Blue Ash Council ponders huge apartment complex

Dear fellow tax hikers, more good news out of Blue Ash as we have received word that their City Council is preparing to approve a zoning change that clears the way for another huge apartment complex in their fine city.  We fully endorse this plan.  There is nothing that makes a suburban community great like more apartment complexes.  With any luck, some of these units might even become Section 8. 

This project is opposed by Blue Ash Mayor Mark Weber.  Whatever you do, please do not read Mayor Weber's editorial criticizing this plan. 

His editorial informs us that Blue Ash housing is already 20% apartment rentals, and with this project and another big one recently approved that number would climb to 28%.  By comparison, neighbors Evendale and Montgomery are at just 3.6% and 8.1% rental.  We think these numbers should be even higher.

We call on our good friend, Blue Ash Councilman Rick Bryan, to once again fight off Mayor Weber.  Councilman Bryan was our 2011 Tax Hiker of the Year, and since then has done nothing but make us proud.  For example, when Mayor Weber and some of our anti-tax enemies opposed Blue Ash's plan to help fund the Cincinnati streetcar, it was Tax Hikin' Rick Bryan who stepped in and fended them off, leading the Cincinnati streetcar to a 6-1 victory in Blue Ash City Council. 

We need our 2011 Tax Hiker of the Year Rick Bryan to step up and show this great leadership again.  While Blue Ash is already great, we need Rick to make the rest of Council understand that more rental units is what will take them to the next step.  And don't forget - more residents means MORE TAXES!  We call on Blue Ash City Council to approve this plan Thursday night. 

Breaking: Blue Ash Council to help build Cincinnati streetcar

Dear fellow tax hikers, we can exclusively report that the Blue Ash City Council has met in secret and agreed to assist the City of Cincinnati in finding millions of new dollars to help build their all-important streetcar.  Blue Ash Council met on July 30th to discuss tearing up their 2006 deal with Cincinnati, and then agreed to a new deal that is structured in such a way that Cincinnati can legally use $11 million of the proceeds to fund the beloved streetcar. 

In 2006 the City of Cincinnati agreed to sell 130 acres of land around the Blue Ash Airport (at that point the airport and surrounding land was owned by Cincinnati) to the City of Blue Ash for $37.5 million.  A little later, Cincinnati decided to apply $11 million of the proceeds to pay back some of the city's streetcar bonds.  However, the FAA informed Cincinnati this would be illegal, and that the money must be kept within the local airport system.

As a result of this order, Cincinnati is seeking a mulligan.  Translated, this means Cincinnati wants to cancel the property deal with Blue Ash, then close the airport, then enter a new deal with Blue Ash to once again sell them those 130 acres.  Cincinnati should then be free to apply the desired $11 million of proceeds to the streetcar.

Of course, Blue Ash can totally trust that Cincinnati won't try to raise the price, or sell to another bidder such as one who donates large money to their campaigns. Mayor Mark Mallory and Cincinnati City Council are nothing if not trustworthy and reliable.

We are delighted that Blue Ash City Council has agreed behind closed doors to this arrangement!  They have already voted to formally pass this plan at their next Council meeting on Thursday August 9th.

This should surprise nobody.  After all, the most powerful Blue Ash Councilman is none other than 2011 Tax Hiker of the Year Rick Bryan.  Tax Hikin' Rick Bryan can always be counted on to raise taxes, grow government, and support wonderful new projects like the Cincinnati Streetcar.  His leadership on this issue is indispensable.  In fact, we urge Cincinnati to name part of the streetcar route after Rick Bryan for all he has done to make this fantastic project possible.