$170 million isn't enough

Dear fellow tax hikers, Hamilton County Commissioners sent to the voters a 5 year, $170 million Sales Tax increase to restore Cincinnati-owned Union Terminal.  We are disgusted that we aren't being asked to pay more.  How dare the Hamilton County Commissioners exclude the Cincinnati-owned Music Hall from this proposal and not ask us to pay even more taxes.

$170 million is not enough.  What is Union Terminal supposed to do with a paltry $170 million?  We must pay more.  It is not enough for Hamilton County to restore one building that Cincinnati owns.  If they do not do both buildings, it is a total, complete failure of leadership. 

There was only one plan, and that is the one Bob McDonald proposed.  Bob McDonald said so himself.  County Commissioners had no right to utilize their legal authority to propose something else. 

Bob McDonald is rich.  Therefore, anything he proposes must be enacted without question. 

Because we are so distraught that we may only have to pay $170 million, we are going to leave you with commentary from fantastic folks we admire:

- Dictator Bob McDonald, public relations guru - "There is no alternative plan. This is the plan."

- Francie Hiltz, Cincinnati Museum Center Board Chair -  "This is a total failure"

- Cultural Facilities Task Force - "the worst possible outcome"

- Doug McDonald, Cincinnati Museum Center CEO - "This is disappointing for everybody. There are no winners here."

- Eric Avner, Haile Foundation - "Must be all or nothing."

This is the first tax increase ever that doesn't excite us.  $170 million just doesn't go as far as it used to. 

Musuem costs increase $11 million

Dear fellow tax hikers, an outside expert has concluded that the costs to renovate Union Terminal and Music Hall have increased $10.7 million.  Last month the legendary Cultural Facilities Task Force, led by PR expert Bob McDonald, claimed project costs would be $331.7 million before interest.

One month later, the cost is now $342.4 million.  No big deal.  We encourage Hamilton County Commissioners to simply increase the length of the Sales Tax increase so that we can fully cover these overruns.

Raising taxes is how we show we care.  The more we increase taxes, the more we care.  We are happy to learn of this $10.7 million overrun.  We hope it won't be the last.

Brian Thomas interviews Bob McDonald on Entertainment Tax

Dear fellow tax hikers, we command all of you to listen to this fantastic performance by Entertainment Tax leader Bob McDonald.  This is how you sell a tax increase.