1 00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: It's six o five fifty five KERCD Talks station, and 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:06,480 Speaker 1: I'll probably mention it a lot this morning because let's 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,040 Speaker 1: see folks at Matt Treebrew today Summit Park location for 4 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 1: listener lunch and always enjoy the fellowship. They're kicking off 5 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: twenty twenty six on the right foot. Hopefully that all 6 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:18,080 Speaker 1: these swirling bad news and the craziness going on months, 7 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: notably the swear again of FTV provol and his claim 8 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: that we need to raise the income tax. At least 9 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:29,479 Speaker 1: he mentioned public safety, but also I guess money for 10 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: affordable housing. Welcome back to get it out of your system, Christopher. 11 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: I love being a therapy guide for you to help 12 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:39,319 Speaker 1: deal with your mental health challenges, to deal with all 13 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:43,479 Speaker 1: this news. Smither Event Volume two for this week, Christopher Smithman, 14 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 1: Welcome back to this show, my friend. 15 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:48,520 Speaker 2: Oh, thank you so much for having me on. Brian, 16 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 2: you know, for your listening audience. You know, the city 17 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 2: budget is no different than your household, all right, and 18 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 2: every day you've got to wake up and pay for 19 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 2: the operation of your home capital improvements like fixing your 20 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:06,960 Speaker 2: roof or putting in a new HVC unit, whatever it is. 21 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 2: Ling saying your Duke Energy billing radar, and you don't 22 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:21,480 Speaker 2: walk in around the dinner table and look at your 23 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 2: your spouse or your significant other and say, listen, man, 24 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 2: you know we've got to make some tough choices here. 25 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:33,320 Speaker 2: You know, I'm gonna I'm gonna go out and buy 26 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 2: a really nice car, and at the same time, I'm 27 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 2: gonna I'm not gonna cut Netflix, or I'm not going 28 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 2: to cut my spectrum bill, or you know, I'm not 29 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 2: going to reduce something else. I'm not gonna take that 30 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 2: big trip. I'm gonna do all those things. The problem 31 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 2: with city Hall, it's a spending issue. Let's start with 32 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 2: the operation of the streetcar, not the capitol building of it. 33 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 2: This is what we talked about, Brian to. Oh yeah, 34 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 2: the chickens are coming home to roost, right, So I 35 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 2: estimate it's five million dollars a year just to operate 36 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:13,639 Speaker 2: the street car. This council wants to take the second 37 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:18,920 Speaker 2: leg up to UC. Here's what's really happening. They don't 38 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 2: care about police officers's there's nothing that shows you that 39 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:27,399 Speaker 2: they care about law enforcement. This is about generating more 40 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 2: money because the COVID dollars that they've been patting the 41 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 2: budget with are now gone and so now they have 42 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 2: to sit back and really balance the budget. And instead 43 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 2: of balancing the budget, they're going back to the will 44 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 2: and they're saying, let's raise the income tax on the 45 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 2: three hundred and fifty thousand or three hundred and thirty 46 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:48,679 Speaker 2: thousand citizens that live in the city of since that 47 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 2: knowing that our property taxes are already going through the roof. 48 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,119 Speaker 2: This is just an irresponsible mayor and council that cannot 49 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 2: balance the budget. They keep putting out these off the 50 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 2: contracts like to an Irish rolely as an example, and 51 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,360 Speaker 2: you say, well, what is she doing. She's hiring her son, 52 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 2: what's happening with that money? See, this is the kind 53 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 2: of stuff where if you're in the city and you're 54 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 2: watching how they manage their budget, and then you're watching 55 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 2: the mayor's personal cars be repolled, you don't trust that 56 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 2: they know what they're doing, And the fact is they don't, 57 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 2: Meaning why don't they make the hard decisions in front 58 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 2: of them, meaning show us that you're willing to reduce 59 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 2: your own spending prior to coming to the taxpayer and 60 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 2: saying will you bail us out for all the irresponsible decisions. 61 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 2: But no, they'll come right back and say, you know, 62 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 2: we've got to do the mural, the Black Lives Matter mural. 63 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 2: We're going to spend another million on that. We're going 64 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 2: to do a contract for IRIS. We're going to fire 65 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 2: people irresponsibly and just keep putting money out. We're not 66 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 2: going to reduce any hours on the street car. We're 67 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 2: going to continue to operate at the same level, meaning 68 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 2: at the same time we're going to talk about building 69 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 2: the second thing of the street car. And guess what, 70 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 2: we're going to tax all of you even more money 71 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 2: and tell you it's about cops. Well, it has nothing 72 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 2: to do with cops, nothing to do with it. 73 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 1: Well, don't overlook the very large checks they're going to 74 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 1: be writing to the former fire chief and probably police 75 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:23,039 Speaker 1: former chief Fiji when they settle out their employment dispute 76 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: discrimination cases. That's millions of dollars right there. I suspect 77 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 1: that will be. 78 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 2: Absolutely What they're really trying to do, what this mayor 79 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 2: pure val is really doing, is he's trying to pit 80 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:40,039 Speaker 2: police officers against conservative voters. So what they're setting us 81 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 2: up to say is this is a narrative if you 82 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 2: vote against us raising the income tax. You're voting against 83 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:51,280 Speaker 2: cops as if he's for cops. Right. So, there are 84 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 2: lots of things that are funded in the operating budget 85 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 2: outside of police officers. But what he's trying to do 86 00:04:56,800 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 2: is pit the profession against all of the citizens of 87 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 2: Cincinnati who say, we want to be safe and you 88 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 2: haven't been able to deliver safety to us. It's not 89 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:10,719 Speaker 2: about raising taxes to the public. This is a council 90 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 2: with the mayor that you voted for. Elections have consequences, 91 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:19,039 Speaker 2: and so whether it's the eight million dollar settlement for 92 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 2: those who were downtown who are acting crazy and we're 93 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 2: arrested and we're now paying them off on that settlement, 94 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:29,600 Speaker 2: whether it's an Irish rolely contract, whether it's the operation 95 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:33,600 Speaker 2: of the street car, you name it, I guarantee you 96 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 2: you and I could put a fine too to this 97 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 2: budget and cut things that they are going to be 98 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:41,480 Speaker 2: uncomfortable with. But we can find ten or fifteen million 99 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:45,479 Speaker 2: dollars a year in operating that we shouldn't spend before 100 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 2: we raise any taxes on the public. They'll never do it. 101 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:51,600 Speaker 2: This is about this is a spending issue. This is 102 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:55,359 Speaker 2: about raising our taxes Brian Thomas, and they just don't 103 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 2: ultimately care. The last thing I'll say is, remember this 104 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:00,840 Speaker 2: is a Democratic council that said as they care about 105 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 2: the poor. This is it that Democratic council, we care 106 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 2: about affordable housing. How do they think that everyday people 107 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:12,160 Speaker 2: can pay for increases in property taxes? The widow or 108 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 2: widower out there who's our fixed income, how do they 109 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 2: think on a Social Security check that they're going to 110 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:21,039 Speaker 2: pay for these increases in property and income tax and 111 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 2: thieves that they keep slamming us with, which makes Cincinnati 112 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 2: one of the most expensive places in our state to live. 113 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 1: Well, you got a lot of unpackage on that there. 114 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: Christopher Smithman, I guess when you going back to your 115 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 1: comment about this as an effort to pitt conservative voters 116 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:40,919 Speaker 1: against Democrat voters, you presume, and I think it's fairly accurate. 117 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 1: Conservatives tend to be pro law enforcement, and we certainly 118 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 1: agree that there should be more law enforcement officers in 119 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 1: downtown Cincinnati in order to improve the crime situation. That's 120 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: a logical response to crime. But this is so much 121 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 1: more than that. So first off, let me just say 122 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 1: there don't appear to be a whole lot of conservative 123 00:06:56,880 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 1: voters in the city of Cincinnati. As I stare at 124 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:03,920 Speaker 1: my the chart in the aftermath the last election, where 125 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: it's basically solid blue with the exception of Californian Riverside 126 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 1: and saleor Park. So I'm not sure there are that 127 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: many conservatives out there to even vote one way or 128 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 1: the other. But when you start saying further prioritize public 129 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 1: safety investments, support police and fire, also empower us to 130 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: invest in affordable housing. I don't know what these words mean, 131 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 1: but he said them. Provol catalyze neighborhoods that have not 132 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 1: shared in our growth, and support programs that will help 133 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 1: build our minority owned businesses. All of that is going 134 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 1: to be accomplished with some percent increase in the income tax. 135 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 1: If it was just law enforcement, if they presented us 136 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: a budgetary scenario, going back to your budget comment, Look, 137 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 1: we're in trouble. We need to hire more police officers, 138 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: and in order to do that, we're gonna have to pay 139 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: them more because nobody wants to work in the city 140 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 1: of Cincinnati, where everyone thinks the police suck. It's only 141 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 1: for police. No other programs are going to benefit from 142 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 1: the money. It's going to bring in x millions of dollars. 143 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: We're going to use it all to hire police and 144 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: improve public safety, period end of story. That might sell 145 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 1: as a proposition, but this is have to have purvol 146 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,680 Speaker 1: so it's not about public safety. In fact, check out 147 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 1: Todd Zenzer's post. Here's what he said just nine hours ago. 148 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: Apparently city Hall was wasting no time to try to 149 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:17,320 Speaker 1: raise the earnings tax. The mayor and council would like 150 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 1: to keep spending more and more tax payer money to 151 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 1: quote disrupt poverty close quote until they get it right 152 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:26,720 Speaker 1: or the city, its businesses, and its taxpayers go broke 153 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:30,119 Speaker 1: trying I put my money on the ladder, Todd says, 154 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 1: to my point, disrupting poverty was basically the same purpose 155 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 1: the Mayor's cited for his twenty twenty two tax increase, 156 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: except then they raised property taxes in the city, and 157 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 1: there was no mention about public city in the mayor's 158 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 1: motion whatsoever. His motion post to bluss. We can even 159 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 1: read what he wrote back then. So instead of increasing 160 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:52,200 Speaker 1: the earning tax, Todd says the city should increase fraud 161 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 1: prevention and detection. He says, there are quite a few 162 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: of us out here who would be willing to help 163 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:00,560 Speaker 1: the city to do that, I e. Todd Zenzer. Same time, 164 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 1: it would help the mayor keep this twenty twenty three 165 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: promise of no new taxes, which is another reference going 166 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:08,559 Speaker 1: back to what the mayor previously said, no new taxes. 167 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 1: Remember George Bush said that and he ended up losing 168 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:13,720 Speaker 1: an election over raising taxes. Hey, I have to have 169 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:16,280 Speaker 1: provall what about your twenty twenty three promise. 170 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 2: Corey Bowman was on the ballot and we had an 171 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:25,560 Speaker 2: opportunity to elect a new mayor, and that was in November. 172 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:28,439 Speaker 2: We're talking about this in January. The mayor knew all 173 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:33,199 Speaker 2: of this prior to the election. This is absolutely a 174 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,400 Speaker 2: bait and switch. And the other thing that I want 175 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 2: to want to highlight about this, and I agree with 176 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 2: what Todd is saying, but if this mayor really wanted 177 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 2: this to be about public safety. And I hope the 178 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 2: president of the FOP is listening our signal ninety nine, 179 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:50,840 Speaker 2: who I know will be on on Friday. I'll be 180 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 2: listening at eight am. 181 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:55,960 Speaker 1: Yeah. Den Cooper is on at the bottom of this hour, 182 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 1: so we're going to be hearing from him shortly. 183 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'll to your entire show. What I'm saying is 184 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:07,320 Speaker 2: why not then do a dedicated income taxes is what 185 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 2: you're leading to, or say just for cops, meaning if 186 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 2: this is about cops, why not say, Okay, we're going 187 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 2: to raise the income tax for this amount of money, 188 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:19,840 Speaker 2: and it is just for police officers. It cannot be used. 189 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 2: It is restricted just for cops. That's not what they're 190 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 2: trying to do. And that's what you're talking about, Brian Thomas, 191 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 2: and to the public. It's something they can do. There 192 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 2: are other cities that have done it because it's not 193 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:35,439 Speaker 2: what they're trying to do. They're worried about the operating 194 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 2: budget and this is fungible and they're trying to operate 195 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:42,240 Speaker 2: the street car and do all these other little special 196 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:46,199 Speaker 2: programs and pay all these people all this money. They're 197 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 2: not interested in cops. They're trying to pit mean, you 198 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:53,200 Speaker 2: are people like myself who support law enforcement. When we 199 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:56,080 Speaker 2: come out and we say vote no on this, or 200 00:10:56,600 --> 00:11:01,120 Speaker 2: we decide to pick up a petition and collect signatures. 201 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:03,920 Speaker 1: Oh I like that. Let's hold on, Christopher, Let's elaborate 202 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:05,560 Speaker 1: on a little bit. Let's paust I'll bring it right 203 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 1: back to this. I sort to ask you an out 204 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:11,199 Speaker 1: loud question about where's the railroad money? One more with 205 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:13,599 Speaker 1: Christopher Smith before we get to Ken Cober at the 206 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 1: bottom of this hour. First plumb type plumbing. It's always 207 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:17,680 Speaker 1: viactation A very happy Wednesday to You're gonna be an 208 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 1: especially happy Friday. I was just talking with Joe Strecker 209 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:22,719 Speaker 1: about this and Christopher mentioned it out loud. I was 210 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 1: going to bring it up this morning before we get 211 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:25,679 Speaker 1: back to Christopher Smith and with volume two of the 212 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: Smith Event this week, Signal ninety nine will be on 213 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:31,200 Speaker 1: the program eight A I'm on Friday. If you're not 214 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:33,200 Speaker 1: familiar with Signal ninety nine, you need to be go 215 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 1: over to Facebook and just follow her. Former police officer 216 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: Carolyn will be joining the program. Outspoken and well connected 217 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 1: she is in terms of the information that she shares 218 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 1: to her followers. It's just it's hilarious stuff and quite 219 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:49,840 Speaker 1: often it's a little painful to see the reality of 220 00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:53,200 Speaker 1: what's going on in the city. Back to Christopher, Hey, 221 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 1: where's the railroad money? Christopher, I thought we were going 222 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 1: to get a big wind fall from that billion dollar investment, 223 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 1: and what wouldn't that solve some of the finances pro 224 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 1: and why do we need a tax increase. Have we 225 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:05,079 Speaker 1: got all this new revenue coming in, Christopher. 226 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 2: Well, those are capital dollars, but it's a big pot 227 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 2: and I agree with you. There's no transparency around those dollars, 228 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 2: how they're being invested, how much money is coming in. 229 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 2: And this was my big issue too, was the land, 230 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 2: the three hundred miles all the way to Tennessee that 231 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 2: our forefathers had for us. There was no other city 232 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 2: that I know of in the United States of America, 233 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:31,880 Speaker 2: but definitely in the state of Ohio who had three 234 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:35,200 Speaker 2: hundred miles of rail that we own. And we were 235 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 2: bringing in about thirty six million dollars and it would 236 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 2: have been forty six million before we clicked our heills 237 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:44,080 Speaker 2: three times. It was a terrible transaction by this mayor 238 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 2: to sell our railroad. But here's going to be the 239 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 2: result of this, Brian Thomas. People are leaving Cincinnati. Those 240 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 2: who can get out are leaving. They're selling their businesses 241 00:12:56,440 --> 00:12:58,840 Speaker 2: that they don't want to pay the income tax, and 242 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:02,719 Speaker 2: they are taking their residents outside of the city of Cincinnati. 243 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,520 Speaker 2: So the reality of it is they're going to be 244 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:07,320 Speaker 2: more and more people. Now, how do I know this? 245 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:10,960 Speaker 2: How do I say that with certainty because of the profession. 246 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 2: I'm a financial planner. I'm telling you what my clients 247 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 2: are telling me. They're saying, I'm out of here. I 248 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:20,959 Speaker 2: cannot afford the property taxes, or I don't want to 249 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:22,280 Speaker 2: pay the property taxes. 250 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 1: Or maybe the crime or maybe it's crime too, or. 251 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 2: It's crime too. But they're saying, listen, I would be 252 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:31,600 Speaker 2: willing to pay. I just did it. I'm looking. I'm 253 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 2: thinking about a clinic. I just did a financial review 254 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 2: of crimes, and the client said to me, I would 255 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:38,840 Speaker 2: be willing to pay the taxes if I got the service. 256 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 2: But the problem is the city is so dog gone dirty. 257 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:45,840 Speaker 2: When they miss my trash or they don't pick up 258 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 2: my trash, they won't come back and get it. I've 259 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 2: got potholes all around me, tearing up my nice car, 260 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:56,319 Speaker 2: my nice vehicle. Right, Or if I call the police, 261 00:13:56,559 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 2: I don't get the response I want. Not because it's 262 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:03,199 Speaker 2: the police is because they will not invest in officers. 263 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 2: If I just moved out into the county, I'm gonna 264 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 2: get better services. I'm even gonna pay lower taxes, right, 265 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 2: I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna be safer, and so 266 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:16,760 Speaker 2: what's happening is people are leaving those who can leave 267 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:20,360 Speaker 2: relief this move that the mayorage making. Watch what I'm 268 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 2: telling you, population is gonna drop, It's not gonna go higher. 269 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:26,760 Speaker 2: People are gonna say I can't afford it, and I'm 270 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 2: just gonna move somewhere else. People who are earning, they're 271 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 2: gonna take their businesses right. 272 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 1: People who are earning a living and paying income tax. 273 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: You can't lose those people. Wasn't that the point of 274 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:42,080 Speaker 1: gentrifying over the Rhine and building all the urban hipster 275 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 1: paradise places to live so they would bring in people 276 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 1: who actually worked and paid taxes in the city. Christopher, 277 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 1: That's exactly that. That's the sweet spot those that you 278 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: need to make it a more welcome environment for people 279 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: who are paying into the system. It's a great point 280 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 1: your client made. You know what, I'm not getting a 281 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 1: return on my taxpayer investment. I mean, you'd be willing 282 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,320 Speaker 1: to pay taxes if it resulted in something positive in 283 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 1: your world. It's like going out and buying something. You 284 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:08,600 Speaker 1: choose to purchase something because it's going to benefit you 285 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 1: in some way. You get value for the money. You're 286 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 1: not getting value for your taxpayer dollars in the city. 287 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 2: Correct, And then they'll say to me, well, Christopher, I'm 288 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 2: already sending my kid to say that I'm already sending 289 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 2: my kids deceit. And so my kid is not in 290 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 2: the Cincinnati public school system, but sixty five percent of 291 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:30,440 Speaker 2: my property taxes are the public school system. Why am 292 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:32,640 Speaker 2: I paying all these taxes? And then if I then 293 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 2: those who are living in the county are frustrated because 294 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 2: they say, I work in the city and I'm paying 295 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 2: for ear tacks. I work for proper example, But I 296 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 2: can't vote for any of these people. I can't vote 297 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 2: any of them out. I have no control over it. 298 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 2: So what you're seeing is businesses are saying and my 299 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 2: heart goes out to Taste of Belgium who's filing for 300 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 2: bank Trusty at what their situation too was. But all 301 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 2: I can tell you is the lack of foot traffic 302 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 2: certainly didn't help their situation. The crime levels in the 303 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 2: downtown area on the banks and then over the Rhine 304 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 2: didn't help them. And to your point, Brian Thomas, all 305 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:08,640 Speaker 2: of those people that have invested not one hundred thousand 306 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 2: millions of dollars in their housing. They have reached in OTR. 307 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 2: There are beautiful spaces that people have retired, their children 308 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 2: have moved. They said, I'm going to move into the OTR. 309 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:24,320 Speaker 2: I'm going to create this really cool space. But guess what. 310 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 2: The crime is out of control, and their investments that 311 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 2: they've made are at risk, and you're going to see 312 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 2: those people say what you're talking about, I'm getting the 313 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 2: heck out of downtown. I thought this was going to 314 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 2: be cool. The city sold me a bill of goods. 315 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 2: They're raising my coxtus, my property taxes, but they also 316 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:47,320 Speaker 2: can't keep me safe. This increase, this increase, Brian Thomas, 317 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 2: isn't going to make anybody safer. And there are people 318 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 2: out there, because my phone is already ringing, who are considering, 319 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 2: why don't we just drop a petition on them, stop 320 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 2: them at the gates, at the barbarian at the gates. 321 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:04,199 Speaker 2: I'll tell them, no more, no more, no more. But 322 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 2: what we don't want are cops pitting cops against the issue, 323 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 2: and that's what the mayor is trying to do. This 324 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 2: is not about cops for him. This is about all 325 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:17,480 Speaker 2: of that other stuff that you're talking about, and cops 326 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 2: are the lowest in his mind that on the total 327 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:22,160 Speaker 2: poll as car as what he's interested to. 328 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 1: Take for And in terms of the businesses you're referring to, 329 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: and I think it's implicit in your comments, but I 330 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 1: want to say it straightforward and out loud. Those businesses 331 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:32,560 Speaker 1: relied not just on residents that live within the city. 332 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:35,440 Speaker 1: They rely on people who want to come into the 333 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:38,760 Speaker 1: city to spend money, who want to come into the 334 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:40,640 Speaker 1: city and go to Ruby's or some of the other 335 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:42,679 Speaker 1: restaurants that are down there that are great. But you 336 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 1: know what, who among us has not talked to a 337 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:47,720 Speaker 1: person who said, I am not going to the city 338 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:50,880 Speaker 1: anymore because I'm afraid of the crime. I have heard 339 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:53,399 Speaker 1: that from so many people. It's almost like the norm. 340 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:56,439 Speaker 1: Whether or not it's an appropriate conclusion, because I like 341 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 1: downtown and I think there's some great stuff down there 342 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: that it is definitely either that is attractive to me. 343 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 1: But you know what, lingering in the back of my 344 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:05,879 Speaker 1: mind is the same thing. You know, I saw the 345 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 1: beat down on film, you know from last year. I've 346 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:11,639 Speaker 1: seen the crime statistics. Eleven year old gets a randomly 347 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 1: shot that could be anybody, doesn't have to be eleven 348 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: year old girl in a park. It could be literally 349 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 1: anyone who's the victim of random gunfire. Do you want 350 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 1: to be that person? 351 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 2: No? 352 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 1: Are you going to be subjected to that in Oh, 353 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 1: I don't know, Westchester or Anderson or Hyde Park. Probably not, 354 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:28,120 Speaker 1: but it may very well happen in the high crime 355 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:29,960 Speaker 1: areas of the city where a lot of businesses have 356 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:32,280 Speaker 1: invested a lot of money hoping people will come in 357 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:34,919 Speaker 1: and spend it. It's a downward spiral. 358 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 2: It's so frustrating. Brian Thomas is, then how do they 359 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:41,160 Speaker 2: respond to those things? Meaning when the eleven year old 360 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 2: girl is shot, how do they respond to it? Right? 361 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:47,439 Speaker 2: When when when the citizens were beat up in the downtown, 362 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 2: how did they respond? They deserved it, they got what 363 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 2: they was coming to them. That is how city council 364 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:56,399 Speaker 2: and this mayor responded to it. So the reality of 365 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:58,719 Speaker 2: it is I feel bad for those businesses that are 366 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:01,000 Speaker 2: a down town. I absolutely we do. My heart goes 367 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 2: out to this. But I'm also not going to get 368 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:06,080 Speaker 2: on this radio station in lie and say that Cincinnati 369 00:19:06,119 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 2: is safe until it is safe, until the reality of 370 00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 2: it is of many of these neighborhoods have voted for this. 371 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:14,200 Speaker 2: They voted for this mayor, they voted for this council. 372 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 2: Elections have consequences. 373 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:19,639 Speaker 1: Christopher Smithman, you have consequences too. That's why I love you. 374 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:22,400 Speaker 1: Have it on the program smith Event Volume two. Find 375 00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:25,400 Speaker 1: the podcast for Fivecarresey dot com. You are my brother, indeed, 376 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:27,320 Speaker 1: and you're more than welcome, and I thank you for 377 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:29,560 Speaker 1: helping out. We're going to continue this conversation.