Nail-biter mayoral election in Cincinnati
Today a winner will be chosen between two Democratic candidates for mayor - John Cranley and Roxanne Qualls.
Experts say turn-out will determine the winner, and experts are also expecting a rather low turn-out, inasmuch as the mayoral primary, held in August had a record low turn-out, and the number of early voters and absentee ballot requests has been very light.
Ms. Qualls is the current vice-mayor and supported by the current mayor, Mark Mallory, who is term-limited. Qualls is a strong supporter of a streetcar project, to run ca 4miles from the center city north and back, as well as a long-term lease of parking garages and meters to private firms for 30 and 50 years.
Mr. Cranley, who served on council from ca 2001 -2009, opposes the parking leases as well as the streetcar project, inasmuch as the city of Cincinnati has a seriously underfunded pension system and other critical needs in roads and neighborhood revitalization.
It has been a hard-fought campaign on both sides. Results should be interesting, since there have been wedges made between the two factions that will not be easily mended.
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He is an attorney who served several 2-yr. terms on city council before resigning in 2009 to take on a building/revitalization project which could have been a conflict of interest had he remained. He himself asked for the ruling and aboded by it when it was given. He is a Harvard graduate and from a family of community service- his mother served on the city Board of Education; another was a well-regarded physician. He has a wife and one son.
Like many Midwestern cities, Cincinnati has had budgetary problems in recent years, although many areas near the downtown are being revitalized with restoration and some new building, especially condos. The previous administration had contracted for a 3.8 mile streetcar, with rails, to be built from downtown to the revitalized area called Over-the-Rhine. The streetcar is being built in Spain, and the first pieces of track have been laid.
Meanwhile, costs have escalated and there is no way this project would pay for itself. Even though the citizenry voted for this project in the past, it has come into disfavor because of higher costs and the thought of subsidizing it far into the future. Mr. Cranley campaigned against the streetcar, and in his acceptance speech, promised to get out of obligations and substitute another, less costly form of transportation - perhaps a wheeled bus.
The city has all but finalized the leasing of the city parking garages and meters to Xerox and another company for 30 and 50 years. Parking would be strictly enforced, and prices raised significantly, which could be a hardship for businesses dependent on street parking. The public showed it is against that by electing a number of council persons who had announced they were against the parking leases as well as the streetcar.
This DUer is happy with the outcome.
I really don't understand why a streetcar was need just to go from Over-The-Rhine to downtown. They can use a MetroPlus bus instead.