Tag: opinion

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City cuts 319 jobs, sick political game ensues

The news came out yesterday about how many City employees will be cut in order to help balance Cincinnati’s 2009 budget and better position the 2010 budget which is projected to have a $40 million gap.

319 jobs will be eliminated in total, with 138 of those coming from the police department. That means 319 households across the region that will have to face difficult decisions in the coming weeks about their personal budgets. Potentially 319 people and/or families could be without health insurance. 319 people without the sense of pride one has from going to a job day in and day out knowing that they’re contributing to society.

These are tough losses no doubt, and it’s unfortunate that some individuals and organizations are turning this into a political opportunity. Yes it’s terrible that 138 people from the police department will lose their jobs, but it’s just as terrible that people from the Health, Public Services, Sewers and Water Works departments will lose their jobs as well.

It is easy to focus on public safety when budget time comes around. This is why you so rarely see cuts to police or fire, but often see personnel cuts in other departments. Public safety is after all a core function of government, but it should not be placed on a pedestal like it so often is.

These are tough times for our city, our state, our region and our country. We need to take a step back and figure out where we are, where we want to go and how we plan on getting there. We need to do so in a reasonable way that isn’t trying to score political points, but rather looks at the issues for what they are and discusses them in a productive way. We need to grow our revenue streams while we reduce our expenditures. Cincinnati needs to position itself to come out of this recession strong.

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Ohio’s 3C Rail Corridor Project Seeking Input

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) last week announced that they have jointly developed a website called 3CisMe, which will serve as the main hub for information surrounding Ohio’s proposed 3C (Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland) rail corridor. Although the name of the site is admittedly lame, the site itself is quite useful.

3CisMe is meant to both inform the public as to the progress of Ohio’s 3C rail line and serve as a sounding board for critics and boosters alike. In addition to being one way that the ODOT and ORDC will disseminate information on the progress of the project, a “public comment” section will allow citizens an opportunity for their voices to be heard. Some of those comments will even be featured in the application for funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (better know as the Stimulus Package). Ohio must turn in its application by October 1.

The current 3C proposal would allow travelers to travel between Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland, and Toledo, collectively home to 60% of the state’s population. With stimulus funding, Ohio’s “quick-start” plan would be operational by 2011.

This system will link in with a larger mid-west network, servicing Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Louisville, Omaha, and Kansas City. The Chicago Network Hub would serve as the gateway to the west. The 3C corridor is well suited to link with the Keystone corridor, a network of rail lines servicing New York, DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and the rest of the east coast.

A March 2009 Quinnipiac University Poll showed that nearly two thirds of Ohioans favored re-establishing passenger rail in the 3C Corridor. Some want to see it happen because they know the economic development potential it creates, while others think the 3C corridor would be useful because they don’t want to put the mileage on their car, or they don’t have a car at all. While some want to travel by train because it is more relaxing than traveling by car or plane, others like the idea because it will allow them to be more productive, like this commenter from the site:

“Several times per year, I have to travel to Columbus for meetings and training. Whenever I go now, I lose at least 5 hours of productivity per trip. On the train, I could use a laptop to keep up with my e-mail, tend to paperwork, have telephone conferences, and sometimes even meetings with coworkers. These things can’t be done in a car.”

Just one parting thought: There is a proposed amendment to the Cincinnati City Charter that would require a vote each and every time the city wanted to invest in a new phase of planning or constructing passenger rail. If it passes in November, neither the State nor the Federal government would be able to count on Cincinnati as a stop on the system. The timeline on this project is one that will require cities and states to efficiently compile an application for funding. If Cincinnati cannot commit in a timely manner (and it would not be able to commit without going to another vote if this passes), the Federal dollars will go to one of the other 278 projects in 40 states that have already submitted pre-applications as of July 17.

Cincinnati would be offered another transportation choice with rail, but the city could easily be left out if the amendment passes. Passing the amendment would reduce travelers’ choices, and leave Cincinnati at a competitive economic disadvantage. For more information on the potential negative implication of the proposed amendment, please see the Cincinnatians for Progress web site. Though I disagree with them, for the other perspective on the amendment, please click here.

Note: to visit the 3CisMe site directly, go to http://3cisme.ohio.gov/ and please note that it does not include the www in front like many sites. Source for this post.

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Higher densities not necessarily the answer to our sustainability questions

When one thinks of sprawl the first thought that comes to mind is the spread out, low-density suburbs that have eaten away at our nation’s fertile farmland and natural environment. An immediate reaction is that density is in fact better, but is this so?

There is an assumption made that density would somehow reduce the amount of land needed for sprawling suburbs, and that greater amounts of land can be preserved. This is true in theory, but does not always happen once the market has its way. Furthermore, preserved land is not the same land it once was; meaning that the preserved “greenway” connecting your neighborhood to another community feature may or may not be beneficial to the natural systems that exist. Does it serve as a corridor for wildlife, is it farmable or is the preserved land serving any significant purpose outside of additional trees that are reducing the amount of CO2 in our atmosphere? Most likely not.

What has happened in Atlanta is something that should be learned from. Atlanta is arguably the king of sprawl in modern day America, but some might say, well Fulton County has a higher population density than does Hamilton County. Similar arguments can be applied to other less urban regions than Cincinnati. The fact is that Fulton County is just about built out with the exception of some land in the far southern reaches of the county. Furthermore, this built-out county has extraordinarily dense suburban areas including the central Perimeter area which includes 30 story office towers, residential towers and 12 lane highway systems to boot. The traffic is abysmal like much of the rest of Atlanta and the problem is only going to get worse.

Midtown, Buckhead and Perimeter skylines in Atlanta – photo from mattsal88 on ImageShack

The reason is a combination of densities and form. The suburban areas of Atlanta, and even much of the urban areas, are almost entirely car-dependent. So a low-density suburban area that is car-dependent is one thing, but a high-density area of the same makeup is nightmarish. The “spatial mismatch” is exacerbated to a degree seen nowhere else in America than Atlanta and Los Angeles (Los Angeles County is the most populated county in the country at 9+ million). The people living in one area are working in another creating a spatial mismatch that is exacerbated by the high densities. They are not walking, biking or taking transit to a level enough that would offset its densities.

When you hear of the next “new urbanist” neighborhood on the fringes of a metropolitan area, or the next lifestyle center that pitches itself as being the next best thing to an authentic urban shopping experience, be wary. These are not real communities where store owners live in addition to running their business. The residents are most likely hopping in their car that is parked nicely within one of their two (or more) dedicated parking spaces and driving into the center city for work.

Higher densities in our suburban areas are not the answers to our sprawl issues. A correction of the spatial mismatch is what’s needed to truly create a sustainable metropolitan area. Natural systems need to be preserved in their truest form and our most fertile food-producing regions need to be maintained for their highest and best use. Higher densities in the core with high density satellite neighborhoods connected by high-quality transit options are the best possible solutions.

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What the ‘outsiders’ are saying

Just recently there have been three wonderful write-ups about what is happening in Cincinnati by out of town newspapers and magazines. One from the Big Apple, one reminding folks that they don’t have to go to the Big Apple to enjoy a thriving arts scene, and finally one praising Cincinnati for its urban structure, parks, and access to other great outdoor activities.

The article from The New York Times has made the rounds but is worth a second look. While it mentions a few of the more fun areas in town, it should be recognized that they started with Spring Grove Cemetery which is an often overlooked local jewel. The nice part about the article is that they hit Cincinnati, Covington, and Newport and recognized how all three pieces fit together. They also make special mention of the Southgate House which is booking a tremendous amount of high quality shows these days.

“Colorful Sunrise” by ChrisIrmo on Flickr

With such high praise from the New York Times, it was easy to overlook this article from the Lexington Herald. With a special focus on our thriving and extraordinarily diverse arts scene featuring visits ranging from the Taft Museum to the wonderful Contemporary Arts Center we should see art buffs cruising up I75 the rest of the summer.

And finally, this week Outside Magazine came out with rankings of their 10 best cities in America, and guess who was number nine?! Yep, Cincinnati! Right there among Austin, Portland, Atlanta, and others is our little city that could. Why? Among other reasons: architecture, a walkable urban core, great parks, the possibility of streetcar addition, and the fact that Cincy is the gateway to many natural escapes.

So let’s see, the New Yorkers like us for being Midwestern with an artsy flair. The mid westerners like us for being like New York. And folks that want to spend time outside and being active like us because we support that culture and have are close to many great getaways. Talk about having a little bit of something for everyone! Clearly, many outsiders believe in the developments that have occurred over the last few years here. Now, all we need to do is convince the insiders.

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‘Cash for Clunkers’ not so environmentally motivated after all

It appears like the ‘Cash for Clunkers’ program is more about stimulating the auto industry than it is about being environmentally beneficial. Officially known as the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), the program officially kicked off on July 1, 2009 with $1 billion worth of money to go out and get an estimated 250,000 “clunkers” off the road. That money was intended to last until November 1, 2009, but it was already projected to be depleted within the first month. As a result Congress acted “within minutes” by allocating an additional $2 billion for the program following a briefing by Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood.

The auto industry, car dealerships and many individuals out there seem to be giddy at the idea of getting up to $4,500 to trade in a vehicle for a newer model…especially when they might not have been planning on doing so. This benefit is being matched some some automakers and car dealerships which makes it even more financially advantageous for Americans to go out there and ditch their car for a modestly more efficient vehicle whether they need to or not.

There is estimated to be 1,000 gallons worth of energy within an already existing automobile. So the lifetime gas savings should exceed that 1,000 gallons worth of fuel in order for this program to be worthwhile from a fuel standpoint alone. ABC News notes that:

“A car may be traded in for a new car that gets as little as 22 miles per gallon; the owner of a large pickup truck that gets 15 miles per gallon or less may be eligible for a $3,500 voucher to purchase another large pickup truck of no better fuel economy if it is “smaller or similar” in size.”

It has been said that the most “green” building is one that already exists, so it makes more sense to renovate historic and other existing structures than it does to tear them down or let them deteriorate beyond repair. I guess this same theory can be applied to automobiles. This program just seems to be more evidence that our nation is obsessed with consumption and that we can not accept lower growth rates as reality. At some point our revenue and growth models are going to have to be adjusted in a way to be profitable without such high rates of consumption that leave us all broke.

Photo from TheCarBlogger