Deteriorating Music Hall first major victim of Cincinnati Streetcar folly

Two fundamental propositions are undeniably true:

• Music Hall is a gem in Cincinnati, architecturally, historically, and as the home for Cincinnati's world-class symphony orchestra. 

• Music Hall is outdated and falling into disrepair.

Voters sue Maple Heights at Ohio Supreme Court over Red Light Camera Charter Amendment

True to form of thuggish public officials, the Law Director of Maple Heights, Ohio (a suburb of Cleveland) is instructing City Council members in that fine burb to ignore the mandates of the Ohio Constitution requiring ballot access for Charter Amendments upon the presentation of a sufficient number of signatures.

In contrast, the City of Maple Heights really wants to be sued

Unlike the City fathers in Cleveland who appear on a trajectory to respect the will of Cleveland voters by placing the Charter Amendment on the ballot as mandated by their petitions and the Ohio Constitution, the City of Maple Heights appears to want COAST to sue them.  Read their defiant letter here.

Well, if that's what they want....

Cleveland Red Light Camera initiative appears headed for the ballot

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports this evening that petitioners there have obtained enough valid signatures to place the issue before the voters in our northern neighbor this fall.

Read it here.

Roseann Sideritz nails it -- the Cult of School

Read here today's fantastic editorial in the Cincinnati Enquirer about the problems in Kings School District.

Media wrap on Cleveland Red Light Cameras

Here is a media rundown on yesterday's turn-in of Red Light Camera Petitions in Cleveland. 

• Cleveland's Channel 19.
• The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
• WTAM television.
• The Newspaper.Com.

More Streetcar bad news

It seems there is no amount of bad news that would convince Streetcar fanatics about the fiscal and economic incorrectness of their support for the Cincinnati Streetcar project.  Overall cost, cost per rider, the absence of any real transportation benefits, the list of reasons not to have done the Streetcar is lengthy and valid, but the biggest reason not to have proceeded with the Streetcar is that each year, year after year, the fine citizens and taxpayers of Cincinnati will need to lay off police and firefighters, and decide between picking up trash and cleaning the streets of ice and snow, versus operating the trolley to nowhere.

Two developments on Ohio Red Light Cameras

We have two major updates on banning red light cameras in Ohio:

City of Maple Heights, OH tackles Red Light Cameras

It's the latest in a series of ballot issues backed by COAST to ban red light cameras in Ohio, City by City.  This time, we came to the aid of the residents of Maple Heights, Ohio in drafting a petition to amend the City Charter to ban the pernicious devices.

See 19 Action News' coverage of today's protest and the petition turn-in.  Once again, citizens take control of their own destiny.