Panic!

In an absolutely remarkable press conference this morning at City Hall, Mayor Mallory and the Gang of Six (Chris Seelbach, the 6th vote to try to deprive Cincinnati voters of a referendum right was there in spirit only) continued to admit their fiscal malpractice at the City.


The general messages of the presser was:  (i) don't sign the petition, (ii) you little people (the citizens) are so dumb, so misled on this issue, (iii) we need to do a better job of communicating and need the media to be our tool in that process, (iv) the Port Authority is virtuous and we can trust them (ignoring the greedy investment bankers from New York behind the deal), (v) we have so over-spent in this City for so many years, you can't possibly expect us to live within our budget now, (vi) we have no intention of backing off this failed deal and (vii) more threats and intimidation from the Mayor and Council to hack police and firemen from the budget.

But generally, it was an admission that all is lost, and doom is looming.  Years ago, Ed Maruska famously threatened the zoo elephants if he did not get his levy.  This year, Mayor Mallory is threatening the livelihood of police and firemen if citizens dare sign the parking petition.

Perhaps the most remarkable was the performance of Roxanne Qualls who all but conceded COAST's point that for six years the City needed desperately to cut spending, but chose not to.  Now, she claims, we can't slash spending overnight,and that somehow the voices of fiscal restraint are foisting a crisis on the City.  Further, she claims that selling a 30-year asset of the City to fund deficit spending for two more years is somehow a "bridge to the future."  Huh?

The extreme idiocy coming from City Hall from these seven is utterly amazing.