WEBVTT - 3-30-26 Sloan with Mark Jeffries 0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:02.720 Do you want to be an American? You got for 0:00:02.800 --> 0:00:05.160 them till seven hundred ww Here we go in this 0:00:05.240 --> 0:00:07.560 Monday morning, a little bit better, a little wind at 0:00:07.600 --> 0:00:11.080 our back because the Reds take two of three in Boston. 0:00:11.119 --> 0:00:11.960 How do you like that? 0:00:13.520 --> 0:00:13.840 I say? 0:00:13.840 --> 0:00:15.720 In Boston against Boston is what I meant to say. 0:00:15.800 --> 0:00:18.680 Home game that continues to night against the Pirates. Reds 0:00:18.720 --> 0:00:21.880 keep on rolling. They're looking pretty good, looking pretty good. 0:00:22.600 --> 0:00:25.360 Also happening in Cincinnati. Of course, you may remember this 0:00:26.360 --> 0:00:31.160 histor always repeats itself. We may have Mahogany's two point 0:00:31.200 --> 0:00:33.760 zero at our hands right now. There is, in this 0:00:33.920 --> 0:00:37.519 time of very very delicate budgets, the city trying to 0:00:37.520 --> 0:00:41.000 save some money. The city is underwater somewhat too, and 0:00:41.040 --> 0:00:44.040 they're asking for budget cuts. At the same time, the 0:00:44.080 --> 0:00:46.400 City of Cincinnati is handing out money to people who 0:00:46.880 --> 0:00:49.559 in I guess private's a private sector. You go to 0:00:49.600 --> 0:00:52.760 get a loan and you can't back up your claims 0:00:52.760 --> 0:00:55.840 and you don't have any collateral. You got problems. But 0:00:55.920 --> 0:00:58.160 the City of Cincinnati, it's your money. We're just going 0:00:58.200 --> 0:01:01.160 to hand it out. On this It's a very interesting story. 0:01:01.400 --> 0:01:03.560 Is council Member Mark Jeffers Mark welcome. How are you. 0:01:04.480 --> 0:01:05.039 I'm doing well. 0:01:05.040 --> 0:01:08.560 Thanks, I'm doing before we began, of course, we had 0:01:08.600 --> 0:01:10.120 and I have a chance to talk to you. But 0:01:10.200 --> 0:01:15.120 what happened Thursday at the banks relative to the outbreak 0:01:15.200 --> 0:01:17.559 of crime there too, and some said it's a riot, 0:01:17.600 --> 0:01:19.880 but it was a bunch of individuals out there just 0:01:19.880 --> 0:01:23.680 wreaking havoc, shutting things down. They closed the banks, early crime, 0:01:23.720 --> 0:01:26.560 crime and more crime. I know the Teresa Thiji report 0:01:26.640 --> 0:01:29.520 is due out any minute now, and there was a 0:01:29.560 --> 0:01:32.240 praamp to strike by her attorneys to say, well, it's 0:01:32.280 --> 0:01:33.920 gonna be a bunch of bs and it's gonna be 0:01:33.959 --> 0:01:36.720 a lot of noise. But there's nothing there, any word 0:01:36.760 --> 0:01:37.920 on when that report's coming out. 0:01:37.959 --> 0:01:41.600 By the way, I don't know on the report. Got 0:01:41.880 --> 0:01:44.560 what I would say about Thursday. I mean, honestly, it 0:01:44.640 --> 0:01:48.200 was disgraceful. I was down for the parade as usual, 0:01:48.400 --> 0:01:49.760 an amazing day. 0:01:50.920 --> 0:01:52.920 Parade was great, everyone was good. 0:01:54.120 --> 0:01:56.520 Opening day. The game itself wasn't too great, but we 0:01:56.520 --> 0:01:57.080 did recover. 0:01:57.120 --> 0:01:57.600 It's all right. 0:01:59.400 --> 0:02:01.600 But look, I mean, you know, I use the word hooligan. 0:02:01.720 --> 0:02:03.600 Some people attack me online, but you know, I mean, 0:02:03.640 --> 0:02:06.160 it's so different than the hooligans to disrupt soccer matches 0:02:06.200 --> 0:02:06.600 in Europe. 0:02:06.640 --> 0:02:09.680 I mean people who disrupt the perfectly. 0:02:09.320 --> 0:02:13.400 Peaceful day, beautiful day, and you know, I mean, we 0:02:13.440 --> 0:02:15.840 can't have this in our city. So you know, we 0:02:15.960 --> 0:02:19.120 got to I'm grateful that. You know, it looks like 0:02:19.160 --> 0:02:20.840 some of the folks are going to have you know, 0:02:20.919 --> 0:02:23.440 higher bond, which I think is appropriate. So you know, 0:02:23.480 --> 0:02:25.400 we need to send a message. Is the same reason 0:02:25.440 --> 0:02:29.520 why next week will be taking up my motion to 0:02:29.560 --> 0:02:32.360 impound cars for up to six months on street takeovers. 0:02:32.520 --> 0:02:33.760 We have to send a message to. 0:02:33.720 --> 0:02:36.680 People that you know, this is not behavior that is 0:02:36.720 --> 0:02:38.600 acceptable in our city. 0:02:38.720 --> 0:02:40.240 Yeah, I want to get you back onto the street 0:02:40.280 --> 0:02:42.839 takeovers thing because Northern Kentucky is doing something there where 0:02:42.840 --> 0:02:44.760 they seize your car and crush it. I don't know 0:02:44.800 --> 0:02:47.080 if you want to go that far constitutionally speaking, but 0:02:47.120 --> 0:02:49.040 we'll circle back on it. But it's part of pressure 0:02:49.040 --> 0:02:50.919 for a bigger issue. I guess the biggest is show 0:02:50.919 --> 0:02:52.839 I have is people are clapping back at you because 0:02:52.960 --> 0:02:56.040 use or hooligans. That's a pretty kind term considering what 0:02:56.040 --> 0:02:56.600 they were doing. 0:02:57.960 --> 0:02:58.320 Yeah, I mean it. 0:02:58.760 --> 0:03:01.040 I mean anyone who's disrupted of like that. It is 0:03:01.080 --> 0:03:04.920 a bunch of hooligans and look, I mean, you know 0:03:05.120 --> 0:03:07.000 there were three parts of it, right. There were the 0:03:07.080 --> 0:03:09.760 kids at Washington Park making each other, there were people 0:03:09.760 --> 0:03:13.400 on Byne Street. You can't block an entire street, it's 0:03:13.440 --> 0:03:14.400 just inappropriate. 0:03:14.800 --> 0:03:16.480 And then down to the bank it's the same thing. 0:03:17.360 --> 0:03:20.120 So part of it got does come back to you know, 0:03:20.200 --> 0:03:23.640 we need to make sure that people in their neighborhoods, 0:03:23.720 --> 0:03:25.280 you know, I mean that part of the attraction is 0:03:25.280 --> 0:03:26.920 people want to come downtown because it's fun and. 0:03:26.919 --> 0:03:28.959 They want to hang out over the right things to do. 0:03:29.400 --> 0:03:31.960 We need to make sure that people in their neighborhoods 0:03:32.000 --> 0:03:34.600 have things to do. You know, this Friday for example, 0:03:34.680 --> 0:03:37.520 word that doing a groundbreaking first gate park. All right, 0:03:37.680 --> 0:03:40.280 make sure kids and people have things to do in 0:03:40.280 --> 0:03:45.040 their neighborhood rec centers, libraries, other activities. So, you know, 0:03:45.080 --> 0:03:47.120 and especially in opening day. I think next year we 0:03:47.160 --> 0:03:48.720 got to look at that. It's like, hey, what kind 0:03:48.760 --> 0:03:53.600 of events attraction can we make for kids and other 0:03:53.640 --> 0:03:56.480 folks you know, to hang out in their neighborhood enjoy 0:03:56.520 --> 0:04:00.720 the day rather than you know, everybody gathering down. Yeah. 0:04:00.800 --> 0:04:03.360 Yeah, and it's a problem too that looks like it's 0:04:03.400 --> 0:04:05.240 going to get worse. I mean, that was a sample 0:04:05.280 --> 0:04:07.040 of warm weather. We're gonna have a stretch of that 0:04:07.080 --> 0:04:08.960 before you know. It's starting well this week as a 0:04:08.960 --> 0:04:12.120 matter of fact, in the next and you just wonder 0:04:12.600 --> 0:04:14.760 if all Hull's going to break loose to some degree 0:04:15.440 --> 0:04:17.680 because of all this pent up. I want to get outside, 0:04:17.720 --> 0:04:20.040 But it also brings out some hooligans, as you said, 0:04:20.040 --> 0:04:22.560 and other people. I'm going to bring that up because 0:04:22.640 --> 0:04:25.840 right now as we speak, I mentioned the Teresa Thigi controversy, 0:04:25.880 --> 0:04:28.400 and that report is coming out. Hitter in Chief Henny 0:04:28.800 --> 0:04:31.600 is going to testify before Budget and Finance because you're 0:04:31.600 --> 0:04:35.200 working on that right now, and across the board, departments 0:04:35.200 --> 0:04:37.320 are told to cut five point one percent. So a 0:04:37.400 --> 0:04:40.960 five point one percent budget reduction for police equals about 0:04:40.960 --> 0:04:44.160 eleven million dollars. And the only way to cut that, 0:04:44.200 --> 0:04:46.640 because ninety percent of the budget is personnel, the only 0:04:46.680 --> 0:04:48.880 way of cutting the five point one percent is to 0:04:49.360 --> 0:04:52.080 layoff cops. Can we really afford to lay police officers? 0:04:52.120 --> 0:04:55.080 Though from this environment, Yeah, that ain't happening. 0:04:55.279 --> 0:04:57.719 I mean I think look, I mean the city manager rightfully, 0:04:57.760 --> 0:05:01.240 at every department, if you had to cut five point 0:05:01.279 --> 0:05:04.000 one percent, what would that look out like which Franks, 0:05:04.080 --> 0:05:05.840 I think is a good exercise to do. I mean 0:05:05.880 --> 0:05:08.080 I did it all the time at PNG. Most private 0:05:08.120 --> 0:05:10.920 companies do it. Hey, what would what would happen if 0:05:10.960 --> 0:05:12.839 you had to cut five percent? And then you go 0:05:12.920 --> 0:05:15.440 through the exercise and maybe there are efficiencies you can do. 0:05:15.560 --> 0:05:17.800 You can automate different things, you can be a little 0:05:17.800 --> 0:05:18.360 more efficient. 0:05:18.640 --> 0:05:22.080 Good exercise to do. Are we going to cut police officer? Should? 0:05:22.120 --> 0:05:24.120 We know? We were going to do the opposite? I 0:05:24.200 --> 0:05:26.799 have my budget priorities, and I think my colleagues would agree. 0:05:26.839 --> 0:05:30.640 We have to continue to invest in new recruit classes. Uh, 0:05:30.760 --> 0:05:33.719 you know, that's that has increased the size of the force. 0:05:33.760 --> 0:05:36.960 We need to continue to invest in recruit classes. So 0:05:37.279 --> 0:05:38.920 that's just not going to happen. I think it's a 0:05:38.960 --> 0:05:41.960 good exercise for every department to go through the you know, 0:05:42.040 --> 0:05:43.240 where are their efficiencies? 0:05:43.720 --> 0:05:43.840 Uh? 0:05:44.120 --> 0:05:45.919 You know, and then you know, we need to push 0:05:45.920 --> 0:05:48.919 ourselves on, hey how can we operate more efficiency? I 0:05:48.960 --> 0:05:51.240 know the police, you know are doing that even with 0:05:51.640 --> 0:05:54.760 how they leverage groans for example. Uh, you know, there 0:05:54.760 --> 0:05:56.440 are still a lot of ways that they can be 0:05:56.440 --> 0:06:00.640 more efficient. You know, going I think through technology, you know, automating, 0:06:00.800 --> 0:06:02.600 you know some of the reporting, which I think they 0:06:02.960 --> 0:06:05.839 would love to do. Sure, you know, so I think 0:06:05.839 --> 0:06:08.120 it's a good exercise to go through. But no, we're 0:06:08.120 --> 0:06:10.599 not going to and nor should we see we should 0:06:10.600 --> 0:06:12.960 be doing the opposite, and we will be doing the opposite. 0:06:13.120 --> 0:06:15.480 Is adding more officers to the force. 0:06:16.000 --> 0:06:20.240 Yeah, okay, So here's where this comes in. There's a 0:06:20.839 --> 0:06:22.760 you know, as members of councils said, hey, you know 0:06:22.800 --> 0:06:24.880 there's a lack of sit down restaurants in the West End. 0:06:24.880 --> 0:06:25.800 We need to sit down runt. 0:06:25.839 --> 0:06:28.279 So residents there have been trying to renovate a space 0:06:28.320 --> 0:06:30.680 on Lynd Street to fill that need. You guys a 0:06:30.760 --> 0:06:33.960 council approved four hundred and fifty five thousand over the 0:06:34.040 --> 0:06:36.279 last three years to fund that. But the problem is 0:06:36.320 --> 0:06:40.440 this the property owner. So this is a lease. They 0:06:40.520 --> 0:06:43.440 terminated the West End Sports Bar and Grills year long 0:06:43.560 --> 0:06:46.080 lease at the property. They said they haven't paid any rent. 0:06:46.080 --> 0:06:50.040 They're back like thirty seven thousand dollars. The landlord changed 0:06:50.080 --> 0:06:52.800 the locks. The owner, Nick Johnson, I believe it's a 0:06:52.800 --> 0:06:54.480 man's name, said you can only go in there to 0:06:54.520 --> 0:06:59.200 retrieve his personal property. And and so what happened was 0:07:00.440 --> 0:07:02.200 we had this money, we had four hundred and fifty 0:07:02.200 --> 0:07:05.120 five thousand dollars. It's been invested by the city, but 0:07:05.240 --> 0:07:07.000 didn't check to see that he was locked out of 0:07:07.040 --> 0:07:09.760 his place and he was behind, and other members of 0:07:09.760 --> 0:07:11.960 council stuff and said, well, this is for reparations for 0:07:12.040 --> 0:07:13.920 I seventy five ripping apart the neighbor and I'm not 0:07:14.000 --> 0:07:16.480 quite sure you picked one individual. This is looking like 0:07:16.560 --> 0:07:19.840 Mahogani's all over again in that in twenty twelve the 0:07:19.880 --> 0:07:22.240 city voted on council. I know you were around that, 0:07:22.360 --> 0:07:25.160 but six hundred and eighty four thousand dollars for Mahoganies 0:07:25.200 --> 0:07:28.960 at the banks and three hundred thousand loans for furnitures, fixtures, equipment, 0:07:29.000 --> 0:07:31.800 all that stuff, nearly a million dollars in financing for 0:07:31.880 --> 0:07:34.800 Liz Rogers. And from day one, it turns out Liz 0:07:34.880 --> 0:07:38.920 Rogers had multiple leans against her. She fell behind on 0:07:38.960 --> 0:07:41.800 her loan payments rather quickly, and the city got I 0:07:41.840 --> 0:07:44.000 think didn't even get the one hundred thousand dollars back 0:07:44.000 --> 0:07:46.320 of the near million, because it was a very bad 0:07:46.360 --> 0:07:48.480 deal from the get go, and they just kept throwing money. 0:07:48.600 --> 0:07:51.120 Council then and the city manager, Harry Black, just kept 0:07:51.160 --> 0:07:53.440 throwing money, like it was a bottomless pit out of 0:07:53.440 --> 0:07:55.200 some sort of guilt trip to say we have to 0:07:55.240 --> 0:08:00.520 lift this particular African American woman up and essentially give 0:08:00.520 --> 0:08:02.760 her money in order to open this business. Well, that's 0:08:02.760 --> 0:08:04.760 all well and good, but again, you've got to have a 0:08:04.800 --> 0:08:08.280 tracker of success before you scale that up into something 0:08:08.320 --> 0:08:11.400 as prominent as one of the early buildings on the banks. 0:08:11.680 --> 0:08:13.760 How is this any different than what we're talking about 0:08:13.800 --> 0:08:15.960 today with this place on Lend Street. 0:08:17.000 --> 0:08:18.840 Yeah. Look, I'd take a couple of thanks Scott. First. 0:08:19.040 --> 0:08:20.720 I mean, it's a disaster there. 0:08:21.000 --> 0:08:24.240 There has been about sixty thousand that has been spent 0:08:24.840 --> 0:08:27.280 no more, and the question is how can we claw 0:08:27.400 --> 0:08:30.600 that back? When this came up, I offered an amendment 0:08:31.440 --> 0:08:36.000 emotion to set in a mechanism to claw back any 0:08:36.040 --> 0:08:39.160 of this money and make sure that you know, hey, 0:08:39.200 --> 0:08:41.720 we can take back control of you know, whatever that 0:08:41.800 --> 0:08:44.360 investment is that didn't pass. 0:08:44.400 --> 0:08:47.240 It wasn't even seconded, you know, So. 0:08:47.240 --> 0:08:48.760 What we have to figure out how do we get 0:08:48.760 --> 0:08:51.800 that six thousand. I think the bigger question is, you know, 0:08:51.840 --> 0:08:54.839 the status quo in the West End, any of working right, 0:08:54.960 --> 0:08:58.199 there's poverty, lack of opportunity, lack of a safe place 0:08:58.200 --> 0:09:00.280 for people to gather. Just like we were talking about 0:09:00.280 --> 0:09:01.920 what we want to create, what I'm trying to do 0:09:02.000 --> 0:09:06.040 on like youth football fields. A dire part in uh, 0:09:06.120 --> 0:09:08.680 in the in the West End is to create places 0:09:08.679 --> 0:09:11.480 for kids to go play, places for people to gather, 0:09:12.080 --> 0:09:14.920 and we do need places for families together. The question 0:09:15.120 --> 0:09:18.120 is how can we accomplish that, you know, and you know, 0:09:18.120 --> 0:09:22.320 I've hacked conversations with several private sector companies including you know, 0:09:22.920 --> 0:09:25.280 you know folks who invested have invested in the West End. 0:09:25.640 --> 0:09:29.560 How can they help out to create a place, uh, 0:09:30.320 --> 0:09:32.160 you know, for people to sit down and families to 0:09:32.240 --> 0:09:34.640 sit down and gather. So I think the objective is right. 0:09:34.679 --> 0:09:37.600 I think clearly you know, the execution and the way 0:09:37.640 --> 0:09:39.800 that it went went about and the city has to 0:09:39.800 --> 0:09:41.840 figure out how we get back up sixty six. 0:09:41.640 --> 0:09:44.880 Thousand dollars and uh and not let the history repeat itself. 0:09:45.040 --> 0:09:46.760 Well, what are you talk about like a playground or 0:09:46.800 --> 0:09:49.240 something a park? What when you said just a place 0:09:49.320 --> 0:09:51.280 for families to sit down and gather? Are you talking 0:09:51.640 --> 0:09:52.440 commercial what? 0:09:52.440 --> 0:09:55.800 What? So there's there are several parts. 0:09:55.800 --> 0:09:57.840 So if you think of the West End, there's a library, 0:09:57.960 --> 0:10:03.440 now there's a rec center. There are plans for a 0:10:03.520 --> 0:10:06.760 romac like an art art center, you know, community center, 0:10:06.800 --> 0:10:10.199 which is great. Uh separately, yeah, I mean there there 0:10:10.240 --> 0:10:12.240 should be, And the question is how can you get 0:10:12.280 --> 0:10:15.320 there a place for people to sit down and have 0:10:15.440 --> 0:10:17.480 a burger and you know, have to have a coach 0:10:18.480 --> 0:10:20.880 if you will. How you get there is the question. 0:10:21.080 --> 0:10:24.480 You know clearly, Uh you know this was not and 0:10:24.720 --> 0:10:26.400 is not the right plan. 0:10:27.040 --> 0:10:27.319 Uh. 0:10:27.400 --> 0:10:31.480 You know, how can you incent private sector folks to 0:10:32.040 --> 0:10:33.880 help out those who've invested in the West End. I 0:10:33.920 --> 0:10:35.720 mean there's a couple of blocks from Sam Adams a 0:10:35.720 --> 0:10:39.000 few blocks and City Cincinnati. Uh, you know, so how 0:10:39.040 --> 0:10:43.360 can you leverage that to create a state where people 0:10:43.520 --> 0:10:46.760 can walk over and sit down and have a burger. 0:10:46.960 --> 0:10:48.640 And relax with their family. 0:10:48.960 --> 0:10:51.280 And as a result, you know, families are hanging out 0:10:51.280 --> 0:10:53.720 in their neighborhood and they're not going downtown, and kids 0:10:53.760 --> 0:10:56.680 are not going downtown. They're hanging out. And whether it's 0:10:56.720 --> 0:10:59.880 a skate park, a football field, a community center, some 0:11:00.080 --> 0:11:03.320 place where there's also state where they can also get 0:11:03.360 --> 0:11:06.880 mentored and they can have some opportunity to get out 0:11:06.920 --> 0:11:07.960 of the current situation. 0:11:08.080 --> 0:11:11.840 Because the current situation in the West End. It ain't working. 0:11:12.600 --> 0:11:14.400 But if you look at it though, you say, okay, 0:11:14.440 --> 0:11:16.720 we need a place to gather. If you go from 0:11:16.760 --> 0:11:18.719 Ezu Charles all the way up to Liberty which is 0:11:18.760 --> 0:11:21.720 several city blocks, and then between Land and where where 0:11:21.760 --> 0:11:24.240 Tiquol Stadium is, you have Laurel Playground, you got the 0:11:24.280 --> 0:11:26.440 Laurel Rec creer. You've got plenty of green space there. 0:11:26.440 --> 0:11:27.480 Don't we already have that? 0:11:28.520 --> 0:11:29.319 Oh green space? 0:11:29.400 --> 0:11:31.360 Yeah, I mean I do think I am working, as 0:11:31.400 --> 0:11:34.960 you know on a dedicated youth football field and dire 0:11:35.040 --> 0:11:36.960 park which is in the West End. 0:11:37.280 --> 0:11:39.120 So you do have some green spaces. 0:11:39.640 --> 0:11:41.760 You do have a rec center and you will we 0:11:41.800 --> 0:11:44.320 will soon have you know, like an art center for 0:11:44.400 --> 0:11:47.200 kids to come and sit down. You are and you know, 0:11:47.240 --> 0:11:49.880 I mean stay out of you know, have some productive 0:11:50.880 --> 0:11:54.480 use but having to play some families together and you know, 0:11:54.559 --> 0:11:55.720 have a burger great. 0:11:56.240 --> 0:11:57.959 How we get there is the question. 0:11:58.000 --> 0:12:01.319 You know, and how can we have private sector folks 0:12:01.360 --> 0:12:06.880 and the right investor you know, stepped in and you 0:12:06.920 --> 0:12:08.000 know and help take that. 0:12:08.000 --> 0:12:09.960 That's possible. That's the question going forward. 0:12:10.480 --> 0:12:12.920 He is accountsmember Mark Jeffreys on The Sconsland Show seven 0:12:13.000 --> 0:12:15.640 hundred Wow, there's a sports bar of the West End 0:12:15.640 --> 0:12:17.760 that's never gonna get off the ground. City threw some 0:12:17.800 --> 0:12:20.040 money at it. It's like Mahogani's all over again, on 0:12:20.080 --> 0:12:23.160 a smaller scale, but still, I think if you're a taxpayer, 0:12:23.200 --> 0:12:24.520 you hear this and go, okay, let me let me 0:12:24.520 --> 0:12:26.640 get this straight. And here's what people are here. They're going, 0:12:27.360 --> 0:12:30.160 we've got this crime going on right now. You're going 0:12:30.240 --> 0:12:33.200 to have budget meetings and you're told the departments prepare, 0:12:33.240 --> 0:12:34.920 what would it look like if you cut five point 0:12:35.000 --> 0:12:38.280 one percent, give yourself a five percent haircut across the top. 0:12:38.520 --> 0:12:40.200 Chief Adam Henny is going to present to you. 0:12:40.200 --> 0:12:40.480 Guys. 0:12:40.480 --> 0:12:42.920 You said it's not going to happen. We just this 0:12:43.080 --> 0:12:45.960 is part of the process here as we ask departments 0:12:45.960 --> 0:12:47.520 to do that. It doesn't really mean we're going to 0:12:47.600 --> 0:12:49.640 But people hear that and go, wow, they're going to 0:12:49.720 --> 0:12:52.040 lose eleven million dollars at a time where violence is 0:12:52.040 --> 0:12:53.600 on the way up, crime is on the way up, 0:12:53.600 --> 0:12:55.920 and not all over the place, but in many areas, 0:12:56.000 --> 0:12:58.520 especially the high profile ones. A top of that, we 0:12:58.640 --> 0:13:01.840 just ate eight million dollars riverbend two point zero, and 0:13:02.200 --> 0:13:04.920 of course we know the symphony has tons of cash, 0:13:04.960 --> 0:13:07.200 but we're going to give them money anyway. In the meantime, 0:13:07.200 --> 0:13:10.199 we're going to give business to someone who is in default, 0:13:10.200 --> 0:13:12.600 already already been locked out. We're giving him money for 0:13:12.640 --> 0:13:14.800 a place that's shuttered because he didn't pay his rent. 0:13:14.800 --> 0:13:17.040 We didn't bother the check that before we wrote the check. 0:13:17.440 --> 0:13:19.480 How do you think that's playing with your average voter 0:13:19.679 --> 0:13:23.160 or your average citizen in Cincinnati, Mark, Yeah. 0:13:23.160 --> 0:13:25.080 I mean, look, first of all, the reason that there's 0:13:25.120 --> 0:13:27.000 a reason why I voted against the eight million for 0:13:27.080 --> 0:13:30.439 the Music Center is because I don't think that we 0:13:30.520 --> 0:13:34.240 should be investing and things like that. And eight million 0:13:34.360 --> 0:13:37.680 is a lot when you have a budget deficit of 0:13:37.800 --> 0:13:41.160 thirty million. And I think rightfully to the other reason 0:13:41.160 --> 0:13:43.360 why I'm also non in favor of an increase in 0:13:43.400 --> 0:13:46.280 the earning sects. We have to live within our meetings, 0:13:46.559 --> 0:13:52.280 and I've been the one outspoken voice on that, and 0:13:52.480 --> 0:13:54.280 you know, I mean, look, I think we need to 0:13:54.280 --> 0:13:57.640 make sure that we are smart about our investments. I 0:13:57.679 --> 0:14:00.000 do think the objective is right in the West End, 0:14:00.000 --> 0:14:03.880 which is, how can we make sure that folks do 0:14:04.600 --> 0:14:08.400 have safe spaces to go when you have two kids 0:14:08.400 --> 0:14:12.240 who are shot at playgrounds. You know, if I'm a 0:14:12.280 --> 0:14:13.840 pair in the West End, I'm like, no, I don't 0:14:13.840 --> 0:14:15.560 really want my kid to hang out on a playground, 0:14:15.559 --> 0:14:18.880 Which is why we're pushing four things like cameras, things 0:14:18.960 --> 0:14:22.760 like lights, lighting, and playgrounds, you know, And so the 0:14:22.800 --> 0:14:25.800 objective of yees having a place for people together. I 0:14:25.840 --> 0:14:28.640 think how we get there is the question. And how 0:14:28.640 --> 0:14:32.080 can we have private sector come in and help out 0:14:33.160 --> 0:14:37.480 to to create a place for people to have a 0:14:37.480 --> 0:14:40.280 burger and a beer and a coke, you know, with 0:14:40.360 --> 0:14:42.360 their family on a you know, on an evening. 0:14:42.760 --> 0:14:44.640 All right, all well and good because I like nice 0:14:44.640 --> 0:14:48.560 slices to go. But you know, I look at what's 0:14:48.560 --> 0:14:51.160 happening in Cincinnati. We have shootings at playgrounds for crying 0:14:51.160 --> 0:14:53.720 out a lot. I mentioned Laurel Playground and the rec 0:14:53.760 --> 0:14:55.800 center their queens gates fairly close to they at a 0:14:55.840 --> 0:14:58.280 rec center. A lot of green space in that area 0:14:58.280 --> 0:15:00.240 in the West End. And yet okay, we'll put place 0:15:00.240 --> 0:15:02.200 where see people can sit down, have a burger to coke. 0:15:02.240 --> 0:15:04.640 All right, I'm down, But what makes us think that 0:15:04.680 --> 0:15:06.880 the violence isn't just gonna end up there? I mean, 0:15:06.920 --> 0:15:08.720 we had a shitting at we had a shooting on 0:15:08.800 --> 0:15:11.440 Fountain Square at City Bird people firing through the glass 0:15:11.440 --> 0:15:13.760 at each other right there on Fountain Square. They're gonna 0:15:13.760 --> 0:15:15.160 do that on Fountain Square, and they're gonna do that 0:15:15.200 --> 0:15:15.760 in the West End. 0:15:17.000 --> 0:15:17.240 Yeah. 0:15:17.240 --> 0:15:19.480 Well, look, I mean this is a bigger problem if 0:15:19.480 --> 0:15:22.040 you well know God right, I mean, when somebody shoots 0:15:22.080 --> 0:15:24.440 someone and a police officer of the incident you mentioned 0:15:24.480 --> 0:15:28.720 in Fountain Square was literally twenty feet away. We need officers. 0:15:28.720 --> 0:15:31.520 We need more officers than we will recruit more, but 0:15:31.640 --> 0:15:33.960 we can't. And police will be the first person say 0:15:34.000 --> 0:15:36.200 that police our way out of it, because when somebody 0:15:36.200 --> 0:15:39.520 shoots somebody twenty feet away, it's a tigger care. So 0:15:39.720 --> 0:15:42.520 we have to create and it starts with kids. But 0:15:42.640 --> 0:15:46.600 to create opportunities, job opportunities, you know, making sure that 0:15:46.680 --> 0:15:50.520 folks are getting, you know, into the trades. You know, 0:15:50.560 --> 0:15:53.480 we're building things like the Branston Bridge Western Hith Viaduct, 0:15:53.520 --> 0:15:57.040 and we get people trained as iron workers and laborers 0:15:57.080 --> 0:16:02.000 and plumbers. And that is the only way you know, 0:16:02.120 --> 0:16:05.440 to give people opportunity and uh, you know, and get 0:16:05.440 --> 0:16:07.240 out of the poverty that we see in the West 0:16:07.360 --> 0:16:12.280 End through education and job opportunities and showing kids that 0:16:12.520 --> 0:16:15.520 you know, people adults can be responsible. You know, I 0:16:15.560 --> 0:16:18.200 want kids in the West End seeing people, you know, 0:16:18.400 --> 0:16:21.480 uh vote and the bus stop with a bus driver 0:16:21.720 --> 0:16:25.440 or the security guard and they're resusponsible. They're getting on 0:16:25.480 --> 0:16:27.640 the bus and they're coming home in the afternoon and 0:16:27.640 --> 0:16:30.280 they're taking care of the family. That's the kind of 0:16:30.560 --> 0:16:32.840 that's the only way out. We're not going to be 0:16:32.840 --> 0:16:36.800 able to police our way out of it, you know. Uh. 0:16:36.840 --> 0:16:40.400 And but we also do need police, We need both, yes, 0:16:40.760 --> 0:16:42.680 and so that's the only folution to go forward. 0:16:43.240 --> 0:16:46.280 Yeah, you mentioned the earnings tack and earning stacks and 0:16:46.320 --> 0:16:47.960 this is part of it. And saying hey, we cut 0:16:47.960 --> 0:16:50.560 five percent, we do the earnings tax. But again, giving 0:16:50.600 --> 0:16:53.840 money to riverbend money to people already in default. 0:16:54.280 --> 0:16:54.440 Uh. 0:16:54.520 --> 0:16:57.280 That that really if you that's really going to hurt 0:16:57.280 --> 0:16:59.160 that vote? Is that for nerd? I'm not debating whether 0:16:59.200 --> 0:17:01.680 or not in New to raise the earnings tax, but boy, 0:17:01.720 --> 0:17:03.120 that's gonna be a hard hell to climb for you 0:17:03.160 --> 0:17:04.040 guys based on this. 0:17:05.640 --> 0:17:06.960 Yeah, I mean there's the reason why. 0:17:07.160 --> 0:17:09.520 I mean I said this before the last campaign, and 0:17:09.600 --> 0:17:12.320 I haven't changed my position. You know, you eat your 0:17:12.400 --> 0:17:16.239 carrots before you eat your dessert. There are plenty of 0:17:16.280 --> 0:17:19.119 efficiencies and things, and I am laying them out in 0:17:19.200 --> 0:17:21.879 my budget parity motion. I've got a lot of efficiencies 0:17:21.920 --> 0:17:24.920 and opportunities. You start there before you. 0:17:24.800 --> 0:17:27.760 Ask, you know. I mean it's the same thing with kids. 0:17:27.840 --> 0:17:29.720 You know, you don't give them a stake increase in 0:17:29.720 --> 0:17:31.960 their allowance if they're not doing their tour correct. 0:17:32.560 --> 0:17:35.240 So you got That's why I want the city Cincinnati 0:17:35.280 --> 0:17:37.760 be my parents. You seem kind of like generous about that, 0:17:37.880 --> 0:17:39.320 kind of lax about that, if you will. 0:17:40.080 --> 0:17:41.720 I'm not laxibotic, my friend. 0:17:42.040 --> 0:17:44.160 I'm talking about I'm talking about it in general. It's 0:17:44.240 --> 0:17:47.320 like it's like, I know, you guys are like the 0:17:47.320 --> 0:17:49.840 cool parents. You're buying my weed for me. I know 0:17:49.880 --> 0:17:51.920 you're fighting against this mark. That's why you on the show. 0:17:51.960 --> 0:17:54.639 And I appreciate that because five percent is not going 0:17:54.720 --> 0:17:57.240 to happen with the police department. But also just be 0:17:57.400 --> 0:17:59.560 more responsible and running it like a business in some 0:17:59.600 --> 0:18:02.760 regards instead of just handing money out Willy Nilly probably 0:18:02.800 --> 0:18:05.439