Explore Cincinnati

Emily Schneider

Here’s some input from Peter Hames:

“Just in case someone asks about the water utility issue, this is taken from the “feasibility” report:

Page ii:
Rates: Today water rates are set by the City Council, based upon recommendations by the GCWW professionals. The residences, businesses and institutions within the city limits enjoy rates that are lower than the rates charged to non-city Customer Communities.

Page vi:
Additionally, the financial model includes these key policy assumptions, which affect the overall value of GCWW’s assets:
• Rates to city residents, businesses and institutions would continue to be set at levels that are lower relative to other Customer Communities.
• Rates to Customer Communities would remain in accordance with existing contracts.

A link to the PDF of the report is located at http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/water/pages/-36826-/. I, too, think that the issue is dead. At the candidates meeting, I think Amy Murray was the only council candidate who voiced support for the proposal and that support was, at best, tepid.

MSD is owned by the county and run by the city; the county sets the sewer rates. (How bizarre. How bizarre. To quote one of my favorite “one hit wonder” songs.) Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) is owned and run by the city; the city sets the water rates (which, again, are lower for city users).”

Quimbob

Issue 8 – I don’t think the water district issue is dead. Council came up with a task force to study the issue. They reported back about 8 months later saying it could be viable. The council members each had at least a half dozen questions & none of them seemed really excited (Crowley did). The task force was sent back to the drawing board. Bortz said, at the end, it was a serious issue and a big change. He commented that it might take years to come up with a good plan & that no good plan might even materialize.
Meanwhile Smitherman intimates that the plan is meant to commit genocide.
http://blackcincinnati.blogspot.com/2009/06/is-smitherman-inducing-panic-with.html
The thing is, and this may be why there is no real opposition, there is no reason to think the council wouldn’t put it before the voters anyway.

Issue 2 – Mr Hames said something and, this week, Ms Schneider repeated it. There is, AFAIK, no federal agency threatening to impose animal care standards on Ohio. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is a private organization that has no connection with humane societies or any government agency. They use deceptive practices (like their name) to sway public opinion & raise money. If they do target Ohio, the Issue 3 & Issue 2 ads ~combined~ will look like nothing.