"Hard Truths" from Phil Heimlich on Mallory & CPS

Vote Against the Little Miami Joint Fire and Rescue Levy

You won't often find a local government opposing a tax levy, but the Newtown Village Council has voted to do exactly that. On November's ballot is a 2.3 mil levy which would remain in effect until two new fire stations are paid off, when officials would rescind it. Council voted 5 to 1 to oppose the levy.

The Enquirer reports "Newtown Village Councilman Mark Kobasuk, who made the motion to oppose the levy, said his issue isn't with the fire district's service, but with the timing. He said voters are struggling in a terrible economy, and Nov. 3 isn't the time to ask them to pay more taxes. Councilman Brian Burns, a Sharonville firefighter who's served on the Fire District board for three months, also voted to oppose the levy. He said the decision, which was made quickly during the council meeting, was "extremely difficult," but now isn't the right time to ask for more money."

The video is pretty convincing evidence that Newtown has been doing more with less for quite a long time. COAST congratulates the Village of Newtown for their spirit of sacrifice in considering their citizens first, and their willingness to endure a while longer until their people can afford to upgrade. We tip our hats to this unusually responsible council.

COAST Endorses Al Peter and Peggy Reis in Anderson Township

Limited government advocates running for reelection

COAST has added to its list of endorsements incumbents Al Peter and Peggy Reis in their bids for re-election to the Anderson Township Board of Trustees. Peter and Reis are facing re-election challenges for the two open seats from three challengers.

Our endorsement is based upon a stellar overall record on taxes and spending by Peter and Reis, and especially on these three positions:

• Because of good stewardship of Township tax resources, the Township was able to weather the cutting of funds for Sheriff’s patrols in the Townships without any reduction in service and without a tax increase.


• When the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center was seeking state funding in 2007, the Anderson Township Board of Trustees blazed a trail in passing a resolution opposing the wasteful spending, and so informing our elected representatives in Columbus.


• These two leaders have stretched Township levy funds such that only a single small supplemental operating levy for safety services was necessary since 2000. The usual 5 year levy was extended to almost 9 years through careful budgeting and spending curbs.

"COAST is pleased to back these two outstanding public officials in their bid for re-election to the Board of Trustees for Anderson Township,” said COAST Chairman Jason Gloyd. “Beyond just shephergding their resources carefully, when COAST needed help fighting Freedom Center funding, the Trustees of Anderson Township were standing firmly behind us.”

Board of Realtors Urges Action Against City Property Tax Hike

Can you help prevent City of Cincinnati property owners from getting slammed with a 2010 tax increase??

Elected officials within the city administration claim they cannot vote on their 2010 Property Tax Budget until Friday, November 13th, 2009. This is 100% completely FALSE! See the email (directly below) sent by Hamilton County Auditor Dusty Rhodes to all city officials yesterday.

October 21, 2009

Members of Cincinnati City Council:

Recently the Hamilton County Budget Commission allowed an extension (approved by the Tax Commissioner of Ohio) so that the City of Cincinnati could present more realistic revenue projections (specifically earnings tax related) for their 2010 tax budget. The Budget Commission had not wanted to act on the previously presented more speculative numbers.

Once the City had the benefit of seeing the September earnings tax collection and gaining the insights of whatever consultant had been retained new projections were shared, the Budget Commission promptly approved the tax budget. City Council is now in a position to also promptly approve it.

There is no requirement that Cincinnati City Council wait 30 days to act. Rather, Cincinnati City Council must act within 30 days.

Dusty Rhodes
Hamilton County Auditor
Secretary, Hamilton County Budget Commission

Now, please read the article from the October 21, 2009 edition of the Cincinnati Enquirer which will provide you additional background information.

So what’s the bottom line?
It’s simple. Some members of the city administration are trying to hide behind the November 3rd, 2009 General Election as “cover” - not casting a public vote themselves until after all Cincinnati voters have already cast their vote for Mayor and Council!

There are four City Council incumbents who have already voiced their support of continuing the Property Tax Rollback. Those Councilmembers are: Jeff Berding, Chris Bortz, Leslie Ghiz and Chris Monzel. To Councilmembers Berding, Bortz, Ghiz and Monzel, we say thank you!!

Because Vice Mayor Crowley and Councilmember Qualls have already voted their opposition to continuing the rollback, we are left to wonder where Councilmembers Laketa Cole, Greg Harris and Cecil Thomas stand on this issue - in addition to Mayor Mark Mallory. (we have listed the contact information for both Vice Mayor David Crowley and Councilmember Roxanne Qualls so you can contact them too.)

Action Needed
Therefore, please contact Councilmembers Cole, Harris, Thomas, Mayor Mark Mallory and City Manager Milton Dohoney to voice your opinion about this attempted “November surprise.”

Ask them to (at the very least) put the Property Tax Rollback on the Monday, October 26th Finance Committee meeting and the Wednesday, October 28th City Council meeting.

If they don’t, Cincinnati Property Owners (residential AND commercial alike) will not know their public servants’ stance on this issue until AFTER casting their vote in the November 3rd General Election.

Name	Office Phone	Email address
Councilmember Laketa Cole	513-352-3466	laketa.cole@cincinnati-oh.gov
Councilmember Greg Harris	513-352-5303	greg.harris@cincinnati-oh.gov
Councilmember Cecil Thomas	513-352-3499	cecil.thomas@cincinnati-oh.gov
Vice Mayor David Crowley	513-352-2453	david.crowley@cincinnati-oh.gov
Councilmember Roxanne Qualls	513-352-3604	roxanne.qualls@cincinnati-oh.gov
Mayor Mark Mallory	513-352-3250	mark.mallory@cincinnati-oh.gov
City Manager Milton Dohoney	513-352-3243	citymanager@cincinnati-oh.gov

If you have any questions, you may contact me at my contact information below.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Take Care,
Mark J. Quarry
Director of Government Affairs

Cincinnati Area Board of REALTORS®
14 Knollcrest Drive / P.O. Box 37889
Cincinnati, OH 45222

Direct: 513-842-3014
Fax: 513-842-3024
Mobile: 513-675-5368
Email: MQuarry@cabr.org

Democrat-controlled Ohio House Votes to Increase Income Taxes

And they have the temerity to lie about it

Prompted by liberal democrat Governor Ted Strickland, the equally liberal democrat House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to increase income tax rates for Ohio residents. The drive for the tax increase was spurred by decades of massive overspending by state lawmakers, which they could not stem even in the wake of Ohio’s declining recessionary revenues. Read about the tax hike here.

Faced with the choice of either finally reforming Ohio’s bloated bureaucracy or raising taxes, Governor Strickland has followed the failed lead of former Governor Bob Taft and elected for a massive tax increase. The liberal democrats in the Ohio House of Representatives have dutifully gone along with the demand for more revenue. Voting in favor of the disappointing tax increase were Denise Driehaus, Tyrone Yates, Dale Mallory, and Connie Pillich.

Even worse, Governor Strickland and compliant legislators have lied about increasing Ohio’s taxes, saying that because they are delaying (repealing) a scheduled tax decrease, they are in fact keeping taxes the same. These people are without shame!
Let’s remember their treachery when the time comes.

Hall of tax increase shame

Pushing “YES ON ISSUE 9” in Communities

Tom Luken, Stephan Louis, and Mark Miller have made appearances for COAST at various community councils and media outlets in favor of Issue 9, exposing the Trolley for the boondoggle that it is. These appearances include:

• 2009-10-05 Prospect Hill Neighborhood Association
• 2009-10-08 WVXU 91.7 FM
• 2009-10-10 The Greenwich Debates
• 2009-10-13 Price Hill Civic Association
• 2009-10-15 Cincinnati Chapter American Institute of Architects
• 2009-10-16 Kennedy Heights Candidates Night
• 2009-10-18 Newsmakers on Local12
• 2009-10-18 CityTalk on 55KRC
• 2009-10-19 Columbia-Tusculum Community Council
• 2009-10-19 Oakley Candidates Night
• 2009-10-19 Mount Lookout Civic Association
• 2009-10-20 Cunningham Show on 700WLW
• 2009-10-21 UC Student Government 2PM at Tangeman Theater
• 2009-10-22 Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce
  [CANCELLED Due to lack of interest]
• 2009-10-23 Hyde Park Candidates Night 7PM at Crossroads Church
• 2009-10-26 Blue Chip Young Republicans 7PM at Molly Malones
• 2009-10-27 Westwood Concern 7PM at Midway School
• 2009-10-29 Republican Party Fundraiser 5:30PM at Western Hills Country Club

Also, “Yes on 9” signs are available for your yards. Call Mark Miller (513-842-7730) to get a sign or to volunteer to place signs on evenings and weekends.

Appeal for Poll Workers

Compensation offered!

The Hamilton County Board of Elections is trying very hard to fill about 100 remaining Poll Worker positions. Here are the details:

• This position is for indoor poll workers on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2009. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
• New workers are required to attend a 4-hr training session to prepare for Election Day.
• Poll Workers are compensated for their time.

Currently, the Republican Poll Worker coordinator reports that he needs approximately 39 Poll Workers in the County and 35 Poll Workers in the City of Cincinnati. Working as a Poll Worker on Election Day is a wonderful way to fulfill your civic responsibility and enjoy being an integral part of the elections process at the same time! The integrity of the elections process is vital to our community and the role of the Poll Worker is a critical one.

To speak with the Republican Poll Worker coordinator, Mike Schrader, please call 513-632-7042. For general information on being a Poll Worker or for any other questions, call Deputy Director Amy Searcy at 513-632-7077.

Mayor Mallory Violates Ethics Rules

Complaint addresses unreported travel, tickets and expense reimbursements

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. And while the rest of the city was dealing with the greatest economic crisis since the great depression, our feckless leader was GONE! A regular Carmen Sandiego, he popped up in Munich, Japan, Toronto, and even Portland, of all places. While everybody else had their travel restricted, the mayor found "outside sources" to avoid using city funds. Each of those is a gift that must be disclosed under state ethics rules. Apparently Mayor Mallory was too busy to do that.

Today, Mark Miller, COAST's treasurer filed a Complaint with the Ohio Ethcis Commisison over the failure of Mayor Mark Mallory to file required disclosures with the Ohio Ethics Commission. The undisclosed items included travel, tickets to the Macy's Music Festical, tickets to the Reds Opening Day and cell phone reimbursement.

"As we see it, Governor Bob Taft was charged and convicted for much less," said COAST Chairman Jason Gloyd. "These pernicious and unethical practices must be fully and properly disclosed for the voters to decide who should lead the City for the coming four years. The failure to complete the disclosure forms property fails to disclose those seeking favor with the Mayor."

A copy of the Complaint form and attachments are here.

2009-10-17 Updated.