A bad, bad week

Dear fellow tax hikers, TGIF because this week can't get much worse.  First we were completely shocked that John Cranley and 7 incoming Councilmen were able to kill the parking deal that we loved so much.  This plan would have taken future parking profits and spent them now, making it more likely that we would see a future tax increase to replace those lost annual revenues.  Our chances of getting a future tax increase have been reduced because of this terrible move to stop the parking plan. 

Then we find out that our awesome City Manager Milton Dohoney has been forced out.  He did not deserve this.  Milton was the guy who came up with the streetcar, parking plan, trash tax, Red Light cameras, and Water Works sale.  Whenever we needed more taxes, more spending, or more streetcars, Milton always came through. 

Worst of all, Crowbar Cranley still wants to stop our streetcar!  But we're not going to let him.  Did you know that 300 Qualls supporters came to a meeting tonight?  At this meeting, we came up with an unbeatable plan to save our streetcar.  Here it is:

Nothing is going to stand in our way.  After we engage residents and businesses, lobby people, and threaten to file lawsuits, Cranley and Council will have no choice to but to abide by our demands.  The streetcar shall be saved!

City Hall scandal

Dear fellow tax hikers, there is so much scandal at Cincinnati City Hall we don't know where to begin.  For once we are actually speechless and suffering writer's block because it's hard to keep it all straight.  To compensate, we'll list the scandals and let you loyal readers take it from there.

- Cincinnati administrators withheld a memo from City Council and the public that was critical of the excellent Cincinnati parking deal.  It says the city is paying far too much in fees for the services they are receiving.

- Cincinnati paid over $300,000 for this consultant, only to suppress his findings.

- The Port Authority first tried to delay the memo's release, then said they wish they had seen it sooner, then drew upon their vast expertise in the parking industry to declare that this $300,000 consultant was wrong.

- The Port Authority refused to allow a Cincinnati City Councilman into their offices to deliver a letter about the growing scandal. 

- Later it came out that the Port Authority's Vice President accused the city of lying about the parking deal all along and wondered why the Port was involved.

- Oh yeah, now the Port wants a mere $27 million from this parking deal for their own projects.   Roxanne Qualls, naturally, supports this. 

There it is.  If you need the links they're easy enough to find.  Take it away tax hikers.  We've got a box of Twinkies to devour.

Judge Robert Winkler disappoints

Dear fellow tax hikers, today is Easter Sunday.  It is also Cesar Chavez's birthday.  We are spending Chavez's birthday doing the same thing we do every other day - complain. 

We are sickened that Judge Robert Winkler issued a permanent injunction against the Cincinnati Parking plan.  We have wholeheartedly endorsed this proposal because it will likely lead to tax increases after two years.  Winkler claims that state law gives voters the right to petition this plan.  We don't care what the law says, Winkler should have obeyed party bosses and lifted his injunction. 

We are sorely disappointed that Judge Winker put the law above the interests of some of his political benefactors.  The City of Cincinnati hired the Dinsmore law firm, which employs Alex Triantafilou and is run by the great George Vincent.  Vincent himself handled this case.  Winkler knew that his political superiors wanted him to rule for the city, yet he went against them anyways. 

This is no way for a Winkler to behave.  We condemn Judge Robert Winkler for having the integrity to rule in favor of Ohio law.  Citizens should not have the right to vote on their government.  We now call on everyone to stop this referendum campaign from reaching the ballot so the parking plan can proceed.

Winkler to rule on parking referendum

Dear fellow tax hikers, the fate of the public's right to vote on the Cincinnati Parking Plan rests in the hands of Judge Robert Winkler.  We strongly oppose your right to vote.  We call on Judge Winkler to join us in preventing citizens from voting on the next 50 years of Cincinnati parking.

We believe the ruling will go in our favor, not due to legal arguments but to political connections.  Follow the road map:

- Judge Robert Winkler is the brother-in-law of Tracy Winkler and brother of Judge Ralph Ted Winkler
- Alex Triantafilou is the Chairman of the Hamilton County Republican Party, giving him significant power over the political careers of other Republicans such as the Winklers
- The Winkler-Triantafilou connection is well-established
- Alex Triantafilou works for the Dinsmore and Shohl law firm, which is managed by our good friend George Vincent
- The City of Cincinnati has hired Dinsmore to represent them in this case, even though the City has their own legal department which is fully capable of handling such cases
- Dinsmore has sent three of their high-powered attorneys - including The George Vincent - to personally handle this case

If Judge Winkler knows what is good for him, he will make the right ruling.  Winkler can ignore the law, his job is to do what is right for the Triantafilou-Vincent law firm.  If Winkler dares go against Dinsmore, Triantafilou, and Vincent, there will be severe repercussions. 

We call on Judge Robert Winkler to do the right thing - not the right legal decision, not the right decision for the voters of Cincinnati, but the right thing for Alex Triantafilou and George Vincent. We want Judge Winkler to take away your right to vote.

Pass the Parking Plan

Dear fellow tax hikers, we strongly endorse the parking plan proposed by Cincinnati City Manager Milton Dohoney.  As you will learn later in this blog entry, this plan makes it very likely that a big tax increase will be necessary in 2 years.  Because of that, we encourage Cincinnati City Council to pass this plan now!

Cincinnati is facing huge budget deficits in each of the next two years.  To solve it, Dohoney is proposing to trade a significant amount of the city's future parking profits (yes, the city makes big money on it's parking system) in return for an upfront payment now.  Half of that money is earmarked towards plugging the budget deficits of the next two years.  The rest of the money goes to spending projects, none of which are located in the neighborhoods outside of downtown. 

The city would be sacrificing 30-50 years of future profits to avoid making the tough budget decisions today.  In two more years Cincinnati will still be facing unbalanced budgets, but this time they will have significantly reduced parking system profits to rely on.  The city will then have no choice but to pass some big tax increases.  It's a brilliant plan. 

Pass that parking plan today.  And in two years we can all enjoy the higher taxes we so richly deserve.  Tax us more!