Mr. Cranley, Congratulations, I suppose, should be in order for your being elected Mayor of Cincinnati, Im well aware that one of your primary platforms was to kill the streetcar. I am writing you to let you know I feel this is a terrible mistake as the streetcar is an important piece of Cincinnatis successful future as a thriving major American city. Im of the impression that killing the streetcar at this stage would be to go against the will of the people who voted twice for it to be built. I do not believe you received a mandate from the populace to halt construction. I do believe you somehow were part of an odd coalition that does not normally stand for the basic principles of the political party with which you say you are part of that was able to capitalize on the negative campaign with which you chose to run. I think many more people were upset with the long term lease of city parking assets to cover budget shortfalls. Once the streetcar is built, wont it have a hard asset value that can be leveraged for other transit or capital projects? Wont the streetcar provide needed transportation for thousands of residents, workers, and (yes Im saying it!) tourists. If you halt construction now all the city will be getting is tens of millions of dollars in debt that will come from your operating budge where you will be forced to make very nasty cuts such as in the police or fire departments. Just think, when there is a fender bender somewhere in Price Hill the city wont be able to respond with the customary first responder, second responder, ambulance, tanker truck and ladder. What on earth will you do? You said during your acceptance speech that you want to become Cincinnatis greatest mayor ever. From most of the comments Ive seen from residents who actually want to live in the city and repopulate the core, you definitely have your work cut out for you as its pretty much regarded that your policies will set us back a decade or more. Have you ever noticed how competitive every success minded American and international city has become attracting and retaining growing companies and their tax paying workforce? Being the laughing stock of the Midwest, which you will certainly make us with your ego driven anti urban policies wont help. Many national publications and blogs have already gotten wind of your election and intentions and none of them are portraying you in a positive light. You say it cannot be afforded but arent we paying for the streetcars construction with massive assistance from the US Federal Government and arent we not raising any taxes to cover the rest. Im able to understand that everything is being paid from the capital expenditures budget that cannot pay for such things as city services. As for operating expenses, wasnt part of the casinos revenues tentatively earmarked to cover any shortfalls with plenty left over for neighborhood projects even with gambling revenues falling a little short of projections? Also from what I calculate, should you cancel the streetcar the losses incurred would amount to several decades of operating expenses, I guess my unborn grandchildren if they even choose to live here might thank you, I guess only history will tell. Anyway Im rambling, the bottom line is I dont see why you are stopping the streetcar, except for the fact that you hopped into bed with an unsavory bunch of anti-city anti-urban groups such as Smithermans crew and Coast and did what you had to do to get elected regardless of whether it was good for the city or not and I find these actions to be quite deplorable. Sincerely Edward Wildey
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 01:35:58 +0000
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