Blog — Vote No on Issue 9

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Petition signers ask for names to be stricken from the record

Today Cincinnati voters went to the Board of Elections to remove their names from the official anti-rail Charter amendment petition. They did so because they were deceived and did not understand the real ramifications of signing this petition. Click here to watch a news story from WLWT about the day's events.

posted by Cincinnatians For Progress at 8:06 PM 0 Comments

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Downtown Residents Council Adopts Opposition to Anti Rail Charter Amendment

Below is their statement of opposition adopted on Aug. 11th

DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS COUNCIL RESPONSE AND STATEMENT ON THE PROPOSED PASSENGER RAIL CHARTER AMENDMENT:

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT READS:
AN AMENDMENT TO THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF CINCINNATI TO PREVENT THE
EXPENDITURE OF MONIES BY THE CITY FOR RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION OR CONSTRUCTION
OF IMPROVEMENTS FOR PASSENGER RAIL TRANSPORTATION (e.g., a trolley or streetcar)
WITHOUT FIRST SUBMITTING THE SAME TO A VOTE OF THE ELECTORATE AND RECEIVING A
MAJORITY AFFIRMATIVE VOTE FOR THE SAME.

The Downtown Residents Council (DRC) membership is opposed to the proposed charter
amendment concerning acquisition and funding of rail projects in the city. The wording of the proposed amendment is overly broad and precludes the city from taking full advantage of future opportunities for growth and development.

This amendment requires that any rail project first be subject to a general vote by the citizens of Cincinnati. This delays projects and increases costs associated with inflation and electioneering. Even projects that do not have tax increases attached to them would require a vote under this referendum.

We urge our members and the public at large to vote against this change to the City's
charter if it should appear on the ballot in the next or future elections.

The following is a list of reasons the DRC has come to this decision.

1. The language of the Anti-Passenger Rail Amendment clearly indicates it applies to all passenger rail, as the amendment references construction of improvements for passenger rail transportation.

2. The first project that will be affected by the Anti-Passenger Rail Amendment will most likely not be the Streetcar - it will be the proposed Inter-City Rail connecting Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland.

3. The intent of the Amendment is to stop all passenger rail. The Anti-Passenger Rail
Amendment was written by a member of COAST and is strongly supported by COAST—an
organization with a history of opposing passenger rail. Their website lists one of their most notable accomplishments as: joined a coalition called ALRT to defeat a 1 ¢ sales tax increase for a light rail transit system.

4. Projects that have no associated tax increase will require a citywide vote.

The Anti-Passenger Rail Amendment includes the following phrase: The City, and its various Boards and Commissions, may not spend any monies for right of- way acquisition. Streetcars run in existing rights of way. The Cincinnati Streetcar would not require any right of way acquisition so if this amendment were truly about streetcars, that phrase would be extraneous. By placing the bold phrase above in the amendment, the author of the Amendmentis clearly trying to prevent any long-range preservation of corridors for light rail or expansion of passenger rail.

posted by Cincinnatians For Progress at 10:55 AM 1 Comments

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

LWVCA Opposes Rail Passenger Charter Amendment

Cincinnatians for Progress are proud to acknowledge the support of the League of Women Voters:

Press Release- August 11, 2009- League of Women Voters

"The League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area announces its opposition
to the proposed City of Cincinnati Charter Amendment which would restrict
passenger rail transit. The amendment, if passed, would prevent the City
from spending "any monies for right-of-way acquisition or construction of
improvements for passenger rail transportation" without first obtaining
voter approval. Requiring Cincinnati voters' approval before spending money
on passenger rail transit would result in excessive delays in the
development and implementation of an adequate transportation system for our
city and limit transportation options.

In addition, the League opposes the proposed Charter Amendment because the
Charter should provide for the flexible operation of government and should
not restrict City Council's legislative authority on specific issues. "The
proposed amendment is too specific for a Charter and too far reaching in its
consequences," says Alice Schneider, president, League of Women Voters.

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages
the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to
increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public
policy through education and advocacy."

posted by Cincinnatians For Progress at 1:35 PM 0 Comments

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Cincinnati Enquirer: Charter Amendment Deserves to Fail

Enquirer calls ‘Poison Pill’ Amendment “Deceptive, Dangerous, Divisive”

(August 8, 2009) - Cincinnatians for Progress applauds the Cincinnati Enquirer for its editorial revealing the truth about the anti-rail charter amendment that will likely be on the ballot in November. The Enquirer editorialized the amendment as:

- Deceptive in its language and intent
- Dangerous to representative democracy
- Divisive for our community

Rob Richardson, Cincinnatians for Progress co-chair, commented “We agree with the Enquirer's analysis that the anti-rail charter amendment ‘...is deceptive in its language and intent, dangerous to our representative democracy, and divisive for our community.” The Enquirer also pointed to this disheartening fact: the COAST and NAACP anti-rail campaign is ‘...tapping into deep-seated, long-standing resentments based on race, class and neighborhoods...’ to divide our community to gain support for their amendment.’ Cincinnati has made much progress in recent years and we should not support, or accept, divisive rhetoric.”

“The Enquirer studied both sides of this issue and found the ‘lawyerly weasel-wording’ in this amendment ‘deceptive’ and ‘it deserves to fail.’ We couldn't agree more,” said Joe Sprengard, Jr. Cincinnatians for Progress co-chair. “Their conclusion was on point - ‘three D's that amount to an F.”

Click Here to read it for yourself

posted by Cincinnatians For Progress at 3:55 PM 1 Comments

Friday, August 7, 2009

On opposite tracks | Cincinnati.com | Cincinnati.Com

Check out this article in the Enquirer on the Anti Rail Charter Ammendment. Post your own comments and give Cincinnatians for Progress the citizen's voice. On opposite tracks | Cincinnati.com | Cincinnati.Com

Posted using ShareThis

posted by Cincinnatians For Progress at 2:17 PM 0 Comments

Thursday, August 6, 2009

YouTube Video Contest

Vote No on the Rail Charter Amendment YouTube Video Contest

Cincinnati is finally moving forward. Now a group of the same old naysayers has proposed a charter amendment to prevent our city from developing any and all forms passenger rail.

At a time when other cities are doing everything possible to move their community forward and create jobs, Cincinnati will be left behind (again) if this amendment passes.

We want to do everything we can to tell voters about this charter amendment that jeopardizes our future and we need your help.

We challenge you, your friends, your family, and your colleagues to post a video on YouTube describing why Cincinnati should vote NO on the charter amendment and send us the link at cincinnatiansforprogress@gmail.com

We will share our favorite videos with Cincinnati’s online community, local news media and the best will be shown at special Screening Event and may even be used in a TV commercial!

Your video can be serious or humorous. Creative or bland. Entertaining or sad. Record on your webcam, cell phone, FlipVideo camera; just do it!

We only ask that it’s clean (you would be proud to show to your Mom) and delivers our message. Vote No!

Questions? Email us at: cincinnatiansforprogress@gmail.com

For more info about why we need to Vote No on the Charter Amendment, visit our website: cincinnatiansforprogress.com.

By submitting your link to us as part of this contest, you are agreeing that CFP may, without any written consent, compensation or additional permission from you, re-publish it on the internet or provide it to the media for possible broadcast or transmission over the internet or cable television systems, either in its original form or as edited by CFP. If you do not agree to these terms, you should not submit your video to us.

posted by Cincinnatians For Progress at 10:40 AM 2 Comments

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Soapdish: Now IS the Time

Click here to check out this article in Soapbox on the anti-rail charter amendment!

posted by Cincinnatians For Progress at 11:49 AM 0 Comments

Monday, August 3, 2009

Statewide Support for 3C Passenger Rail Plan Strengthens Ohio's Stimulus Application

The Ohio Department of Transportation published this press release. Check it out and continue supporting progress for our state!

posted by Cincinnatians For Progress at 11:53 AM 0 Comments