Apparently Enquirer Publisher Margaret Buchanan's editorial page woke up yesterday after five long years and realized that Mayor Mallory and the Bat Shit Crazy Council was intending to spend $150 million on a Streetcar project.
We came to this conclusion because the timing of her editorial today on the streetcar is curious at best, irresponsible at worst.
After five years of planning and discussion, two ballot issues, the expenditure of more the $20 million, the floating of bonds for an additional $64 million, the withdrawal of $52 million in state funds, and a groundbreaking all the way back in February, the Enquirer today finally concludes that "many other public safety, health and neighborhood priorities are more pressing" than the Streetcar project.
Hello, hello, this is what the NAACP, COAST, the FOP, the Baptist Ministers, the Homeless Coalition, Westwood Concern, the Firefighters Union, the CODE Labor Union, Christopher Smitherman, and others have been saying for the entire five years, before the first $20 million was squandered.
We suppose that the belated commentary is appreciated, but where has the needed opinion leadership been while Council, the Mayor and the administration have flailed around irresponsibly with this snake-bitten project? Does the Enquirer really believe that their late entry into the debate impacts the discussion at all?
There used to be a time in Cincinnati when the Enquirer's voice was needed and respected, tempering of views on each side of the equation, and even plowing important new fields. Today, they run an editorial column once per month, and usually make some trite commentary that is largely irrelevant to the actual debate underway. Their views are much like Krista Ramsey's feel-good, rah-rah Cincinnati bosterism, or touchy-feely sensitivity, rather than much needed objective critical thinking about where we are headed as a community.
So, from COAST's perspective, sort of welcome to the party. But we kind of wonder where you have been while the heavy lifting was being done, and doubt that you will stay for the cleanup.
"Hello, hello, this is what the NAACP, COAST, the FOP, the Baptist Ministers, the Homeless Coalition, Westwood Concern, the Firefighters Union, the CODE Labor Union, Christopher Smitherman, and others have been saying for the entire five years"
ReplyDeleteHello, hello, These groups you mention DO NOT MATTER!
The people who do are the
38,645 Cincinnatian's who elected Mayor Mallory in 2009
38,132 Cincinnatian's who defeated Issue 9
37,462 Cincinnatian's who defeated Issue 48
We are also know as... THE MAJORITY!
OK, so on that participatory democracy thing, we will just crawl in a hole and ignore the intentional bankrupting of a City.
ReplyDeleteYou won. Good for you. Why after five freaking years is the first inch of track not laid yet? Maybe because your precious Mayor and Council don't have a viable plan yet.
So tell you what, Ace. You keep on gloating and we will keep doing our job as an accountability watchdog. And may the best man win, eh?
Because the RFP for contractors who will build the damn thing will be issued in a couple of months.
ReplyDeleteYou're a watchdog? Or a bully. You're of the opinion that money=speech (Citizens United). Hooray for the Rich, of which you're not -- but of which you aspire to.