Northern Kentucky Launches COAST Chapter

An enthusiastic group of COAST volunteers is launching a new Chapter in northern Kentucky to bring the message of truly limited government to the Commonwealth.

The Chapter will hold its inaugural event on Sunday, June 21 from 1 to 5 PM at Bulldog's Roadhouse Bulldog's 2015 Declaration Drive, Independence, KY 41051. The location is just a few miles south of Covington on Madison Pike exit from I-275 at Ky 17 (3-L Highway).

We are pleased to feature Dr. Rand Paul at the event. Dr. Paul, son of Presidential candidate Dr. Ron Paul, is exploring a run for the United States Senate from Kentucky. Also featured at the event will be COAST Chairman Jason Gloyd.

The restaurant will have a full menu with a variety of inexpensive items. Bulldog's also has a very nice bar with scores of cold beer labels to choose, while you will find most of your favorite wines and cocktails available.

The public is invited to attend. There is no charge for this event.

This is a non-partisan event and elected officials and candidates from all parties will be in attendance. Any position literature or campaign material must be officially approved by northern Kentucky COAST organizers.

Pepper was for Sheriff's new boat before he was against it

Now he claims he is undecided

Last week, voters flooded the offices of the Hamilton County Commission with calls and e-mails after Commission President David Pepper and fellow tax-and-spend democrat Todd Portune announced that they supported spending $98,691 in tax dollars for a new boat for Sheriff Simon Leis. This proposed purchase is on top of four boats already used by the Sheriff to patrol the Ohio River (3/4 of which is in Kentucky).

The next day, Commission President David Pepper delayed the vote saying there were "a lot of personality and a lot of politics" in the issue.

Now, Pepper says he is undecided until he gets important questions answered about the purchase.

Pepper is an announced candidate for Ohio Treasurer but COAST is certain that the "personality and politics" at play on the issue of the Sheriff's new boat has nothing to do with his career ambitions.COAST thanks Commissioner Greg Hartmann for his consistent stand against wasting tax dollars on the Sheriff's new toy.

2009-06-16 UPDATE: Commission Democrats say "What budget problem?" and vote to give Leis his new yacht. Deputies wonder how many more will be laid off to fuel, staff & service it.

COAST calls for Cincinnati to stop paying lazy workers

Last week, COAST reported on this story about two Cincinnati Pension department workers goofing off on the job, and breaking City rules when it comes to use of money.

Amazingly, while the City is facing a $40 million annual deficit, the City has paid the salary of these employees since January, even though they have both been suspended for poor performance.

COAST today wrote a letter to Council demanding that the City change its policies to expedite the firing of lazy City employees, and to immediately stop payments to workers who have been suspended for employment-related reasons.

The Cincinnati Enquirer today wrote this story detailing how it is common practice for deceased City employees to continue receiving pension checks months and years after their deaths. The suspended employees were responsible for purging deceased employees from the system.

Here is a summary of some of the contents of the personnel files of these suspended City workers that COAST pulled from City personnel records:

• From January 1, 2005-January 1-2009 one severely mismanaged the City of Cincinnati's Retirement System by violating and mismanaging amounts of money up to or greater than $226,966.
• During the time Dec. 29-2008-January 27, 2009 this same employee spent 71 hours of total work time or 52.65 of his available hours on non duty related websites as documented by the Office of Internal Audits' investigation.
• This same employee was found not to complete assignments on time and that he was not present enough to complete the required amount of work.
• A second employee was found to have severely mismanaged the City of Cincinnati Retirement System as evidenced by violating and mismanaging amounts of money up to or greater than $108,631.
• This second employee failed to update 142 member's records in pension system. It was found that 254 retirees who are deceased in 2008 were still "active" in the health insurance program.
• This employee only takes calls from known numbers. Voicemail is full. She bounces calls back to front desk frequently. Her customer service does not meet the primary goal of CRS-excellent Customer Service.

"The City's refusal to reform and cut costs is hurtling us headlong into a 2010 demand for a tax increase," said COAST Chairman Jason Gloyd. "When they come knocking on the door for more taxes, we will remind them of their continuing and profligate waste."

Soviets Declare Ideological Victory

Pravda, the Russian propaganda ragnewspaper declares "American capitalism gone with a whimper." Read their full story here. Some excerpts:

It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed...

True, the situation has been well prepared on and off for the past century, especially the past twenty years. The initial testing grounds was conducted upon our Holy Russia and a bloody test it was...

Those lessons were taken and used to properly prepare the American populace for the surrender of their freedoms and souls... First, the population was dumbed down through a politicized and substandard education system based on pop culture... Americans know more about their favorite TV dramas then the drama in DC that directly affects their lives.

Then their faith in God was destroyed, until their churches, all tens of thousands of different "branches and denominations" were for the most part little more then Sunday circuses...

The final collapse has come with the election of Barack Obama. His speed in the past three months has been truly impressive. His spending and money printing has been a record setting, not just in America's short history but in the world. If this keeps up for more then another year...America at best will resemble the Wiemar Republic and at worst Zimbabwe.

These past two weeks have been the most breath taking of all. First came the announcement of a planned redesign of the American Byzantine tax system, by the very thieves who used it to bankroll their thefts, loses and swindles of hundreds of billions of dollars. These make our Russian oligarchs look little more then ordinary street thugs, in comparison. Yes, the Americans have beat our own thieves in the shear volumes. Should we congratulate them?

Nothing is over until we decide it is. and it ain't over yet.

Proof Positive That Government is Inefficient

Pension workers story provides all the evidence we need

COAST saw this fantastic story over the Memorial Day weekend about two Cincinnati Pension Fund workers goofing off on the job, and breaking City rules when it comes to use of money. The funny (sad) thing is, despite these obvious over-the-top abuses, both have been on paid administrative leave – at taxpayer expense – since January. (How long before the City, in the midst of a budget crisis, stops paying them for not working?)

The story describes one worker as a “‘disorganized’ and ‘irresponsible’ supervisor who missed too much work, neglected his duties and failed to change his behavior despite repeated warnings.” The other was “so unresponsive that she refused to answer her office phone unless it was a number she recognized.” COAST knows there are some hard working public servants, and salutes them, but this story makes us ask: Do we really need more of them?

Is Cincinnati Setting Us Up For a Tax Increase?

Rather than cut spending, City tells voters “don’t worry, be happy”

The City of Cincinnati is facing a $40 million deficit next year. In this election year, the Mayor Mallory is telling voters not to worry about the habitual over-spending by the liberal democrat Council. Mallory claims that threatened layoffs are “premature” and assured us that "the sky's not falling.” COAST thinks we are being set up for a 2010 tax increase. Originally City leaders projected a $14 million deficit, now it looks more like $20 million.

By law, the City of Cincinnati cannot operate at a deficit. It must either raise taxes or cut its spending to balance its budget annually. So, if the Mayor is ruling out substantial budget cuts, that leaves a massive 2010 tax increase as the City’s only other option.

Compare the Mayor’s soothing assurances to Mayor Coleman’s 100 miles up the road in Columbus. In his 2008 Mayoral campaign, liberal democrat Mayor Coleman promised that a tax increase would not be needed despite the City’s historically profligate spending habits. Now, voters there are facing a massive 25% increase in the earnings tax at a special election on August 4. The same City leaders that said “don’t worry” two years ago, now are threatening catastrophe from police layoffs if the tax is not approved.

“The City of Cincinnati needs to deal with its budget problems openly and promptly,” said COAST Chairman Jason Gloyd. “Otherwise, we are doomed to bad choices in 2010. Mayor Mallory needs to come clean now on the City’s budget problems.”

COAST Sues Cincinnati Over Petitioner Harassment

Access to public sidewalks, Fountain Square and Findlay Market for Trolley petition are at issue

COAST has filed suit in Federal Court in Cincinnati to stop official harassment and threats of its volunteers by City officials while circulating petitions for the proposed Charter Amendment to stop the Cincinnati Trolley.

In April and May, COAST petitioners were relentlessly harassed at numerous City venues collecting signatures on petitions for a Charter Amendment to stop the Cincinnati Trolley. Scott Ross was ordered off of a public sidewalk in Mt. Lookout by a Cincinnati Police Officer. The officer even had the gall to tell Mr. Ross that in Cincinnati he needed a Solicitor’s License to collect signatures.

Dan Regenold was chased off Fountain Square by a Cincinnati Police officer and an executive with Fountain Square Manager 3CDC. Regenold and Dapper were threatened with arrest by two police officers at Findlay Market.

Many COAST volunteers have repeatedly suffered the oppression of Cincinnati officials who fail to understand the First Amendment, especially during the SuperSized Jail Tax campaign. Then, we were harassed on the Public Landing, on Fountain Square, at Findlay Market and elsewhere through the City by Cincinnati’s finest.

The COAST suit, pending before Federal Judge Dlott, seeks an injunction to stop the harassing behavior going forward.

Hamilton County Continues to Struggle with Over-spending

Nearly two years after the defeat of the Super-Sized Jail Tax, the liberal democrat County Commission continues to struggle with its habitual over-spending. In May, Commissioners got another dose of bad budget news, more declining revenues.

And, while the County struggles, Commissioner David Pepper is running for State Auditor, ignoring his obligations to Hamilton County.

NAACP Launches Charter Amendment Campaign Against Water Works Plan

Why would we buy assets we already own for $475 million?

In May, City Manager Milton Dohoney endorsed a plan to transfer the assets of the Cincinnati Water Works to a new regional water authority. From COAST’s perspective, the plan has serious problems, including:

• forcing ratepayers to buy water district assets at a price of $475 million – assets they already own! and
• Giving the Water District the authority to raise property taxes and to take real property by eminent domain.

Read the full COAST analysis here and here. You may read for yourself the Executive Summary of the Advisory Committee report here and the entire report here.

Now, in addition to launching the petition drive to stop Council’s Trolley Folly, Christopher Smitherman and the Cincinnati Chapter of the NAACP have also launched a petition to stop the Water Works plan.

COAST presently is considering endorsing the Water Works petition and helping with the signature gathering effort. E-mail COAST Chairman Jason Gloyd at Jason.Gloyd@cbws.com with your thoughts on the NAACP Water Works petition.

Auditor Dusty Rhodes Blasts Commission Mis-spending

So often, basic governmental services are not funded properly, and we are told that only a massive tax increase will allow their continuation. Well County Auditor Dusty Rhodes has had enough and now he is speaking forcefully about the issue. Read the Rhodes statement and the Enquirer blog about it here. See Rhodes official Auditor's web site here.

COAST agrees with this sentiment. The best example of this was the Super-Sized Jail tax. County government has been so enthusiastic about providing frills and headline grabbing functions (remember the Film Commission?), that it claimed (and continues to claim), it has no money for a basic, statutorily-mandated service such as incarcerating criminals.

Are we being set up for yet another jail tax increase plan?

Rhodes argues that Commissioners are spending money on entirely optional, expensive programs rather than incarcerating dangerous criminals, a function the Ohio Revised Code requires them to perform. His admonition is instructive to all government officials:

"The easiest way to cut costs is to stop doing the things you are not required to do."

Now there's an idea. Does this bring the $185 million trolley to mind for anyone?

Here are the specific things Rhodes complains Commissioners are doing (some currently) that are taking sorely needed funds from basic government operations:

• Government subsidy of private business at the The Banks project;
• Two sports stadiums;
• $12,879,783 in outside lawyers;
• Providing free police service to selected areas; and
• Purchasing emergency sirens for selected communities.

About the Banks project, Rhodes forcefully says, "The importance assigned to this City project [the Banks] is completely disproportionate to reality and to what the County can reasonably afford. It has become an expensive, editorial board driven obsession. It has become a desperate attempt to do what the market says should not be done."

Please write or call these four elected officials and let them know your support for Rhodes position. Thank you Dusty Rhodes!

Auditor Dusty Rhodes
Dusty.Rhodes@auditor.hamilton-co.org
(513) 946-4050 Phone
(513) 946-4043 Fax

Commission President David Pepper
david.pepper@hamilton-co.org
(513) 946-4409 Phone
(513) 946-4407 Fax

Commissioner Todd Portune
todd.portune@hamilton-co.org
(513) 946-4401 Phone
(513) 946-4446 Fax

Commissioner Greg Hartmann
greg.hartmann@hamilton-co.org
(513) 946-4405 Phone
(513) 946-4404 Fax

COAST General Counsel Appears at NTU Conference June 12

Christopher P. Finney heads panel on
"Using Issues & Referenda to Advance the Taxpayers' Cause"

COAST General Counsel Christopher P. Finney appears at this year's Bi-Annual Conference of the National Taxpayer's Union in Arlington, Virginia on June 12, 2009.

The National Taxpayers Conference, which is held from June 11 through the 13th, will also feature the following speakers: U.S. Senator Jim DeMint, U.S. Congressman Tom Price, Governor of Missouri Matt Blunt, former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, and Steve Moore renowned Wall Street Journal columnist.

Finney will moderate a panel discussion the first full day of the Conference, entitled "Using Issues & Referenda to Advance the Taxpayers Cause."

Finney is the author of several Amendments to the Cincinnati City Charter, including Council term limits, a limitation on the City's ticket tax, Cincinnati's ban on Red Light Cameras, a ban on using tax resources for political purposes, and this year's proposed Charter Amendment stopping the proposed $185 million Trolley.

In addition to his work for COAST, Finney recently was appointed to the Executive Committee of the Cincinnati Chapter of the NAACP and serves as the Chair of its Legal Redress Committee. Finney was a key organizer of the WeDemandAVote.Com coalition that toppled the Super-Sized Jail Tax in 2007 and won the prestigious national "Modern Day Sam Adams Award" from the Sam Adams Alliance in Chicago. Finney was named one of eight Ohio Lawyers of the Year in 1998.

Finney is a shareholder of Finney, Stagnaro, Saba & Patterson Co., L.P.A., with 18 attorneys in two offices in the Cincinnati area. He concentrates in real estate law, general litigation and constitutional law.

In addition to working on limited government initiatives in the Cincinnati area, the WeDemandAVote.Com coalition has continued to promote the Red Light Camera ban throughout Ohio and the nation.

This is Finney's second appearance before NTU conferences. He spoke at its national conference in 2007 just after the start of the petition drive to repeal the Super-Sized Jail Tax. COASTer Dan Regenold has spoken about same campaign before both the Sam Adams Alliance and at the national CPAC Conference in February 2008,where he discussed "The Power of Principle: Conservative Victories Across the Nation in 2007."

Since it was founded 40 years ago, the National Taxpayers Union has been the Nation's leading organization advocating for limited government and lower taxes at the federal, state and local levels. The National Taxpayers Conference assembles activists from throughout the nation and world every two years to fight against the otherwise unchecked growth of government.

Proposed Senate Budget Cuts Freedom Center Funds

Republicans strip all earmarks from House Budget Bill; Call your Senator to encourage discipline
The bottomless pit of tax dollars known as
the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

Finally freeing itself from the failed legacy of tax-and-spend Governor Bob Taft, the Ohio Senate has introduced an alternative to the budget from the liberal democrat House that strips all earmarks from the plan. The House Budget bill contained more than $8.6 million in earmarks, including a whopping $3.1 million for Cincinnati’s National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
After the Ohio House passed its budget, the administration announced that Ohio was facing a $3 billion deficit for the coming biennial. Of course, that means a massive tax hike!

Leaders in the Ohio Senate have assured COAST that Freedom Center funding will not be negotiated back into the bill during budget conference.

COAST encourages its members to call their Senators to encourage them to stand strong against Freedom Center funding.

State Senator	Serving:	Telephone
Eric Kearney	Central Hamilton County	(614) 466-5980
Bill Seitz	West & North Hamilton County	(614) 466-8068
Bob Schuler	East Hamilton & Warren Counties	(614) 466-9737
Tom Niehaus	Clermont County	(614) 466-8082
Gary Cates	Butler County	(614) 466-8072
Bill Harris	Senate President	(614) 466-8086

After four years of fighting against Freedom Center funding, victory appears close at hand.

WeDemandAVote.Com Announces Trolley Petition Leadership & Totals

Honorary Chairman of the Trolley petition drive
former Congressman Tom Luken

The novel coalition among the NAACP, COAST, the Libertarians and Greens continues this year with a petition drive to force a public vote on City plans for a $185 million trolley system that runs a mere four miles in downtown and Over-the-Rhine, and perhaps up the hill to Clifton, if that's possible.

At a rally on March 21, NAACP President Christopher Smitherman announced the drive was more than half way to the goal of 6,150 signatures to place the issue on the November 3, 2009 ballot with more than 3,100 valid signatures in hand.

President Smitherman also announced WeDemandAVote.Com trolley campaign leadership team of Honorary Chairman Congressman Tom Luken, Honorary Vice Chairman Councilmember Chris Monzel, Chairman Mark Miller and Steering Committee Chairman, Price Hill Activist Pete Witte.

Thanks to all COAST volunteers, the NAACP and other coalition partners for making this campaign a success. This will be the fourth successful petition drive in three years for COAST and the WeDemandaVote.Com coalition.

To volunteer to help get the trolley petition on the ballot, contact WeDemandaVote.Com Chairman Mark Miller at 513-617-2263 or at Treasurer@GoCOAST.org.