Best Reason Yet to Support Issue 9

13 of 19 Council candidates support boondoggle

COAST has repeatedly been asked why it is necessary to address Council’s foolish Trolley plan with a Charter Amendment requiring a public vote on passenger rail proposals. The best argument in favor of Issue 9 that we can advance was suggested by Mayoral candidate Brad Wenstrup: 13 Council candidates have promised to build the $219 million system, despite massive public opposition to the plan.

“How, exactly, is the public to make its voice heard on passenger rail spending,” said COAST Chairman Jason Gloyd, “when special interests are controlling candidates from both parties against the clear public will on this topic? Issue 9 is critical to stop this boondoggle dead in its tracks by requiring a public vote before dollar one is spent on its construction.”

COAST points to the disasterous Riverfront Transit Center completed in 2002 at a cost of up to $60 million (depending on how expenses are calculated). It’s a subway station that no one wants for a system that will never be built. What’s worse, concurrent with the construction of the Riverfront Transit Center, the City cut off rail access to the Center with the construction of Great American Ballpark. Now, trains may go only as far as the Montgomery Inn Boathouse. This is why the Ohio Rail Development Commission has recommended that the Cincinnati station for the 3C rail line terminate at Lunken Airport.

“Some damned fool nameless, faceless bureaucrat decided to build a $60 million subway station on Cincinnati’s Riverfront in 2002,” said COAST Chairman Jason Gloyd. "Issue 9 will require public scrutiny of these types of decisions going forward. Please vote YES on Issue 9.”