In face of funding failure, Flynn offers pathetic mea culpa

Kevin Flynn spent fifteen minutes with Willie Cunningham on 700 WLW last week explaining that he only violated his promise to voters to stop the Streetcar because some unnamed people mislead him. He was bamboozled by the empty promises made to him by people who promised him the operations funding ($4-$5 Million per year) were on the way.

SORTA...We have a Problem!

The whole world cheered as Cincinnati's Regional Bus service, SORTA, offered to "help" with the operation of the Streetcar. Boy do they want to help!

SORTA's own figures show that SORTA's involvement would only increase costs of operations and maintenance.

For SORTA to run the operations and maintenance would add over $600,000 to the costs of operations and maintenance! In just 1 year!

And remember, these are SORTA's numbers! And we know how accurate the streetcar numbers have been thus far!

Under SORTA's rosiest scenario; even just allowing them to "help" a private contractor increases costs by nearly 10%!  That's almost $300,000!  Again, 1 YEAR.

That's a lot of bus tokens.

The Detroit People Mover Still Serves as “a Rich Folks’ Roller Coaster”

A poor city subsidizes 20 years of failure

. . . and the lessons Cincinnati can learn before it's too late!

From Michigan Capitol Confidential:

The Detroit People Mover, a light rail transportation system, celebrated its 20th birthday in July. More than a year before People Mover opened in 1987, Time magazine printed an unflattering preview of the coming attraction titled "Horizontal Elevator to Nowhere." Estimating the project to be a year late and 50 percent over budget, Time detailed numerous defects and problems, with the most notable mistake being the decision to build it at all. One Detroit resident was quoted as saying that it was "a rich folks’ roller coaster," and a Reagan administration transit chief predicted that it could become "the least cost-effective transit project in the last 20 years." The People Mover has repeatedly revisited these themes as if they were stations on its tiny circuit.

It looks like Cincinnati is on the verge of doing the right thing in canceling the Streetcar project. Let's hope we don't insist on repeating Detroit's Folly!


Read the entire article here.

Parsons Brinkerhoff Closes Election with $1000 to Wendell Young...

According to filings with the FEC and Ohio Secretary of State, Streetcar Developer Parsons Brinkerhoff contributed to exactly one campaign in the State of Ohio in November.

Wendell Young received $1000 in the day before the election. 

This follows up on the $250 contributions to Greg Landsman and Michelle Dillingham in October and the $1000 contribution to Roxanne Qualls on September 11.

See Parson's Ohio filings here.

Stop the Streetcar! - Contact Council Now

Council's third reading of the Ordinances to Stop the Streetcar will begin at 2 pm today. Get to City Hall and show your support for the City.

If you can't make it there in person, click the links below to email or call the Mayor and Council and let them know it's time to stop the Streetcar!

Mayor Cranley	352-3250
Vice Mayor David Mann	352-4610
Yvette Simpson	352-5260
Kevin Flynn	352-4550
Amy Murray	352-3640
Chris Seelbach	352-5210
P.G. Sittenfeld	352-5270
Christopher Smitherman	352-3464
Charlie Winburn	352-5354
Wendell Young	352-3466
Whole Council

What Did P.G. Know about the Memo and When did he Know It?

Councilman Sittenfeld did his best gymnastic trick yet last week when he suddenly flip flopped on the Streetcar.

We wonder: Did P.G. know the contents of the memo last week? Did he just hope it would never come out?

Now that we all know that the first phase will cost at least $15 Million more than projected, Is he ready to flip back?

Email P.G. now and ask him if he was in on the coverup!

Kevin Osborne Uncovers Qualls Streetcar Profiteering

WCPO's Kevin Osborne uncovers questions regarding Roxanne Qualls' work as a real estate agent, specifically selling properties along the Streetcar route allowing her to profit from her votes on Council.

Recall that when John Cranley and Chris Bortz faced conflicts between their public duties and their private businesses, they requested Ethics Opinions from the Ohio Elections Commission. Thus far, Roxanne has not requested an opinion on the Ethics or legality of her actions.

Osborne discussed the issue with Brian Thomas on 55 KRC this morning, listen below.

As Brian Thomas said this morning:

"It is a reflection of character that you don't go ahead and do the right thing and ask for an ethics opinion upfront."

Pam Thomas Pulls a Seelbach!

In the vote on an additional $17.4 Million (by no means the last "additional" funding this project will require), Cincinnati's newest Councilmember, Pamula Thomas voted "no" on the ordinance and "Yes" on the emergency.

Watch the $17.4 Million Vote here

CIty Council's Budget Committee will be voting on an additional $17.4 Million for the Streetcar Boondoggle Project this afternoon. Beginning at 1 pm you can watch the kabuki theatre committee meeting and the vote below.

Radio Roundup

Today was a big day in Cincinnati radio.

Christopher Smitherman on 55KRC with Brian Thomas:



and 700 WLW with Scott Sloan (starting at 15 minutes):



Ben Swann on 55KRC with Brian Thomas discussing his great reporting on the IRS scandal and his new website BenSwann.com sign up for his email alerts at his new page.

Streetcar Electric Tax on Death-bed - Public Input Pays Off

Yesterday Duke and the other parties to the PUCO rate case released their agreed "Stipulation and Recommendation." Available below.

Included was an agreement to accept the PUCO staff recommendation and the hundreds of letters and public comments, that the Streetcar tax be denied.

Duke Makes it Clear that the Streetcar Tax is a Streetcar Tax!

We have heard caterwauling from the Streetcar Sycophants like Roxanne Qualls and Mayor Mallory that Duke's proposed Streetcar Tax is not about the Streetcar. False accusations that COAST is using lies and misinformation to somehow "drum up" opposition to the proposal.

Well, it looks as if Duke's own attorney failed to get the memo. As she states explicitly:

The Company's Rider FRT and supporting testimony filed in these preceedings clearly define and identify the type of public transportation projects eligible for inclusion and specifically identify one particular project. namely the City of Cincinnati's street car project, as such a project...Nonetheless, there are no other specific projects to be identified presently pursuant to Rider FRT because no such projects exist at this time.

We'll take that as vindication. The Streetcar Tax has always been about the Streetcar and nothing else; and will always be about the Streetcar, and nothing else.

Read Duke's entire Memorandum Contra Staff and OCC Motions to Strike below.

Submit your public comment in opposition to Rider FRT here. Remember to reference Case No. 12-1682-EL-AIR.

Read others' comments here.

  Duke Response to Motion to Strike by COAST  

Duke Rate Case Hearing Tonight...

Tonight the PUCO will be hosting its second Public Hearing in the Duke Rate Case. Included for discussion and consideration is the infamous "Streetcar Electric Tax."

Last night over 100 people filled the Fairfield meeting and we hope for an even bigger crowd tonight.

First of Four PUCO Public Hearings Tonight...

Ohio's PUCO will be holding four public hearings on Duke's Rate Increase Request (details below)

Included in the Request is the Streetcar Electric Tax. As detailed here and here. If allowed, this will result in the cost of the Streetcar being covered by Electricity users throughout the region, not solely within the City Limits.

Tonight's Meeting:

6:30 P.M. Fairfield Township Administrative Building 

6032 Morris Road

Hamilton, OH 45011

Directions here. 

The best way to ensure that this cost is born by the City of Cincinnati is for PUCO to Deny the Request for the Streetcar Tax (Officially Rider FRT) and declare that the City of Cincinnati is responsible for the costs of relocating utility lines for the Streetcar.

Approximately 500 people have already submitted comments online. Submit your comments in person tonight or online here. Make sure to reference Case Number 12-1682-EL-AIR. Read other comments here.

Enquirer Misses Important Facts

Cindi Andrews at the Enquirer has an article reviewing the latest of the Cincinnati Streetcar Boondoggle and the Duke PUCO case.

Ms. Andrews states "Many are non-city residents who mistakenly think they’re being asked to pay the estimated $15 million cost to move utility lines out of the rails’ way."

Sorry Ms. Andrews, but unfortunately, those non-city residents are not mistaken. As Ohio's Office of Consumers' Counsel rightly points out in its Objections to the Staff Report:

City Hall Still Pushing to Use Metro Funding for Streetcar

Press Release: February 17, 2013

Christopher Smitherman, President, Cincinnati NAACP

CINCINNATI, OHIO - FEBRUARY 17, 2013 - Six Members of Council and the Mayor are pushing the SORTA Board to expand language that would include funding for the streetcar.  This decision will be negative to bus routes over the long term.  The majority of bus riders are African Americans in Cincinnati.  Bus riders have seen fares go higher and routes reduced over the last 5 years.  "The streetcar is not in the interest of our members.  We remain concerned by the lack of basic financial common sense at City Hall," President Smitherman said.

Roxanne Qualls - Still Crazy After all These Years

Reading Roxanne Qualls' memo to City Manager Dohoney and Mayor Mallory we were reminded of that great Paul Simon song, "Still Crazy After all These Years."

She tries to sound like she hasn't drunk the Streetcar Kool-Aid; like she's a reasonable, thoughtful person. But then, just when you start to believe, "maybe Roxie's not so bad after all, maybe she does get it," she reminds you just how far down the path of Streetcar Sycophancy she has gone:

The goal of this approach is to bring the streetcar into service in time for the All Star-Game and on budget.

Streetcar Price Doubles!

Press Release: February 17, 2013

Christopher Smitherman, President, Cincinnati NAACP

CINCINNATI, OHIO - FEBRUARY 17, 2013 - This week the City Administration announced that the lowest bid for building the streetcar was double the estimates presented to the public over the last 4 years.  These "real" estimates confirm that the estimates provided by the broad coalition against the streetcar were accurate over the past 4 years.  Unfortunately the cost is even more expensive than $151-$180 million reported.  These numbers do not include the full cost of utility movement nor interest on the $64 million of debt to build the streetcar.  "City Hall has been intentional in misleading the public on the cost of a 3 1/2 mile streetcar.  This project continues to undermine the long term solvency of the City of Cincinnati.  Bankruptcy is not progress," President of the Cincinnati NAACP said. 

Duke Files Suit Against Cincinnati - The Game is Afoot

Duke Energy finally filed its claim for Declaratory Judgment against the City of Cincinnati on Valentine's Day! Honestly, could the week be any better for COAST??

It is Duke's position that Cincinnati's Ordinance No. 349-2012 unconstitutionally amended the Municipal Code to shift the cost of relocating utility lines for the Streetcar Boondoggle to Duke.

Duke rightly points out that if this Ordinance is allowed to stand, the cost of the streetcar will be born by non-Cincinnati residents. Including residents of Hamilton, Butler, Clermont and Warren Counties.

We cannot wait to watch the fur fly!

  Duke v Cincinnati Complaint by  

Read the Enquirer story here.

COAST Exclusive Streetcar Boondoggle Bids Released

As the Enquirer reports here, the three bids for the construction work on the Streetcar route have come in and vary widely.

From a low bid of $71 Million to a high bid over $87 Million it is clear that there are still a lot of unknowns about this project. Remember, these bids do not include the cost of the Streetcars themselves, or the cost of relocating utility lines.

COAST is the first to publish the actual bids. Review the documents for yourself below.

We will follow up with the projected Streetcar budget to determine just how far off the City's projections are.

  Cincinnati Streetcar Bid Tabulation by COAST