A Call for Change

* This is the first of a five part series

Cincinnati for nearly two decades has been reaping the consequences of a lack of vision and leadership by Cincinnati City Council. We have limped though the last 20 years by having by having no vision in developing Cincinnati into a first class city in the 21st century. We have had numerous downtown projects started and then stopped. We are finally starting a Banks project that was supposed to be done about the same time the stadiums were built. Where is the vision and leadership? We need to be working with the Hamilton County Commissioners and business leaders to have a comprehensive regional plan that brings about a positive change to Cincinnati and the Metro area. City Council has a responsibility not only to Cincinnati but also to the entire region to be a leader of prosperity and change.

We have seen crime soar in the city, race relations failing to improve as they should, new schools being built but questions about how well are children are being educated, and the perception is that people are moving out of hear in droves. Why haven’t we seen improvements in theses area’s in the last 20 years, where is the leadership? When are we going to address the issues that face our citizens rather than covering up the problems with window dressing?
Our city leaders have combated these problems not by leading as we would expect, but by placing the blame on others. When will Cincinnati City Council take responsibility for what is going on in this city and admit that the status quo is no longer acceptable? Cincinnati City Council must attack head on the issues of Economic and Neighborhood Redevelopment, they must address the race and socio-economic issues that face Cincinnati, and finally Cincinnati must have a new and fiscally responsible plan for the future.