chips have fallen, particularly after ground-breaking.

I don't doubt that Sittenfeld could be supportive of the streetcar, but I think he's refusing to take a public stance on it for political reasons. Maybe many of his supporters are anti-streetcar.

 

But it's a win-win for him. He can vote against it (knowing that it will still pass 6-3), and whenever the project is scrutinized by opponents, he can have that "no" vote on his record. But after it opens and is seen as a success, you bet he'll put it on his list of "accomplishments" for his next political race.

 

Also, remember that, "We support rail transit, but this just isn't the right time," and similar arguments are frequently used by rail opponents to appeal to middle-of-the-road type of people. Sittenfeld's basically saying, "I support the streetcar plan, but this funding package isn't financially responsible," which he may or may not actually believe.

 

(Nick Sweeney cartoon from Issue 9 / 2009)

(BTW, my "win-win" is scenario above is true for all of the streetcar opponents on council -- both now and since it was first proposed. Once it's a proven success, and people have forgotten which council members were for/against it, they'll all put the streetcar on their list of accomplishments. Especially Smitherman.)

I've been watching the Enquirer Comments on the streetcar articles lately. They have dwindled-down to a tiny fraction of what they used to be. I mean, do you remember when we once had 1,000 of them after some articles?  People may still complain, but at some level, they have accepted it and many probably admire the city's pluck in getting something done that even downtown Los Angeles hasn't been able to do.

 

My experience with these big capital issues  -- FWW, Great American Ball Park, the Aronoff (which we actually voted not to build), the Convention Center expansion, Fountain Square renovation all come to mind -- is that Cincinnatians like to bitch a lot, but after a project has successfully run the gauntlet, they accept it and move on. More than anything else, we admire success. Many Cincinnatians hate the Bengals, but they will be on Fountain Square if they ever win the Super Bowl.

 

PG's problem is that he is now on record for voting against the streetcar every chance he's had, and that's gonna' follow him around. He'll have to explain that when development booms along the line -- not just in OTR but also on the vacant upper floors of obsolete downtown office buildings without parking that will become great apartments. Cranley has a similar problem. I doubt people will forget.

 

Arthur Schopenhauer wrote: “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” In Cincinnati, electric rail is now moving from Stage 2 to Stage 3. I suspect, in his heart of hearts, PG is trying to figure out how to move with it.

PG will continue to vote against the streetcar (despite his words of support) for one reason: he wants to run for another higher office, such as County Commissioner or Congress, and thus is pandering to the suburnites that he imagines will be his future voter base.

I've been watching the Enquirer Comments on the streetcar articles lately. They have dwindled-down to a tiny fraction of what they used to be. I mean, do you remember when we once had 1,000 of them after some articles?  People may still complain, but at some level, they have accepted it and many probably admire the city's pluck in getting something done that even downtown Los Angeles hasn't been able to do.

 

My experience with these big capital issues  -- FWW, Great American Ball Park, the Aronoff (which we actually voted not to build), the Convention Center expansion, Fountain Square renovation all come to mind -- is that Cincinnatians like to bitch a lot, but after a project has successfully run the gauntlet, they accept it and move on. More than anything else, we admire success. Many Cincinnatians hate the Bengals, but they will be on Fountain Square if they ever win the Super Bowl.

 

PG's problem is that he is now on record for voting against the streetcar every chance he's had, and that's gonna' follow him around. He'll have to explain that when development booms along the line -- not just in OTR but also on the vacant upper floors of obsolete downtown office buildings without parking that will become great apartments. Cranley has a similar problem. I doubt people will forget.

 

Arthur Schopenhauer wrote: “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” In Cincinnati, electric rail is now moving from Stage 2 to Stage 3. I suspect, in his heart of hearts, PG is trying to figure out how to move with it.

 

Cincinnatians don't hate the Bengals, they just hate Mike Brown. This city/metro loves the Bengals and wants nothing more than to see the franchise win - and win big. Local TV ratings prove that. This past weekend, the Bengals/Redskins game more than doubled the ratings of the Reds division-clinching win over the Dodgers. When the Bengals win, this whole city feels good about itself.

 

Mike Brown, on the other hand, is an idiot that people don't like. He's not particularly likable as a person and his team's on-field results show the folly of his misguided football-management philosophy. I'd add though that Cincinnati is hardly alone when it comes to beloved teams with hated owners. Heck, just look at Cleveland with the Indians.

Fast walking toupee wearing Barry Horstman just posted another of his ant-streetcar screeds at 1:27am:

 

Things get real with the streetcar

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120927/NEWS/309270042/Things-get-real-streetcar

I've been watching the Enquirer Comments on the streetcar articles lately. They have dwindled-down to a tiny fraction of what they used to be. I mean, do you remember when we once had 1,000 of them after some articles?  People may still complain, but at some level, they have accepted it and many probably admire the city's pluck in getting something done that even downtown Los Angeles hasn't been able to do.

 

My experience with these big capital issues  -- FWW, Great American Ball Park, the Aronoff (which we actually voted not to build), the Convention Center expansion, Fountain Square renovation all come to mind -- is that Cincinnatians like to bitch a lot, but after a project has successfully run the gauntlet, they accept it and move on. More than anything else, we admire success. Many Cincinnatians hate the Bengals, but they will be on Fountain Square if they ever win the Super Bowl.

 

PG's problem is that he is now on record for voting against the streetcar every chance he's had, and that's gonna' follow him around. He'll have to explain that when development booms along the line -- not just in OTR but also on the vacant upper floors of obsolete downtown office buildings without parking that will become great apartments. Cranley has a similar problem. I doubt people will forget.

 

Arthur Schopenhauer wrote: All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. In Cincinnati, electric rail is now moving from Stage 2 to Stage 3. I suspect, in his heart of hearts, PG is trying to figure out how to move with it.

 

Cincinnatians don't hate the Bengals, they just hate Mike Brown. This city/metro loves the Bengals and wants nothing more than to see the franchise win - and win big. Local TV ratings prove that. This past weekend, the Bengals/Redskins game more than doubled the ratings of the Reds division-clinching win over the Dodgers. When the Bengals win, this whole city feels good about itself.

 

Mike Brown, on the other hand, is an idiot that people don't like. He's not particularly likable as a person and his team's on-field results show the folly of his misguided football-management philosophy. I'd add though that Cincinnati is hardly alone when it comes to beloved teams with hated owners. Heck, just look at Cleveland with the Indians.

 

Yes - I stand corrected.

Things just got real with Barry Horstman's hairpiece, when it bit him!

 

This type of scrutiny could be applied to just about any project and result in the same complaints. So much political opportunism. Cranley is even building a mayoral campaign out of streetcar opportunism.

I'm not sure why the interest rate of these specific bonds is newsworthy and not the countless other municipal bonds Cincinnati and every other city, county, and state in the country sells regularly.  If we hazard to call that rate an "unknown", there is certainly a reasonable range that number will fall within.  The Business Courier ran a story just like this a few months ago and was called out on it.

 

Also, the article fails to investigate which 30-year bonds Cincinnati will be paying off in the next few years.  Doubtless millions will be paid off, freeing that space in the budget. 

Despite Finney's proclamation on am radio over three weeks ago that he was filing suit "later this week" over the Blue Ash Airport sale, no lawsuit has ever been filed, according to both the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts and the US Federal Courts online systems. Was this just another of Finneys empty threats, as with his threat to hold a ballot initiative in Blue Ash?

 

Christopher Finney of Anderson Township, general counsel for COAST (Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes) in Hamilton County, said his organization was poised to circulate referendum petitions if Blue Ash City Council re-did the sales agreement – adding that that would delay the development of the park until the issue went to voters, also in November 2013.

 

“It’s not a possibility, it’s not a likelihood,” Finney said.

 

“It’s a guarantee.”

 

 

BLUE ASH  COAST (Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes) in Hamilton County is backing off its pledge to circulate referendum petitions challenging Blue Ash City Council’s decision to re-do a sales agreement buying 130 acres at the Blue Ash Airport from Cincinnati for a public park.

 

The watchdog group said it would take the action if Blue Ash rescinded a $37.5 million sales agreement with Cincinnati signed in 2006 and amended in 2007 and then approved a new agreement – which Blue Ash City Council voted to do Aug. 9.

 

Late Aug. 14, Blue Ash resident Jeff Capell, a member of COAST, said COAST had not written or picked up referendum petitions

 

I drove by the Blue Ash airport the other day and for the first time in as long as I can remember, there were no aircraft. Seems kind of eerie.

TOAST should hire Tarik Aziz, Saddam Hussein's former Information Minister, as their spokesperson. Aziz would probably spin more believable tales than these guys are capable of doing.

 

 

"We are pounding them!!!"

COAST has claimed the streetcar project is dead at least once every 6 months for the last 4 years.

 

Athlete's Foot thinks they have a bad habit of just lingering around

"There are no streetcar projects anywhere. None.

Cincinnati's is unique. And even if it wasn't, there are

no successful ones. Not a one. And if there are, then I

will lie down in front the American tank that is not

rolling down the road behind me!"

 

"There are no streetcar projects anywhere. None.

Cincinnati's is unique. And even if it wasn't, they are

no successful ones. Not a one. And if they are, then I

will lie down in front the American tank that is not

rolling down the road behind me!"

...

KJP, I wish this board supported +1s  :)

COAST Minister of Misinformation Mark "Baghdad Mark" Miller has spoken!

 

COAST Minister of Misinformation Mark "Baghdad Mark" Miller has spoken!

 

 

He looks like a cross between a dictator's mouthpiece and a gas station attendant!

COAST Minister of Misinformation Mark "Baghdad Mark" Miller has spoken!

 

 

He looks like a cross between a dictator's mouthpiece and a gas station attendant!

 

That's very close; Mark is cross between a wannabe dictator's mouthpiece (Finney) and a bankrupt, failed plumber.

Win.

Had this on the wrong thread...

 

The beautiful part about the obsessive, ill-motivated opposition to the Streetcar is, it's probably the only series of events emotional enough to convince Cincinnatians that they need a subway.

 

Thank you COAST, ODOT, asphalt and energy concerns, John Kasich and Steve Chabot for providing my hometown with a light-rail network.

^ I do think there is some truth to this.

 

Calling it the "streetcar to nowhere" all the time has probably planted the seed that a region-wide system ought to be on the table soon.

 

Saying (but no so much anymore) that OTR was crime-ridden and unworthy of investment sort of suggests that new suburban areas are.

 

The city's confirmation of ownership of our streets makes street-running LRT easier going forward and incents suburban communities to pass similar ordinances. Assuming the city prevails in court with Duke, if it comes to that, removes the cost of utility moves from future LRT planning.

 

And finally, when the Cincinnati Streetcar is up and running, the groups mentioned above will have little credibility for opposing rail in the future. They know they have massively overplayed their hands. I think COAST finally realizes this, and that's why they're bailing.

 

Same with local elected officials and wannabes who oppose it.

 

Milton Dohoney told me yesterday that we are absolutely "there" now. The streetcar will be built as planned. Expect a series of positive news to unfold over the next few weeks and months.

 

 

^ I do think there is some truth to this.

 

Calling it the "streetcar to nowhere" all the time has probably planted the seed that a region-wide system ought to be on the table soon.

 

Saying (but no so much anymore) that OTR was crime-ridden and unworthy of investment sort of suggests that new suburban areas are.

 

The city's confirmation of ownership of our streets makes street-running LRT easier going forward and incents suburban communities to pass similar ordinances. Assuming the city prevails in court with Duke, if it comes to that, removes the cost of utility moves from future LRT planning.

 

And finally, when the Cincinnati Streetcar is up and running, the groups mentioned above will have little credibility for opposing rail in the future. They know they have massively overplayed their hands. I think COAST finally realizes this, and that's why they're bailing.

 

Same with local elected officials and wannabes who oppose it.

 

Milton Dohoney told me yesterday that we are absolutely "there" now. The streetcar will be built as planned. Expect a series of positive news to unfold over the next few weeks and months.

 

I think that you're spot on in your analysis John. We are entering the penultimate chapter of this saga. Or, as a great man once said:

 

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." -Winston Churchill

 

^ The great man that let his capitol be bombed for 57 consecutive nights and was subsequently fired for his sins?

 

:wink:

 

COAST has certainly overplayed their hand, five times over.  Putting the Streetcar on the ballot a second time was their last reprieve with citizenry.  There's nowhere legal to go from there, that's why they turned to backroom deals with a United States Representative.

 

Some positive news I'd love to hear is that there could be $ for the Uptown Connector.

^How exactly did Churchill "let" the Luftwaffe bomb London (and other British cities)? Churchill's defeat had nothing to do with the Blitz:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/election_01.shtml

 

 

^How exactly did Churchill "let" the Luftwaffe bomb London (and other British cities)? Churchill's defeat had nothing to do with the Blitz:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/election_01.shtml

 

 

 

Read the "Defeat" section of the article.  This is key:

 

"The notion that the Conservatives were defeated by 'the (armed) forces vote' is mistaken - as the opinion polls showed, the civilian vote was strongly pro-Labour - but war weariness was probably a factor against Churchill among civilians and servicemen alike. "  The Labour party got almost 12 million votes.  The Conservatives tallied 8.7.

 

Did you comb your source?

Again, back up your claim that Churchill "let" London get attacked.

 

War weariness had everything to do with Churchill's defeat. The British people thought that Churchill had Been an exemplary wartime leader, but thought Labour better able to lead the rebuilding in peacetime. Your accusation that the British people blamed Churchill for The Blitz, etc is unfounded.

 

Some positive news I'd love to hear is that there could be $ for the Uptown Connector.

 

^ That's unlikely unless Chabot's amendment to the House Transportation Bill is rejected by the Senate or, in lieu of that, the big institutions in Uptown pony-up some money to complete the Alternatives Analysis. I think the city has some money for this, but is far short of what is needed.

 

I have no inside information, but here is some of the positive news I expect to see:

 

* Vehicles are ordered within a week or two. That will put a public face on the project.

 

* Rail is ordered -- a sort of "iron-clad guarantee" that the project will be built.

 

* A contractor is selected. I believe that competition to get the Cincinnati job will be very intense. And so the pricing ought to be good. Be great if they can bring it in under budget, as has been the case with other rail projects lately.

 

Planning another trip to Portland in November. If you want to go, send me a note.

What's the status of the non-Duke utility relocations?  We had a bunch of updates on that after the groundbreaking, but I haven't heard much since. 

What's the status of the non-Duke utility relocations?  We had a bunch of updates on that after the groundbreaking, but I haven't heard much since.

 

According to the update from the City posted a couple pages ago in this thread, all of the other utilities involved (Cincinnati Bell, Level 3 Communications, Greater Cincinnati Water Works) are all working on moving their lines/equipment.

Again, back up your claim that Churchill "let" London get attacked.

 

War weariness had everything to do with Churchill's defeat. The British people thought that Churchill had Been an exemplary wartime leader, but thought Labour better able to lead the rebuilding in peacetime. Your accusation that the British people blamed Churchill for The Blitz, etc is unfounded.

 

It certainly is founded, and you just provided some evidence.  You first stated that the Blitzkrieg had everything to do with Churhill's defeat, but quickly contradicted, saying that his prewar popularity carried through the conflict.  George Bush attempted to avoid looking soft on acts of domestic warfare in 2001.  He didn't handle the war well and it was bloodier and carried on longer than his people were willing to tolerate.  George also got his party ousted in 2008 in record numbers.

 

If Washington was bombed for 57 days, Obama would be looking for another job after November, and not because of the economy.

 

Some positive news I'd love to hear is that there could be $ for the Uptown Connector.

 

^ That's unlikely unless Chabot's amendment to the House Transportation Bill is rejected by the Senate or, in lieu of that, the big institutions in Uptown pony-up some money to complete the Alternatives Analysis. I think the city has some money for this, but is far short of what is needed.

 

I have no inside information, but here is some of the positive news I expect to see:

 

* Vehicles are ordered within a week or two. That will put a public face on the project.

 

* Rail is ordered -- a sort of "iron-clad guarantee" that the project will be built.

 

* A contractor is selected. I believe that competition to get the Cincinnati job will be very intense. And so the pricing ought to be good. Be great if they can bring it in under budget, as has been the case with other rail projects lately.

 

Planning another trip to Portland in November. If you want to go, send me a note.

 

Thanks for all that info as well as your invite!  Unfortunately I'll be in Europe working.  An opportunity missed, but who knows what the future may bring.

Moderator Note

 

This is a fascinating discussion, which has jack-all to do with the streetcar. If you want to continue talking about Churchill, please take it elsewhere and keep this thread on-topic.