Tag: Politics

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News Politics Transportation

Regional SORTA agreement reached

At at 10am meeting this morning City and County leaders announced an agreement over an expanded transit authority. Currently the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA), which operates Metro, is bounded by Hamilton County’s boundaries.

This agreement will for the first time extend their jurisdiction beyond Hamilton County and into Butler, Warren and Clermont Counties. This sets the course for expanded transit service into those surrounding areas underneath one unified authority.

This reorganization, of SORTA, has long been an issue with City Council member John Cranley, County Commissioner Todd Portune and has been championed by Mayor Mark Mallory. These three along with SORTA Board president Melody Sawyer Richardson addressed the media at this morning session.

The reorganized SORTA will now be known as the Greater Cincinnati Regional Transit Authority, and will have a 13 member board made up of 7 members appointed by the City of Cincinnati and the remaining six from Hamilton County. As of yet, the Business Courier has reported that no other elected officials from surrounding counties have committed to participate in the new regional system.

Of those 6 County appointees, three will be selected “with input” from Butler, Warren and Clermont Counties. If those counties decide to formally join the new authority they would then be able to directly appoint board members. The majority control is up for grabs with the City of Cincinnati maintaining that majority for now. If another county or city decides to contribute more than 50% of the authority’s budget then they will gain majority control.

The catch here is that those contributions can be measured either through the entities direct contribution or by measuring the total fare revenues paid by that entities constituents. It could also be determined on a per-capita basis of the entities share of their state and federal transit dollars allocated to the Greater Cincinnati Regional Transit Authority.

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News

The Future of the City – Monocle

The Future of the City was the theme of the inaugural Monocle + Killik debate held in London. The goal was to look at how to make a city truly livable. The session offers unique perspectives, thoughts, and views from a global perspective. Monocle is a magazine and website founded by Tyler Brûlé, a Canadian journalist and entrepreneur.

You can watch the debate/webprogram here:

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News

Speak up for bicyclists in Cincinnati

Do you use a bicycle to get to work? To go to school? To go shop and dine? Or for pure recreation?

Would you start riding or ride more if our streets were improved for bicyclists? If there were more dedicated bicycle lanes and storage facilities?

Speak up for bicyclists in Cincinnati on Wednesday, October 22. Let City Council know how improved bicycling conditions will benefit all cyclists of all ages and types at the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Hearing at City Hall (801 Plum Street) that will be held from 6 to 9 P.M. in Council Chambers, Room 300.

Let Queen City Bike know that you are coming by RSVPing. Click here for more information »

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Arts & Entertainment News

Big city, small town

Cincinnati is an amazing place. You get all the benefits and features of a big city, while also being able to take advantage of the small town charm.

Last night Fountain Square was packed for a political rally encouraging voters to get out there and vote early. The night featured Natalie Portman and music by prominent Indie bands like The Breeders and The National.

The music was awesome, the crowd was big and the weather was perfect. Unfortunately we were a little late arriving and missed The Breeders performance and only caught about 3/4 of The National. But while we were there the night was amazing, and we couldn’t help but think where else could this happen than Cincinnati.

We lucked out and a tabled opened on Via Vite’s rooftop terrace. From there we were able to not only take in the amazing music from The National, but also enjoy some of the area’s best Italian food in comfort and style. We didn’t have to wait, pay top dollar, or even know somebody. We just had to show up and take advantage of the awesome night ready to be had.

We were there with local celebrity/politician Jim Tarbell and nationally known pop star turned Green Party politician Justin Jeffre. In NYC you would have had to been a high roller in order to get that kind of experience, but here some average twenty somethings were able to roll with the big dogs. Only in Cincinnati.

Photo from Jeff Swinger/Cincinnati Enquirer — MORE PHOTOS HERE
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Development News Politics

Giving the ‘Soapbox District’ some teeth

W. 4th Street has seen a buzz of activity in recent months. New stores have opened, new buildings have gone up, and new residents move in. In addition to this the area has also attempted to be rebranded as the ‘Soapbox District.’

A soapbox is a raised platform on which one stands to make an impromptu speech, often about a political subject. This is one of the angle that the branders were getting at. The other was to pay tribute to Cincinnati’s soap making history and the shape of many of the buildings in the W. 4th Street area.

I find the angle of public speech and discussion to be most interesting. Fountain Square was seemingly that spot, but that public space has been converted into a hybrid public/private space where I doubt this kind of thing would be tolerated any longer. The branders also mentioned how this could be the spot, in Cincinnati, where young people make their voices heard. Great, many of the new residents in that area are indeed young so this seems to possibly have some traction.

The problem is that there seems to be no concerted effort to make this into reality. I look to London’s Hyde Park. In the park’s NE corner (aka Speaker’s Corner) people come to speak publicly about what they wish. They are allowed to continue as long as it is considered lawful. I look at this example and see a huge opportunity at 4th & Plum (GoogleMap) in Cincinnati.

That location is right in the heart of the ‘Soapbox District’ and is currently occupied by a surface parking lot. An ideal scenario would be to acquire this lot and turn it into a park. Create a much needed dog park area within it, sitting places, and lots of trees. In addition to this, make the park the epicenter for public/free speech in the newly dubbed ‘Soapbox District.’ The idea is great, now let’s give it some teeth.