Mayor Mallory Speaks Frankly About Streetcars/Budget Issues

I am reluctant to say this, but its about time the Mayor addressed the media and the general public about this very critical issue. For our city to remain united and focused on what's best for our future we need a strong central voice that will speak up on behalf of the city's best interest. As I've been preaching now for I don't know how long, the current proposal to bring inner-city rail transit (streetcars) back to Cincinnati is an opportunity that we can not afford to miss. Very clear, reputable data from many different sources show that rail transit projects such as this are good for cities and create huge returns in economic development. This leads to new residents, businesses, tourism, entertainment, and the list goes on. All of these things increase the city's tax revenue base. Cincinnati is in a financial mess now, not only because we are in the midst of a worldwide and nationwide economic recession, but also because we have failed in years past to invest in our most important asset...Our City Center.
Great strides have already been made in recent years reversing the damage of the 1950s suburban sprawl and highway expansion that caused the exodus of citizens from city centers to various suburban neighborhoods. The city has begun investing in our downtown from fountain square to the banks all the way up to OTR where new residents and businesses are already beginning to pop up everyday. However, we can only go so far without first providing a means for all of these people to move about efficiently without the automobile as their primary mode of transportation. These neighborhoods can not achieve the density of population necessary to give our city the boost it needs with out providing other means of transportation. There simply isn't enough room in such a small area for all of those cars and parking lots. People need to be able to get around with out a car.
I truly believe that right now our city has the opportunity to be on the forefront of a movement that is sweeping the nation. The cities who emerge from this economic crisis with a plan to decrease dependence on foreign oil, attract residents and businesses back to the city center, and make the city THE place to live again are going to be the most successful and prosperous cities in the 21st century.
As the mayor aggressively points out in the video below, allowing the anti-rail charter amendment to pass this November will mean the end of such vital projects as the Cincinnati Streetcar, 3-C Corridor Passenger rail, and regional light rail. We have a chance to use federal money to stimulate our local economy like its never seen before. We can not let this opportunity pass us by or we will forever remain a city that is simply a collection of suburbs and we will forever be a city just struggling to pay its bills.
Thank you Mayor Mallory for fighting so aggressively for this city's future. Please continue to reach out to the citizens of this city so that they can be appropriately informed of the dangers of allowing the anti-rail charter amendment to pass.

Video can be seen here:
http://www.wlwt.com/video/20203821/

Excellent Streetcar Post

Check out The Phony Coney today for an excellent post in support of the streetcar system. Share with all your friends, especially the ones who can vote this November and aren't yet streetcar supporters!

Anti-Rail Charter Amendment Gaining Statewide Attention

Check out these two recent articles warning citizens about the dangers of allowing COAST and NAACP's anti-rail charter amendment to pass. Hopefully Cincinnati voters will listen with an open mind to these warnings so that this measure fails. As stated in the articles, this charter amendment could have devastating effects not only on Cincinnati's future, but also potentially Cleveland and Columbus too!

Gov. Strickland on anti-rail measure

CBus Transit: Could Cincinnati Derail Ohio's Highspeed Rail Plans?

More on the Streetcar Film

The Enquirer ran a nice article today interviewing Jim Klein the film maker behind "Taken for a Ride" a documentary about the demise of the Streetcar systems in the U.S. at the hands of GM. Its sounds like it will be a fascinating film that everyone needs to see to learn about a part of our history that many don't know about.
Read the article here

The Phony Coney: More Lies from Jason Gloyd

Here's a link to a post about the unbelievable series of lies and intentionally deceptive language that COAST and NAACP have been spewing out in an effort to convince Cincinnatians to follow their radical agenda.
Click Here To Read

Obama on High Speed Rail for Cincinnati

Below is a statement from this article highlighting Obama's plan to connect major midwestern cities with highspeed rail. He specifically talks about Ohio as being a prime example of how a state could benefit from this plan.

"Ted Strickland has talked to me about this," Obama said, explaining that the funds will be allocated by the Department of Transportation on a competitive basis. "Every industrialized country except ours has outstanding high-speed rail systems. It's time for us to start building the kind of high-speed rail networks that are going to be good for everyone, and Ohio would be a prime example of a state that would benefit from this."

Notice he said the funds would be allocated on a "competitive basis." This is a very important point to make. Cincinnati will have to COMPETE with other cities to gain access to federal stimulus dollars to use for such rail projects. This means that if this ridiculous anti-rail charter amendment passes in November there is no way we'll be as competitive as the other cities. While we're waiting for a public vote to pass, columbus, cleveland and chicago will be raking in all the stimulus dollars that should have come to us and we'll be left behind, again.

We must not let this Anti-Rail Charter Amendment pass this November! I don't want to live in a Cincinnati that's stuck in the past with only the automobile as a mode of transportation!

Taken for a Ride: A film about streetcars and GM

With GM in bankruptcy and Cincinnati voters preparing for a
critical vote on rail transit, a film screening here July 14-15 offers
a rare perspective on events that profoundly shaped the nation's
transportation profile.
The movie is "Taken for A ride," a documentary, made in 1996 by
Wright State University professor and Oscar-nominated documentary
maker Jim Klein. It looks at how and why streetcars disappeared from
U.S. cities, and the role played by GM in that process.
Both screenings will be shown at 7 p.m. at the Carnegie arts center
in Covington as a benefit for Southern Ohio Filmmakers Association and
Cincinnati World Cinema.
Also on the bill is "A Crack in the Pavement" by Andrea Torrice, a
short film that looks at the issues around urban sprawl.
Jim Klein and Andrea Torrice will be present on July 14 for a
question-and-answer session after the film.
The July 14 program will include a pre-show reception at 6 p.m.
Only July 15, Andrea Torrice, Liz Blume of Xavier Community
Building Institute and Madeira City Manager Tom Moeller will discuss
urban/suburban growth issues after the show.

Tickets to the July 14 screening are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.
Tickets to the July 15 screeing are $8 in advance, $10 at the door.
Tickets are on sale now online at www.cincyworldcinema.org. In person at:
Lookout Joe in Mt. Lookout,
Shake It Music & Video in Northside
Sitwell's Coffee Emporium in Clifton
Coffee Emporium downtown in the Emery Building.

Learn more at www.cincyworldcinema.org.

If you would like to volunteer to help put on either event, or to
donate money or services, please email
margaret.mcgurk@sofanetwork.com.