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Cincinnati City Council Candidate Review

As we have long done, the Cincinnati Regional Chamber conducted a review of the candidates for Cincinnati City Council. Our goal is to help our members and the general public understand the alignment of the candidates with the Chamber’s mission, vision, and policy agenda.

This year, the Chamber convened a group of our members to review questionnaires, interview all 10 candidates, and share their perspective on the each of them based on those two inputs. Since this field also includes nine incumbents, the Chamber also factored in the voting records of the incumbents over the last two years.

Below is information regarding the Candidates stances on pressing issues facing our region, as well as the Chamber’s perspective on the 2023 Cincinnati City Council Candidates:

REGGIE HARRIS

Partnered with the business community to streamline the development process for affordable housing projects.
Led robust efforts to engage stakeholders and the community in development of comprehensive zoning reform.
Drove efforts to create and support a pipeline of black developers to participate in Cincinnati’s economic renaissance.
Effectively led Budget and Finance Committee and City budget process with a clear understanding of the City’s fiscal health.

Reggie Harris has embraced a partnership with leaders across the community to advance a pro-growth agenda. He engages meaningfully with experts – including the business community – to develop ambitious and effective policies that support housing production and affordability and create a more equitable city.

LIZ KEATING

Courageously led efforts to reform the City’s zoning code to encourage additional housing development.
Fought to keep the property tax rollback.
Found ways to work productively across the aisle and focuses on oversight and transparency.
Championed the innovation economy in Cincinnati, including embracing efficiencies in local government.

Liz Keating has been an incredible partner to the Chamber and effective advocate for the business community on Cincinnati City Council. Her ability to be an ‘unlikely ally’ with her colleagues and a voice of reason has made her a valued member of Council.

LIZ KEATING

Courageously led efforts to reform the City’s zoning code to encourage additional housing development.
Fought to keep the property tax rollback.
Found ways to work productively across the aisle and focuses on oversight and transparency.
Championed the innovation economy in Cincinnati, including embracing efficiencies in local government.

Liz Keating has been an incredible partner to the business community on Cincinnati City Council. She has proven to be an effective partner to the business community. Her ability to be an ‘unlikely ally’ with her colleagues and a voice of reason has made her a valued member of Council.

REGGIE HARRIS

Partnered with the business community to streamline the development process for affordable housing projects .
Led robust efforts to engage stakeholders and the community in development of comprehensive zoning reform.
Drove efforts to create and support a pipeline of black developers to participate in Cincinnati’s economic renaissance.
Effectively led Budget and Finance Committee and City budget process with a clear understanding of the City’s fiscal health.

Reggie Harris has embraced a partnership with leaders across the community to advance a pro-growth agenda. He engages meaningfully with experts – including the business community – to develop ambitious and effective policies that support housing production and affordability and create a more equitable city.

JEFF CRAMERDING

Jeff Cramerding has proven to be a critical thinker about fiscal responsibility around the City’s budget. As Chair of the Equitable Growth and Housing Committee he has shown a willingness to embrace policies that will expand the supply of housing across the City.

MARK JEFFREYS

We were encouraged by Mark's growth and perspective around housing, land use, and development during his first term. In his second term he has the opportunity to be a leader on quality-of-life issues that will support growth in Cincinnati neighborhoods.

JAN-MICHELE LEMON KEARNEY

As a business owner herself, we appreciate the Vice Mayor's consistent engagement with small, minority, and women owned businesses. On issues related to development, we encourage the Vice Mayor to take a more consistent, pro-growth approach to policies in the next term.

MEEKA OWENS

Since joining Council, we have appreciated Meeka Owens’ willingness to engage with the business community in her work. Through this process we have gained confidence in her willingness to support pro-growth policies when they come before Council.

SETH WALSH

With his experience and background, Seth Walsh is likely to be a leader on pro-growth policies in his first full term on Council. We encourage Seth to continue to engage with business and civic leaders to gain a deeper understanding of how the City can be a tool for growth.

ANNA ALBI

We appreciated Anna Albi’s enthusiasm for the job. However, we encourage Anna to engage more business leaders to gain a better grasp of issues related to growth and development and the City’s finances.

SCOTTY JOHNSON

Scotty Johnson has shown leadership on Public Safety issues, but his opposition to the sale of the Cincinnati Southern Railway puts the long-term fiscal health of the City at risk.

VICTORIA PARKS

In her first term, Victoria Parks has not proven to consistently align with the Chamber’s pro-growth agenda. We encourage her to do additional engagement with business leaders to embrace policies that support growth.

As a 501(c)6 non-profit, the Chamber does not make endorsements of candidates for offices. These perspectives are shared to inform our members and the general public in advance of the election.

LIZ KEATING

What motivated you to run for council/re-election, what parts of your professional and personal experience qualifies you to serve, and what measurable outcomes should voters hold you accountable for if you are elected?

I chose to re-enter public service because I love Cincinnati and believe our city deserves a Council that works with focus, accountability, and collaboration. I’m frustrated by the setbacks, and I know I can help move us forward.

In both my professional and personal experience, I’ve shown that I do the work: I study the issues, listen to all sides, and push for the best possible outcomes. I’ve led tough conversations, asked the right questions, and helped bridge divides to get things done.

Voters can hold me accountable to what I’ve already proven I deliver: I will come prepared to every meeting, I will ask the questions that matter, I will drive constructive debate, and I will work to unite different perspectives – because Cincinnati is strongest when we work together.

Last year the Cincinnati Futures Commission released its report containing recommendations that chart a fiscally sustainable path forward for the City and develop a community-informed economic agenda for the future.

How would you accelerate the implementation of the Futures Commission, and which specific recommendations do you believe are the top priority for the City?

To accelerate the Futures Commission, I would launch working groups right away. Many of the data points in the report are already a few years old, so we need both urgency and updated analysis to ensure recommendations are relevant today – particularly those related to selling city assets, implementing shared services between departments, and driving efficiencies in our largest operations.

From there, two priorities stand out. First, updating Plan Cincinnati so we have a clear, modern roadmap for growth. Second, opening the Office of Strategic Growth. Together, these steps will give us the tools to expand housing, attract investment, and revitalize neighborhoods. Just as important, they will strengthen public trust by creating a transparent process for engagement and position the City as a better partner for businesses and residents alike.

Ultimately, the Futures Commission should not be a report that sits on a shelf. It can serve as a guidebook for ongoing improvement, even as we refine, update, and act upon the recommendations along the way.

Do you support the creation of the Office of Strategic Growth?

Yes. Whether it begins as a dedicated senior-level position or grows into a full office over time, Cincinnati needs someone whose sole focus is on driving growth.

That role would identify challenges and roadblocks to investment, help streamline how the City partners with businesses, and ensure we’re working in step with external organizations to recruit and retain employers. Just as importantly, they would stay engaged at the state level to make sure Cincinnati projects are fairly considered for funding and not overlooked in favor of other jurisdictions in Ohio.

In short, the Office of Strategic Growth – or its equivalent – is about giving Cincinnati the focus, strategy, and advocacy we need to compete for jobs, investment, and long-term prosperity.

Are there recommendations you believe the City should not pursue?

Yes. I do not believe the City should pursue a trash tax at this time. Instead, we should focus on finding efficiencies within the Department of Public Services to reduce costs and improve performance.

I also do not believe an earnings tax increase is appropriate right now, for the reasons I outline in #3: Council has not shown the fiscal discipline needed to justify asking taxpayers for more. Before raising revenue, we must first manage what we have responsibly.

The City’s budget is constrained, with major obligations to the pension, public safety, and infrastructure. Please describe your budget priorities, including where you believe the City can save money and where the City should grow its spending. What tradeoffs would you be willing to make to fund your key priorities?

My budget priorities start with investing in technology upgrades to make City government more efficient. Better tools for employees mean faster service delivery, less waste, and long-term savings for taxpayers.

Next, I would prioritize basic city services – keeping neighborhoods safe, picking up trash on time, clearing streets after snow events, and repairing potholes. Resident perception surveys should guide where we spend, because if we fail at the basics, we risk losing residents, businesses, and visitors.

Once the foundation is strong, I would expand investment in economic development and strategies to support businesses. Growing and protecting jobs expands the tax base, which is ultimately how we fund everything from public safety to infrastructure.

The tradeoff is clear: before new spending, we must focus on efficiency and results. If we get the basics right and invest in growth, Cincinnati can afford to meet its long-term obligations and deliver the services our residents and businesses deserve.

Do you support an increase in the City’s earning tax in the next Council term? If yes, how much would you increase it and what would you utilize the revenue for?

At this time, I do not support raising the City’s earnings tax. Council has consistently increased spending without showing the fiscal discipline to make strategic cuts or prioritize investments that deliver real results.

We’ve seen this play out recently: when Council eliminated the property tax rollback (a decision I opposed), the additional revenue was immediately spent on a new program instead of being used to strengthen the budget. That’s not sustainable.

Before asking taxpayers for more – especially in this economy – Council needs to demonstrate that it can manage the dollars it already has responsibly. I believe we must focus on fiscal discipline, smart investments, and measurable returns before considering any new revenue.

The City has a number of external partners like REDI Cincinnati, The Port, CincyTech, Cintrifuse, 3CDC and others that help it achieve its growth goals.

Do you support continuing to provide funding to these organizations?

Yes.

Do you support continuing to fund the Affordable Housing Leverage Fund with the City’s waterfall?

Yes.

What actions would you take to support job growth and site development?

First and foremost, we need to stabilize the businesses we have in the City. We have seen numerous restaurants shut down or move due to safety and economic issues. That starts with delivering basic city services – including safety – throughout our city to make Cincinnati a place where people want to live, work, and play.

Do you believe Cincinnati needs to grow? If so, what do you believe is Cincinnati’s greatest opportunity for growth and what tools should City Council provide to make it successful?

Yes, Cincinnati must continue to grow if we want to stay affordable and competitive. Growth isn’t just about adding people – it’s about creating opportunity.

One of our greatest opportunities is to partner with our universities and startup community. A recent study showed UC students and graduates are more likely to create a unicorn startup than peers from some of the nation’s most prestigious universities. That’s a huge advantage for our city.

I believe we can harness that innovative infrastructure to solve real challenges – things like recycling, potholes, snow removal, or urban flooding. If we develop solutions here, we can export them to cities around the world. That means new companies, new jobs, and new tax revenue right here in Cincinnati.

When I previously served on Council, I started the City’s hack-a-thon program to connect innovators with civic challenges. If elected, I will expand those efforts and continue building a strong environment for entrepreneurship and growth.

Connected Communities was passed to increase housing supply through zoning reform. Do you support this policy? What additional zoning or land use changes, if any, would you support to add new housing in Cincinnati?

I helped pave the way for this legislation with my earlier density ordinance. That work focused on “missing middle” housing – duplexes, townhomes, and small multi-family buildings – near public transit, schools, hospitals, daycares, and business districts, where more housing options make the most sense.

My next priority is addressing lot sizes in lower-income neighborhoods that currently have a high percentage of rental units. By updating zoning to allow more single-family options like townhomes, we can expand pathways to homeownership. This helps families build wealth, creates more stability in neighborhoods, and balances the ratio of rental and owner-occupied homes across Cincinnati.

In 2021 the Chamber released Embracing Growth, which laid out a number of policy recommendations. Since then, Council has considered a number of policies to increase housing supply.

What specific actions should Council take to expand housing of all kinds across the City?

There are many opportunities to expand housing across Cincinnati, but the top priority should be aligning new housing with public transit investments. As new BRT routes are rolled out, Council should maximize taxpayer dollars by encouraging larger-scale housing developments along those corridors in places that make the most sense for neighborhoods. This approach connects more residents to jobs, schools, and services while driving investment into the neighborhoods served by transit.

At the same time, we must activate “missing middle” housing in partnership with organizations like The Port and Cincinnati Development Fund. These kinds of projects make homeownership more attainable, create neighborhood stability, and balance the mix of rental and owner-occupied homes across the city.

By focusing on both large transit-oriented projects and neighborhood-scale investments, Council can expand housing of all kinds, strengthen affordability, and ensure growth is shared across Cincinnati.

Would you restore the residential tax abatement program if presented with evidence that housing production has slowed?

Yes. I voted against the significant cuts to the residential tax abatement program because they unfairly hurt small developers and everyday homeowners.

With construction costs rising and much of Cincinnati’s housing stock aging, we need tools that encourage reinvestment. The residential abatement program helped regular families improve their homes and supported smaller developers who play an important role in neighborhood growth.

If we limit abatements only to large-scale projects, we’ll miss opportunities to strengthen our housing supply, grow small businesses, and keep homeownership attainable for regular Cincinnatians.

What role do you believe that TIF districts should play in advancing the City’s growth agenda? How do you think TIF funds should be utilized? What role should City Council play in prioritizing their use?

TIF districts have been an important tool in revitalizing key parts of Cincinnati, particularly Downtown and Over-the-Rhine. They work best when they’re used strategically – to spark catalytic projects, close financing gaps, and make developments viable that otherwise wouldn’t move forward.

Going forward, I believe TIF funds should be targeted toward projects that create long-term value for neighborhoods – whether that’s attracting jobs, strengthening housing supply, or improving public infrastructure around new development.

City Council’s role should be to set clear priorities and ensure transparency in how funds are used. That means aligning TIF investments with the city’s broader growth agenda, making sure we’re not just funding projects, but fueling sustainable, inclusive economic growth.

How would you improve the city’s permitting and development process?

Improving Cincinnati’s permitting process must be a top priority. Right now, delays and high costs discourage investment – especially from small developers who are essential to neighborhood growth.

The first step is to evaluate opportunities at the state and federal level, where legislation and potential incentives already exist to help local governments modernize permitting. Locally, we should analyze our biggest bottlenecks and utilize the Office of Performance and Data Analytics to design smarter, faster systems.

When I previously served on Council, we cut red tape on easements by creating a data-driven automatic approval process. That same approach can be applied to permitting – using data and process improvements to save time, lower costs, and make it easier to do business in Cincinnati.

A number of development projects and policies in the last Council term have sparked debate over density, affordability, and neighborhood character. What responsibility does City Council have to advance pro-growth housing policy when individuals, advocates, or neighborhood organizations oppose specific projects, and how should Council weigh the importance of population growth and citywide housing needs against localized opposition?

City Council has a responsibility to grow Cincinnati in a way that supports residents, attracts business, and ensures long-term affordability. Housing is central to that mission – if we don’t build enough, we risk losing jobs, investment, and future generations of families who want to call Cincinnati home.

Unfortunately, recent housing debates have created losses for everyone – the City, neighborhoods, and economic development. Public trust has eroded, and some developers may now hesitate to invest here. That could set us back years.

When I was previously on Council, we took a proactive approach by working with neighborhood business districts before development was proposed. Together, we identified buildings that should be protected and updated neighborhood plans to modernize zoning. That gave residents a voice early, created clearer expectations, and made the approval process smoother for developers.

Our current zoning isn’t perfect, but being proactive – updating plans, engaging neighborhoods ahead of time, and balancing preservation with growth – sets us up for thoughtful development and reduces the kind of divisive fights that slow progress.

The Chamber believes economic incentives have been essential to Cincinnati’s growth. What role do incentives play in Cincinnati’s future growth, and which types of projects do you think most warrant increased incentives?

Incentives play a critical role in Cincinnati’s economic growth. As an older city with limited land and aging infrastructure, it’s often more expensive and complicated to build here compared to surrounding areas. Incentives help level the playing field and make investment in Cincinnati possible.

That said, incentives should be targeted and strategic. They should close the final financial gap that gets a project across the finish line – whether that’s securing bank financing or making a catalytic neighborhood project viable. Not every project requires incentives, but in today’s economic climate, many need more creative tools to move forward.

The goal should always be the same: use incentives to unlock projects that bring long-term value – jobs, housing, stronger neighborhoods, and a healthier tax base for Cincinnati.

Cincinnati’s economy depends on attracting and retaining talent. What role should City Council play in ensuring we grow a skilled workforce and remain attractive to young professionals and families?

While City Council doesn’t oversee schools directly, it can play a vital role in building a strong workforce pipeline. That starts with investing in youth jobs, supporting partnerships with schools and training programs, and making sure what students are learning aligns with where future jobs will be.

For example, the City and State have invested heavily in brownfield remediation and site preparation to support the return of manufacturing while onshoring manufacturing has remained a focus for successive Presidential administrations. We should be working with schools and training providers to prepare students for those jobs now. The same applies to major infrastructure investments – like the Brent Spence Companion Bridge or projects funded through the Railroad Trust. These are once-in-a-generation opportunities to connect young people to careers that will shape Cincinnati’s future.

City Council’s role is to anticipate where growth is coming, align resources to support it, and make sure Cincinnati remains a place where young professionals and families can find opportunity and build a future.

Violent crime, quality of life issues, and residents’ perception of safety are all pressing concerns in Cincinnati. What short- and long-term strategies or policies would you champion to improve actual safety and strengthen the community’s sense of security, especially in the urban core? How would you measure success in both areas?

Improving both real and perceived safety requires a balanced approach: strong law enforcement to address violent crime directly, and sustained investment in proven prevention programs that tackle root causes.

During my time on Council, I supported fully staffing our police department, maximizing recruit classes, and launching the officer wellness unit to strengthen mental health and retention. A healthy, well-trained force is essential to keeping our neighborhoods safe.

At the same time, I worked to expand opportunities for young people – opening all city pools so kids had safe places to go in the summer, volunteering as a lifeguard myself, and launching a youth e-sports program in neighborhoods most impacted by gun violence. That program has now grown to a dozen rec centers and serves as both a safe space for teens and a pipeline into tech careers.

I also led the Main Street Task Force after the 2022 mass shooting, bringing together neighbors, businesses, and city departments to reduce crime through collaboration. That model – combining enforcement with community engagement – works.

The key is this: we must stop the violent offenders of today while investing in the proven programs that prevent the crimes of tomorrow.

Measuring success means tracking both crime statistics and the community’s perception of safety.

What is one concrete way you would engage business leaders to improve public safety outcomes, and how would you ensure accountability?

One concrete way I would engage business leaders is through structured, ongoing collaboration – similar to the Main Street Task Force I led after the 2022 mass shooting. On that task force, we worked directly with bars and restaurants to solve real challenges: establishing rideshare pickup zones, addressing illegal food sales, improving parking enforcement, and revitalizing empty storefronts with startups that energize the community and provide entrepreneurs with a place to test their business ideas.

We didn’t just meet once and move on – we met weekly, stayed in close communication, and I personally visited Main Street after midnight alongside city staff to hear directly from business owners, residents, and employees, while witnessing firsthand the challenges we needed to tackle. That hands-on engagement built trust and produced results.

For accountability, I believe in setting clear goals, reporting back progress publicly, and keeping an open feedback loop with business leaders and the community. When businesses know their concerns are heard and see measurable improvements – whether that’s reduced incidents, safer traffic flow, or more welcoming environments – they stay invested in being part of the solution.

Cincinnati’s small businesses are the lifeblood of neighborhood business districts. How would you support long time and new small business entrepreneurs?

The first priority for supporting small businesses is safety. No business can thrive if customers don’t feel safe coming to their neighborhood business district. That’s the foundation.

The second is making sure businesses have the resources they need – especially when unexpected challenges arise. When I first joined Council, several major storms flooded neighborhood business districts across the city. At the time, the City had strong programs for homeowners, but no system in place to support small businesses. My team created a call log, checked in with every business after storms, and worked directly with City departments to coordinate cleanup and repairs. That work led to more investment and infrastructure improvements to better protect small businesses.

That’s the approach I’ll bring back to Council: hands-on, responsive, and focused on problem-solving. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our neighborhoods, and City Hall should always be looking for new ways to help them grow and succeed.

What is one existing barrier to growing small, minority, or women-owned businesses in Cincinnati, and what is the City’s role in removing that barrier?

One of the biggest barriers to growing small, minority, and women-owned businesses in Cincinnati is access to the scale and opportunities needed to compete in high-demand industries. As we face the “Silver Tsunami” – a generational wave of retirements and business ownership transitions – we have a unique chance to expand local ownership and strengthen our economy.

The City should partner more closely with the Minority Business Accelerator to recruit satellite offices, attract investment, and support mergers and acquisitions that allow minority- and women-owned businesses to grow here. By focusing on industries that are underrepresented locally – but are poised for growth, like suppliers and subcontractors in advanced manufacturing and housing development – we can ensure these businesses are positioned to lead where demand will be strongest.

City Council’s role is to clear barriers, align resources, and make sure our economic development strategy actively includes small, minority, and women-owned businesses as central players in Cincinnati’s future growth.

The City funds arts, cultural institutions, and major events in different ways. Which types of cultural or tourism investments do you believe should be prioritized, and how would you pay for them?

I believe the City should prioritize cultural and tourism investments with the greatest potential for growth and long-term impact. That means focusing on events and institutions that can attract visitors, generate revenue, and strengthen Cincinnati’s brand as a vibrant place to live, work, and visit.

The City’s role should be as a partner and catalyst – not the sole funder. Public investment is most effective when it leverages additional private and philanthropic dollars, helping to grow events and then stepping back to make room for new opportunities.

In terms of funding, the City can use a portion of increased revenue from ticket taxes, or provide in-kind support such as public safety, traffic, or sanitation services to help keep event budgets manageable. This ensures we support cultural growth responsibly, while making sure taxpayer dollars are used strategically and sustainably.

Solving major policy challenges, delivering efficient public services, and funding critical infrastructure projects requires the City to work with county, regional, state and federal leaders, some of whom are from different political parties. How will you engage these leaders to support the City’s needs?

I’ve spent significant time building relationships with leaders at every level of government – city, county, regional, state, and federal – regardless of party. Those relationships don’t happen overnight. They’re built by showing up, listening, and engaging long before you need something from them. That trust and goodwill pays off when Cincinnati needs support for major projects or policy initiatives.

I firmly believe that partisan politics have no place in delivering for our city. What matters is getting results. I’ve proven that I can work across the aisle and across levels of government to secure the best outcomes for Cincinnati, and I will continue to do so. My focus will always be on finding common ground and advancing solutions that benefit the people of this city.

JEFF CRAMERDING

I was and am very concerned about the city’s budget and long-term financial soundness. I, along with others, called for a Smale-like Commission, which became the Cincinnati Futures Commission (CRC). It is my goal to see as many of these measures passed or on a path to success before my tenure on council ends.

How would you accelerate the implementation of the Futures Commission, and which specific recommendations do you believe are the top priority for the City?

This has been my top priority and highest frustration. We need to collectively decide on a path forward on pension and water. We need to overhaul the city’s economic development structure, including the Office of Strategic Growth, and fund it through the proposed 0.1% earnings tax.

Do you support the creation of the Office of Strategic Growth?

Yes.

Are there recommendations you believe the City should not pursue?

The idea of a trash tax has merit. It should be pursued but separately from Cincinnati Futures for political reasons.

I do not support selling municipal golf courses. The golf courses were purchased and improved by Ohio Natural resource grants. Any divestiture would require the city to obtain an equal amount of green space, so there would be little financial gain and could very well be a loss. Further, the golf courses are an enterprise fund so they do not require or use taxpayer dollars. Finally, the golf courses are run by a third-party vendor and are the city’s most used recreational asset.

The city needs to focus on core city services–police, fire, roads, trash, and parks/recreation and economic development. Anything else is not a priority.

Do you support an increase in the City’s earning tax in the next Council term? If yes, how much would you increase it and what would you utilize the revenue for?

Yes, I support the earnings tax increases outlined in the Futures report.

The City has a number of external partners like REDI Cincinnati, The Port, CincyTech, Cintrifuse, 3CDC and others that help it achieve its growth goals.

Do you support continuing to provide funding to these organizations?

Yes, and as budget and finance chair I successfully advocated for them in the last budget.

Do you support continuing to fund the Affordable Housing Leverage Fund with the City’s waterfall?

Yes.

What actions would you take to support job growth and site development?

I have worked very hard with partners, including the Cincinnati Development Fund, to build and fund a better structure to catalyze and fund housing and economic development..

Do you believe Cincinnati needs to grow? If so, what do you believe is Cincinnati’s greatest opportunity for growth and what tools should City Council provide to make it successful?

Yes. Absolutely. The Cincinnati Futures Commission provided an outline and roadmap for growth. It should be implemented.

Yes. I support this policy. It is a tool for growth. For it to be successful, we need to pair financial resources with zoning reform to build housing and economic development. I am working on a “bridge” program to catalyze development in the short term. In the long term, we need to enact the reform and changes proposed by the CFC.

In 2021 the Chamber released Embracing Growth, which laid out a number of policy recommendations. Since then, Council has considered a number of policies to increase housing supply.

What specific actions should Council take to expand housing of all kinds across the City?

See answer to #8.

Would you restore the residential tax abatement program if presented with evidence that housing production has slowed?

Yes.

TIF are an important tool. They need to focus solely on economic development and housing.

How would you improve the city’s permitting and development process?

We need an office of strategic growth. To the extent possible, we need to outsource these functions or work with partners so developers are not working directly with city hall.

The city needs to standardize and formalize its community engagement process to ensure that it is comprehensive but not hinder growth and development.

Those that create the most housing units and most jobs.

We need to focus on basic city services. This is the foundation for attracting all people. I do believe that combining the city’s Parks Department and Recreation Department is necessary. As currently housed, there is a gap and no one is focusing on bike trails, outdoor activities, and other programming that attracts young people.

Visibility is critical to reducing both crime and the perception of crime. This starts with the police and ensuring that we have adequate police officers and that appropriate numbers are visible in the form of walking, bike, and other patrols. The 3CDC ambassadors are also a successful program. I have successfully advocated for more funding for both.

What is one concrete way you would engage business leaders to improve public safety outcomes, and how would you ensure accountability?

I have a strong relationship with business leaders. I was in a consistent community with them through the events of the past few months.

Cincinnati’s small businesses are the lifeblood of neighborhood business districts. How would you support long time and new small business entrepreneurs?

Housing and population. Businesses need people to support and patronize their businesses. In many neighborhoods, we do not have the population and/or the income levels necessary for businesses to thrive.

What is one existing barrier to growing small, minority, or women-owned businesses in Cincinnati, and what is the City’s role in removing that barrier?

Our current permitting and development process is overly difficult, meaning that smaller organizations will have a harder time navigating it than larger firms with experience and connections. If we streamline the process, it will help put these other businesses on a more level playing field.

I believe that events that will help grow the city should be prioritized. If it will attract outside investment and spending and improve the city, we should incentivize it.

The city’s job is to provide basic city services–police, fire, trash removal, infrastructure, and parks & recreation. These should not be partisan issues.I will work with leaders at every level, regardless of party. Cincinnati’s priorities like infrastructure, public safety, and economic growth benefit the entire region, so I’ll work with all who share those goals.

MARK JEFFREYS

I never planned on running for political office, but my ability to improve the quality of life in our city motivated me to run. Having served on council 3.5 years, I now recognize that the skill set that I bring to City Council is unique. Having run major brands in my 17 years at P&G, started two companies as an entrepreneur (and selling one of them), starting a non-profit (go Vibrant – that led the vision and building of the P&G goVibrantscape on 4.5 acres of Smale Park), and having served in non profits (Cincinnati Parks Foundation, Clifton Town Meeting), I have the leadership skills and sense of urgency to focus on outcomes that I think we need in this city.

Measurable outcomes have been a large focus during my time on council. For example, since joining council, I have been pushing the administration to be KPI focused, which has resulted in every department now setting those KPIs and measuring (Green-Yellow-Red) them. Similarly, with development, I asked the administration to benchmark our development KPIs vs peer cities – we should be best-in-class on the time it takes to develop a project in Cincinnati. Those are just two examples of how I’m pushing for us to focus on outcomes not input/in-process measures. We need our citizens to know that our tax dollars are working the hardest they can for residents.

How would you accelerate the implementation of the Futures Commission, and which specific recommendations do you believe are the top priority for the City?

Over the past 1.5 years, I have been closely involved in a core team that is being led by the Mayor and includes CM Cramerding and the administration on evaluating and taking action on the recommendations that make sense to move on now. I personally led the push to have Cincinnati Parks take over the Cincinnati Recreation Commission for greenspace and also for Great Parks to manage more of our greenspace. On the latter, I have used data to argue that with ~30% of Great Parks levy coming from the citizens that live in Cincinnati, we deserve to have more than 2% of their acres in the City of Cincinnati. It’s only fair and also fiscally prudent. I have also pushed on advancing the Office of Strategic Growth, and also to make sure we have closer alignment on the Port/REDI & City of Cincinnati’s economic development plans. In addition to the recommendations of the Future’s Commission, I have also advocated for other efficiencies e.g. advocating for Ohio Highway Patrol to respond to all crashes/do enforcement on our interstates, which frees up officers for public safety on our streets, and also advocating for ‘Lift fees’ for Cincinnati Fire, which is ~$1.6M in recovered revenue. The biggest takeaway on the Future’s Commission work is that I am a partner – a partner with those who were involved with it, not necessarily agreeing with everything verbatim, but agreeing with the objectives of being a city that is growing and investing for growth while being more efficient with our resources.

Do you support the creation of the Office of Strategic Growth?

Yes. I believe an Office of Strategic Growth is an important step in achieving our economic goals. We need a “quarterback” – someone waking up every day busting barriers internally with projects to get them done, but also externally to work with stakeholders to advance growth in our city. That way growth is deliberate and we can measure/achieve our goals.

Are there recommendations you believe the City should not pursue?

I am not in favor of increasing the earnings tax. I have repeatedly stated that four things need to happen before we explore any earnings tax increase. First, “we need to eat our vegetables before our dessert” – meaning we need to make sure we are running the city as efficiently as possible. There is opportunity for more efficiencies, and we need to do those first. Second, we need to better align our economic development goals (mentioned above) with a clear idea of what role the Port, REDI and city has. Third, we should look to other funding sources for some of our investment needs e.g. leveraging TIF $ either directly or through bonding against it for investments in housing combined with investments from foundations (e.g. Greater Cincinnati Foundation has committed to $1B in investments with housing being one of their 4 pillars in the next decade – that could be leveraged). Finally, we need to get our budget process “tighter”. It was understandable during COVID that we budgeted very conservatively. But when we have a “carryover budget” each year of $20M+ that is not where we should be longer-term. Yes we want some conservative assumptions, but not to that great extent. We need to grow as a city, and there may come a time when we need to increase the earnings tax because we are facing dramatic public services cuts after even doing all of the above. But we are not there now.

My number one budget priority is public safety followed by public works – Safer, Cleaner, Greener. Our core job as a city is to make sure people are safe anywhere in the city, and that they live in a neighborhood that is clean – and that there are great public spaces e.g. parks. My budget motions and motions on carryover have prioritized that – moving to prioritize investing in our fleet to make sure we can clear the snow quickly or reach fire expeditiously. With the sale of the railroad, which I strongly supported, we had $30 million more to focus on our roads, parks, rec centers. I will continue to advocate for spending that on “pave, pave, pave” and core priorities and push back on efforts to use a portion that was allocated for infrastructure before for other priorities. We must keep our promise to voters, and also show progress on our deferred maintenance being reduced. I have shared with the administration that we should have a chart that each year shows how we have reduced our $400 million deferred maintenance each year. We must show progress on that.

I have also looked to save the city money through unique ways. For example, I spearheaded the Vacant Building Ordinance that targets the ~2,100 vacant buildings with the water turned off. These cost the city $8.5M/year in public safety and other city services that could be better spent or saved elsewhere. I also have advocated for funding Bulk Item pick up with Keep Cincinnati Beautiful. This has reduced illegal dumping by 35%, which also saves the city money (the city spends $4M/year on cleaning up illegal dump sites) while improving the quality of life in neighborhoods.

I have also pushed for more shared services with the County – at least 5% in the next 10 years, reimbursement from the state for highway patrol (noted above) and snow removal on state routes, and higher recreation fees for non-residents. We also need to modernize parking systems and implement cost-recovery measures like lift fees and reckless driver damage charges.

There has been a recent push to fund external organizations in the carryover. All organizations that have needs and provide important services to the city. However, our first priority must be basic services. Keeping our streets safe, picking up litter and trash, keeping our parks beautiful, plowing the snow, etc. That’s the core role of government and we need to do a better job of that which is why I focus on those areas with motions that I offer on our overall and carryover budgets.

Do you support an increase in the City’s earning tax in the next Council term? If yes, how much would you increase it and what would you utilize the revenue for?

No, not at this time – for the reasons I stated above. We need to do the 4 things I mentioned above first. Only after those are done and we are then faced with no other choice then should we even consider an earnings tax increase. It’s the last thing we do before cutting public services, not the first.

The City has a number of external partners like REDI Cincinnati, The Port, CincyTech, Cintrifuse, 3CDC and others that help it achieve its growth goals.

Do you support continuing to provide funding to these organizations?

100%. I not only support continued funding to these organizations, but led the way to fund some of them (CincyTech, Cintrifuse) in my budget priorities. I have also been an advocate for better planning and scope for what role we want the Port to play. The types of industries we want to attract to our city should roll off each of our tongues as should the sites we are leveraging to achieve that. We’re not there now, but I’m confident we will get there..

Do you support continuing to fund the Affordable Housing Leverage Fund with the City’s waterfall?

Yes. The AHLF encourages necessary residential development for a variety of income levels that just is not possible without this funding. Our AHLF and Cincinnati Development Fund (CDF) leading it is a model that is delivering. The result is clear: we built almost 3x more housing that is income restricted in the past four years than the previous four years. That’s impact. Separately, I have also articulated a Big Audacious Housing Goal – building 40,000 units of housing in 10 years, and am working with stakeholders on “what has to be true” to make that happen with concrete plans. That will be a critical part of bringing prices down and making sure that Cincinnati is more affordable for all.

What actions would you take to support job growth and site development?

The first part of job growth is public safety. In conversations with business leaders downtown, for example, with recent concerns around public safety that has impacted their interest in investing in the city. So that is the first thing we must do as a baseline to support job growth – make sure all neighborhoods are safe. Second, we need to be best-in-class when it comes to dealing with our government on approval times for inspections, permits, etc; in other words, be and be viewed as business friendly. Third, we need to improve how we integrate planning and execution with the Port & REDI. The integration of planning/execution that we do with 3CDC is seamless. That’s what we need with the Port & REDI. A part of that is being clear on the type of industries we are attracting and with that what site development we need. Fourth, we need more housing. Employers are attracted to growing regions that have adequate housing. Fifth, we must improve our integration and outcomes in Cincinnati Public Schools, which includes the partnership of the city with CPS. Companies and people are attracted to cities with strong schools. Finally, we need to rethink how we do neighborhood development with CDCs with a stronger role for CDF as we make more strategic investments.

Do you believe Cincinnati needs to grow? If so, what do you believe is Cincinnati’s greatest opportunity for growth and what tools should City Council provide to make it successful?

100% – if we’re not growing then we are dying. When we talk about growth, we need to think both about population as well as GDP growth, which comes with it job growth. The simple math that I have been using in public forums is that for every 1,000 new residents we add to the city we get ~$1M in earnings tax if one takes average incomes. So if we add 10K new people then that’s adding ~$10M in earnings tax. Growth won’t solve all of our fiscal challenges, but it will definitely go a long way toward addressing them long-term if we continue to push for it.

Our greatest opportunity for growth is to “operate as one” with the city and our economic development partners. That’s why we need an Office of Strategic Growth. Additionally, we need finance tools to be competitive. For example, if other cities in the region are offering more competitive incentive packages, which is attracting more talent to their city, then we need to put forward a competitive plan. We also need to think about priority focus areas for growth and what types of public investments in roads, public spaces we need to foster that growth. Finally, I believe we need to think and act more regionally, which is something that I have been pushing through my position as Vice President on the OKI Regional Board of Directors.

I voted in favor of Connected Communities, and would do so again. It was really pushing “gentle density” through missing middle housing. This is great for increasing the housing supply, but the city needs to do more. Streamlining the development process and land use definitions is essential to meet our goal of 40,000 units in the next 10 years. Additionally, I have put forward proposals to do more modular housing; we are issuing an RFP for just that this Fall. I have also been pushing for the city to leverage more of its land for incremental investment. Finally, with the completion of the CROWN in the next few years, there is an opportunity to build out more housing. That’s why over the past year, I have been leading a project along the Mill Creek leveraging Yard & Co to partner with those communities and stakeholders on shaping a future that is growth oriented. That work – “Experience Mill Creek” will be unveiled on October 3rd.

In 2021 the Chamber released Embracing Growth, which laid out a number of policy recommendations. Since then, Council has considered a number of policies to increase housing supply.

What specific actions should Council take to expand housing of all kinds across the City?

Connected Communities was a great first step to increase housing in the city, but we need to do more. As articulated above, we need to do a few things. First, streamline our internal regulations so we’re best-in-class. It should not take more time or cost more to do business in Cincinnati vs our peer cities. Second, make our community engagement process more predictable for all (including community leadership). It should be super clear to everyone what engagement looks like. Third, we need to make our incentive programs competitive. Finally, we need to be more deliberate about where we want more housing e.g. 20,000 can easily go downtown, but then other corridors of growth can and should be along the CROWN, along transit corridors such as Reading Road and in and around the Mill Creek with the planning we are now doing.

Would you restore the residential tax abatement program if presented with evidence that housing production has slowed?

Housing production in the City of Cincinnati is currently at 1,178 year-to-date (we have a whiteboard that greets everyone who arrives in Council offices in our office that has that # on it that gets updated every month.) That puts us on track for ~1,300 or more units of housing, which is pretty much what we produced as a city in each of the last two years. To be clear, that is not enough. So if there are ways to increase that number then we should look at it including with our residential tax abatement and how that is helping grow more housing in our city.

TIF funds are a critical tool to advance our growth agenda. The reality is that we need gap financing increasingly. TIF funds can help close gaps. I am in the process of exploring opportunities to think about TIF funds more differently e.g. exploring bonding against them as a way to leverage other funding. In addition to helping to close gaps, I believe TIF funds can and should be used for other public benefit projects that help set the stage for growth in neighborhoods. For example, using the TIF fund in the West End to fund the ROMAC makes sense. The ROMAC will be one of several changes in the West End, including the redesign of Linn Street, that will help reshape the neighborhood. By changing the public space in the neighborhood, the city can help set the stage for more market demand and housing development.

How would you improve the city’s permitting and development process?

I have led the way on this issue. I have been pushing – and the administration is doing – a benchmark analysis of our KPIs related to the permitting and development process. My push: we need to be best-in-class vs our peer cities. As a result, the administration is undergoing that benchmark analysis. When this is complete then we will be able to have a data-based discussion about where we need to improve e.g. how long does it take to get a permit in Cincinnati vs Columbus or Nashville? As Chair of the Equitable Growth & Housing Committee I will then use that to monthly ask for updates on how we are doing vs our baseline. We should at minimum not be worse than our peer cities. That’s how we get systemic change.

During the last Council term it has become apparent that the current process for community engagement with development is not working for anyone – whether it’s the developer or the community. There are developments on which the developer takes 2 years, multiple iterations and it goes nowhere. That’s frustrating not only for the developer, but also unpredictable for communities. First, we need a predictable and streamlined community engagement process. That means that if a developer is doing “x type of development” e.g. up to $x then they should know exactly what to expect as does the community. For example, there will be 2 public engagement sessions or whatever that number is. But everyone knows the rules and what to expect.

Second, we need to continue to share with the wider community why growth matters. Leadership does involve listening to concerns. Leadership also involves painting a picture of why issues like growth matter for our city and leading people to understand that when they might be against a specific project. In that process, we need to get out in front of concerns and engage with communities. Some developers do a great job of that e.g. Uptown now with their engagement in East Walnut Hills with a new development is doing really strong engagement, which will result in building an amazing development on the site of a former county building. How they engage communities is a model. That engagement needs to be balanced with sharing with the wider community of what happens if we do not grow: we need to cut services, which is untenable.

Economic incentives are a fact of life – an imperative tool for economic development. In the ideal world, economic incentives would not be needed to attract private investment in our city, but the reality is that the market for private investment without incentives in most of the city does not exist. That’s why the city does a “but for” analysis – i.e. would the investment happen without an incentive. Other cities offer incentives and in order to be competitive for capital and talent we need to do the same.

Tax abatements are one such incentive where we need to offer them in order to be competitive. One example of why this is needed is Carew Tower. In that case, without an incentive the developer’s return was 3%, which I pointed out on the floor of Council was less than my personal American Express high yield savings account of 6.2% which has zero risk. No developer is going to redevelop Carew Tower or any other building in the city with that type of return. They are better off putting it in a safe high yield account. Without incentive, this simply would not happen.

TIFs is another incentive that is an imperative tool for development, and one where we have an opportunity to leverage them more effectively. That’s why I have been partnering with Pete Metz and other stakeholders on how to think about incentives – similar to how Atlanta’s Beltline uses them – along the CROWN. Atlanta attracted $1 billion in economic development along their Beltline. We have a similar opportunity with our CROWN if we have the right incentives and structure. I’m excited to partner to push that work forward.

Attracting and retaining talent requires a multi-prong approach. First, we need to be a city where young people in particular want to live. We know that young people want to live in walkable, vibrant cities that have amenities such as trails, a great food scene, arts, outdoor recreation, etc. That’s why I have been such an advocate for things like Red Bike (and working with multiple stakeholders to save and sustain it), building the CROWN trail, and even things like launching kayak rentals recently along the Mill Creek. These may seem like small things, but for young people in particular, and also families, they are important factors as they choose a city in which to live. As someone who chose Cincinnati 24 years ago, and as someone who lived in NY, Chicago, DC, Europe and Asia, I understand how these ‘other factors’ are critical to attracting and retaining talent. City Council plays a critical role in advancing those.

Second, we must strengthen our public school system if we are to attract more families. I recently proposed to several folks at CPS the idea of working together on building the next great cluster of public schools. Here’s what I mean: today, we have a handful of great primary schools (e.g. Fairview, Hyde Park, Kilgore, Sands, etc) and High Schools (e.g. Walnut, Clark, etc). But that is not enough. How do we think differently about how we create more of these neighborhood schools through a coordinated effort. For example, perhaps we take one ‘LIFT’neighborhood where we are also focusing public investment and focused private investment and have a holistic effort to build a stronger school/community rather than a peanut butter approach of funding everything. It’s worth exploring.

Third, we need more housing to attract and retain talent. Talent will not come or stay in a city where the cost of housing is increasing and they can’t afford a home. My Big Audacious Housing Goal that aspires to build 20,000 units downtown and 20,000 outside of the urban core is a critical part of that. This will ensure that individuals and families moving to Cincinnati for work have an adequate housing supply to choose from. City Council has a strong role in advancing this work through reducing internal regulatory barriers, helping to facilitate a more predictable community engagement process for everyone and having an incentive program that is competitive.

There is no one thing that will help attract and retain talent, but by having a vibrant, dynamic city with amenities, having a stronger public school system and housing we will greatly improve outcomes and help businesses attract and retain the best and the brightest whether they come from Cincinnati or elsewhere to our great city.

My platform – Safer, Cleaner, Greener – is about creating the building blocks for opportunity. A clean and green city are also building blocks for safety. But we know that cities fall apart if we do not have safety. We can have the best universities, parks, zoo, and arts institutions in the world, but if people don’t feel safe then they won’t succeed, and neither will our city.

Short term that means addressing the very real issues in our urban core, but also in hot spot neighborhoods e.g. West End, Price Hill. That’s why I have been a strong advocate for funding more police overtime, additional Downtown/OTR Ambassadors, the drone program, walking patrols, more lighting/cameras, etc. These are imperative to make sure residents are and feel safe. Additionally, I have been supportive and advocated for the youth curfew, which has worked. I have also been vocal that we need to enforce quality of life crime issues. These are “little” but felt by our residents. And we have to crack down on bad actors, which is why I recently pushed an ordinance to regulate hours for Hookah bars, which are the source of a lot of nefarious activity late at night.

Long term, we must reach our police complement which is why I have supported adding 150 police officers this year through 3 police recruit classes. Another part of that public safety is building capacity by having Ohio Highway Patrol respond to crashes on our interstates. These crashes pull our officers away (for hundreds of thousands of hours/year) from public safety on our streets. We also need a long-term downtown/urban core plan that not only provides economic vitality through organizations such as 3CDC, but also core public safety. 25 years ago, we came together to form 3CDC – shaped by the business community. I believe now is a similar time to take a step back and assess whether we need other structural interventions in our urban core to address public safety. For example, do we need police sub-stations, regular walking patrols, and changes in public spaces to encourage more vibrancy and feelings of safety – these are the issues on which I look forward to engaging all stakeholders including business leaders as we shape the Downtown plan for which I advocated funding. The last Downtown plan was developed in 1985. It’s time we shape the future of our urban core together – and public safety needs to be at the core of that long-term plan.

What is one concrete way you would engage business leaders to improve public safety outcomes, and how would you ensure accountability?

I regularly engage stakeholders throughout our city whether it be through my recent initiative to walk all 52 neighborhoods to talk about all issues including public safety, but also informally meeting with business leaders around public safety. One concrete example: I recently hosted a Developer’s Roundtable to hear from stakeholders on what they need from the city to provide more opportunities for growth and public safety. I heard lots of insight at this which I heavily consider when making decisions on Council. I then also consider input from small business owners who are facing public safety challenges and work with them on ways to improve that. I have met many of them as I have walked the 52 neighborhoods. Additionally, I have recently engaged with 3CDC to improve public safety outcomes and accountability downtown and in OTR, which resulted in me putting forward a proposal to fund more Downtown Ambassadors who clean up litter, remove graffiti, which all contribute to improving public safety. Lastly, as Vice President of the OKI Regional Board of Directors, I often work with regional business leaders and stakeholders. I will continue to be this advocate throughout my next term on Council. Business leaders whether of a Fortune 500 company or a mom & pop neighborhood store need a partner at City Hall willing not just to listen to their issues, but then act. I have proven in my 3.5 years on City Council that I am such a leader.

Cincinnati’s small businesses are the lifeblood of neighborhood business districts. How would you support long time and new small business entrepreneurs?

I am an entrepreneur myself, so I understand the joys and challenges of being one – including issues of cash flow that I never had to bother with in my almost 17 years at P&G. The city has a role along with the start-up ecosystem of organizations from MORTAR, Cintrifuse, CincyTech, Flywheel, Lincoln & Gilbert, to help build strong small businesses. That could come through some operational support, which we do for many of these organizations, but also through other programs that help small businesses such as the Commercial Tenant Improvement Program and Neighborhood Business District Improvement Program, which expand opportunities for owners in Cincinnati. The other way we need to improve is around regulations – we need to make it easier to pull a permit, get approval for inspection. For example, owners of food trucks share with me that they have so many hoops to jump through to get started. We need parameters to protect public health and safety, but also need to make sure we make it easier to do business in Cincinnati.

The other way that I believe we can support small businesses is by opening up opportunities for them to work with the city on solving real challenges for the city. On this front, I have worked closely with organizations like Cintrifuse and UC’s 1819 Innovation Hub to spearhead my initiative “City as a Lab”. This is an initiative designed to make Cincinnati a real-life testing ground for innovative technology and will help grow small businesses. In May of 2025 we introduced AirTrek at the Lunken Airport; a technological solution to cleaning debris off runways, which also has applications in cleaning bike paths or parking lots. My office is now working with Cintrifuse, Alloy, UC and others on expanding this initiative e.g. 3D printing of parts for our snow plow fleet that are no longer being made. This City as Lab initiative sends a message to small businesses: Cincinnati is a willing partner that is excited to work with you to grow your business right here.

What is one existing barrier to growing small, minority, or women-owned businesses in Cincinnati, and what is the City’s role in removing that barrier?

There are multiple barriers for individuals that may not have access to capital or access to a network to advance their business. The one barrier that the city can help with is the slow and often unpredictable access to city contracting (especially long payment cycles and often complex certifications), which chokes cash flow and keeps small, minority and women-owned firms from bidding or scaling. There are a few things that the city can do to help. First, pay faster (e.g. adopt 15-day terms for small vendors vs 30-day terms); second, unbundle contracts, which means breaking up large projects into smaller scopes to SMBs can prime or competitively subcontract; third, when it comes to certifications, streamline them by offering reciprocity with state/federal certifications, a single online application and rolling approvals; finally, lower the barriers to entry by raising small-purchase thresholds or require prime contractors to set and report S/MBE/WBE utilization with real enforcement. These measures would directly improve cash flow and make City work more attainable for small, minority and women-owned businesses.

Countless studies – including those of the chamber – have shown what impact the arts, cultural institutions and major events have on our city, not just economically in hard numbers, but also in building a more vibrant city in ‘softer measures’. The city plays an important role in helping facilitate investment in these both big and small. Big events such as BLINK and River Roots are critical to our city’s dynamism, but so is figuring out how we invest in neighborhood arts organizations such as the ROMAC or CCAC, which are anchors for community gathering and vibrancy in those neighborhoods. For large capital projects with these organizations, I have articulated that we need a principle e.g.city can help up to 10%. The capital stake for these projects needs to be diverse including federal, state, foundation, and private dollars. The city can and should participate and catalyze other investments, but cannot be the majority. In terms of the source of that funding, I recently pushed for leveraging neighborhood TIFs to fund the ROMAC and CCAC, which for some projects might make sense given there are public benefits to these investments. However, we need to figure out a more sustainable long-term funding source for arts and culture investments. The recent passage of a bill in the state legislature to enable counties to levy “sin taxes” for sports and cultural investments could be one new tool but there may be others.

As the city’s representative on OKI, and Vice President – the first time in 25 years Cincinnati has had a leadership role at OKI – I actively work with county, regional, state and federal leaders. In fact, I led an initiative with Anderson County Trustee Josh Gerth & Judge Executive Kris Knochelmann – both Republicans – on an initiative we just completed called Much in Common that brought regional leaders together. Additionally, I have a once/quarter lunch with the three Judge Executives in NKY to talk about regional issues, regular breakfasts with other OKI leaders most of whom are of a different political party. Point of all of that: to advance our city’s interests whether it be policy, delivering efficient public services or funding we need leaders who have strong relationships with others, and know how to get things done. That’s the type of leadership that we need in our city. I have proven that I do just that.

JAN-MICHELE LEMON KEARNEY

Why are you running for council/re-election? What motivates you as a candidate? What are your top priorities as a candidate? It is the job of a public servant to take every step possible to continually improve their community and ensure equitable outcomes for everyone they serve. Increasing homeownership, getting to the root causes of the gun violence epidemic, and ensuring our city budget represents the needs of stakeholders across Cincinnati are all measures that have and will create a more prosperous community for every Cincinnatian. Above all, I strive to be a servant of the people, working for them each and every day.

In your opinion, what are the biggest issues facing Cincinnati and what do you view as the City government’s role in solving it? One of my top legislative priorities is promoting equitable development so that our MBEs and WBEs have the opportunity to participate in the huge infrastructure projects that Cincinnati has on the horizon. Working with Philadelphia’s equivalent of 3CDC, I created an equitable development pilot program to give minority-owned and women-owned developers and contractors an opportunity to participate in the Convention Center renovation and Convention Center District development, and hope to expand this to other projects coming to our city. Reducing gun violence has been an important legislative issue during my time on Council as well. Two bipartisan measures we’ve passed include increasing safe storage regulations and barring those with domestic violence convictions from having access to firearms. One additional program I’ve been looking to bring to Cincinnati is Advance Peace. This fellowship program works with people involved with gun violence, providing wraparound services such as job training and mental health assistance, while allowing them to stay anonymous and minimizing involvement of law enforcement to build trust and protect members’ identities. This program has had tremendous success in other mid-sized cities, and I’m hoping to recreate that in our community. I’ve also long been a proponent of increased homeownership, providing resources and education to first-time buyers, allowing them to build the generational wealth that will allow them to create even better outcomes for their children.

Since January, the Cincinnati Futures Commission has been meeting to develop recommendations that chart a fiscally sustainable path forward for the City and develop a community-informed economic agenda for the future. When the report is delivered at the end of the year, how will you work to implement the recommendations? Private-public partnerships have long been recognized as an important piece in large infrastructure projects, but Cincinnati has a history of delivering budgetary, structural, and economic growth through such means. As Cincinnati continues to grow, it’s important that Council takes steps to promote and support new residents and businesses. I look forward to reviewing the Commission’s report, and working together with others on Council to implement recommendations that will bolster our economic and fiscal outlook.

The 2021 Census showed Cincinnati grew for the first time since 1950, what policies would you promote to continue this momentum in the coming years? One of the biggest barriers to the continued growth of our city is lack of housing at all levels, but especially affordable units. This is an issue Council has taken a special interest in. There have been a myriad of proposals for how to combat the shortage, including new developments, relaxed zoning, and additional funds to improve existing homes. I’ve specifically supported the Cincinnati, Building Futures program. This initiative partners with the building trades to give citizens the opportunity to build skills and start a career in the building trades. Badly needed infrastructure renovations must also be addressed as more folks move to Cincinnati. The Brent Spence Bridge and Convention Center are only examples of the multiple projects that will make Cincinnati a leading city for businesses and families alike.

According to the 2021 Census, our city lost about 2,800 housing units, while growing by 12,000 people. Are you supportive of zoning reform policies that would allow for increased density to increase the supply of housing to accommodate growth? What other policies would you propose to increase housing production?One of the biggest barriers to increasing affordable housing options is zoning laws and regulations. Multi-family and mixed income housing developments are vital in combating the housing crisis we’ve seen on the rise in Cincinnati. Just by relaxing these restrictions, we can get the process started to increase the number of affordable units in the City. Additionally, having safe, stable housing reduces need for other support from the City and saves money in areas such as healthcare and public safety in the long run. Our affordable housing “fund of funds” that is being managed by the Cincinnati Development Fund has increased to about $100 million, and City Council is committed to continued funding. This monetary commitment along with the advice of the experts on our Housing Advisory Board are helping us to move the needle. I am also in conversation with an organization that implements the Housing First model. It would entail private and public funding, and has proven successful in other cities.

There is a proposal on the November ballot that would require an increase to the City’s earnings tax to invest approximately $50 million annually in affordable housing, grants, subsidies, and loans for the preservation and maintenance of affordable housing; do you support this? Why or why not? There’s no question we need more affordable housing, and I appreciate the citizen initiative to address this issue. However, we have an affordable housing trust fund with $80 million and an ongoing stream of funding to develop affordable housing in Cincinnati. This City Council views affordable housing as a top priority, has made significant strides, and will continue to invest in affordable units. However, I’m not ready to increase the earning tax without a report from the Futures Commission on how to address the impending revenue gap of $40 million.

The City has historically used tax incentives to support commercial development in the urban core and in business districts across the City. What do you believe the role of incentives should be in development going forward, and based on data received from the new residential tax abatement policy, are you prepared to reconsider the need for residential tax abatement to increase housing in the city? Tax abatements, TIFS, and LIHTC (low-income housing tax credits) are tools that incentivize development and growth, and make financially challenging projects – such as affordable housing – more feasible. City Council and the administration recently revised the City’s residential tax abatement policy to make it more equitable and to increase development in underserved areas. Tax abatements have been an important step in increasing economic development in the City, but have also been long focused on already thriving communities. While supporting development in every neighborhood is essential to a healthy city, there needs to be a focus on those communities often forgotten by developers. Unfortunately, our state legislators have hurt us by forbidding LIHTC with historical tax credits. Much of Cincinnati’s housing is historical, and the combination of both types of tax incentives on a project would make the creation of affordable housing more feasible. Both implemented and proposed revisions would continue to promote growth in the affordable housing sector, which is essential to addressing the housing shortage our city faces.

The proposed sale of the Cincinnati Southern Railway is being voted on this November. Do you support the sale? Yes or no? Assuming the sale of the CSR passes, what existing infrastructure would you prioritize with the increased capital funds? Yes. We need to diversify this asset, wisely invest the $1.6 Billion sales proceeds, and make sure that our policy requires that the principal never is touched. Under the current conservative analysis, Cincinnati will gain approximately $50 million annually from this investment, rather than the current amount of $25 million per year. The funds would have to go toward infrastructure and would be a significant help for a City that has a great deal of outdated infrastructure in need of repair. Our administration is giving us a report on infrastructure priorities. We have a great deal of old infrastructure in the city- not only bridges and roads, but also firehouses which are in desperate need of repair. There are structures in various neighborhoods that need repairs as well. While the proceeds from the sale can only be spent on existing infrastructure, those funds will free up dollars in the capital budget for new infrastructure projects, including more housing and means of improving pedestrian safety.

While property tax makes up a smaller portion of the City’s overall tax receipts, the overall burden of property taxes has increased in recent years. How would you propose easing that burden on City taxpayers? Rising property taxes are a real concern for many City residents. As a strong proponent of homeownership, ensuring that property taxes don’t block families out of housing opinions is essential to me. Council recognizes this need as well, and wants to explore any pathways available to us to ease this burden on residents. Unfortunately, lawmakers in Columbus have attempted one-size fits all solutions that haven’t garnered enough support to pass in the House. Other proposals have been made to lower costs for different groups such as seniors and veterans, and State Representatives and Senators are essential patterns in getting relief for citizens of Cincinnati and across Ohio.

Under what circumstances and for what investments would you consider raising the City’s earnings tax? The mayor has appointed the Futures Commission of business leaders, labor leaders, and citizen leaders to take a look at how to increase revenue for our City to meet the impending gap in our budget. The Commission’s report at the end of the year will be important to review before considering an increase in taxes. I also believe community engagement is essential in this consideration, and we should listen to the voices of the community stakeholders during this process.

The Chamber has spent the last decade focused on making Cincinnati a more connected region. What transportation and mobility projects and policies would you prioritize to better connect Cincinnatians to jobs, education, health care and all that our region has to offer? We’ve had some exciting developments in public transportation here in Cincinnati, and I’m excited about the direction we’re moving in. The MetroNow! Program is aimed at addressing the gaps in the bus system. Narrower roads often are impossible for buses to navigate, and without access to public transportation, many residents aren’t able to do essential tasks like attending doctors appointments or going to the grocery. While the program is currently being pilot tested in only a few communities, its success offers a pathway to a more connected city.

One of the Cincinnati Chamber’s core values is inclusion and accelerating opportunity for everyone. In your opinion, do you believe the City is doing enough to focus on inclusive policies? If so, what areas would you highlight as a success. If not, what specific policies or investments would you propose? Cincinnati is an incredibly diverse city. People of all races, religions, and nationalities are proud to call our city home. While I agree there has been an increase in conversation around issues related to inclusion, I think we often fall short when taking action. Policies such as the Community Engagement Ordinance I helped pass through Council have given citizens more venues and opportunities to share their priorities with Council, but more steps need to be taken. Ensuring city contracts for projects are within reach for smaller contractors opens them up to more minority and female owned businesses, and is a policy I’ve pushed for as state and federal dollars are invested in city infrastructure, and one I hope to see replicated in the future.

A major economic driver for the region is the cultural vibrancy of Cincinnati. How can the city best foster a diverse cultural economy that supports neighborhood events, arts attractions, our various sports teams, and the tourism industry? The most significant way Cincinnati can foster our diversity is for our institutions and businesses to proudly reflect that. Key to this is making sure that as we engage in new projects, educate our children, and support small businesses we have a seat for everyone at the table. As we work to revitalize our City’s infrastructure, we should ensure our contracts include Black-owned and women-owned companies and union workers. We must continue to support our educators and administrators in CPS schools, giving our children the opportunity to learn and grow into the next generation of City leaders. As small businesses continue to rebound from COVID-19, women and POC-owned businesses need to be included in conversations about what will benefit them. In a City as diverse as ours, it’s vital for our government, schools, and businesses to reflect the people who call Cincinnati home.

Please provide some examples of how you’ve seen the City and private sector work well together. Where are there areas you’d like to see increased collaboration? 3CDC is perhaps the best example of what a private-public partnership can achieve. With $1.7 billion in development across the last two decades, we’ve been able to revitalize huge swaths of Downtown and OTR. This has made Cincinnati a place where both large corporations and small businesses can thrive. Another example is the Cincinnati Futures Commission, and the previous efforts it’s built off of. Cincinnati has a strong history of working with business and community leaders to increase economic development and opportunity, and this must continue as our city grows.

How can the City work with business leaders in the community to help improve safety across the City and especially in the urban core? While overall violent crime is down across the City, we’ve seen a startling rise in gun violence, and especially in youth involved shootings. At the root of the problem lie poverty and hopelessness, combined with a plethora of guns on the street and weak gun legislation. We need a ban on assault weapons, red flag laws, and universal background checks. I was one of the leaders in enacting safe storage laws in Cincinnati, and denying access to guns for domestic violence perpetrators. I am working with community leaders on bringing the Advance Peace program to Cinicnnati because of the data showing its effectiveness in other cities. At the same time, we need to increase economic opportunity and mentorships for our youth. Working with business leaders to expand these opportunities will lead to a safer city for all.

Over the years there have at times been significant disconnects between the City and the County. How would you work to build a stronger working relationship between the two forms of government? Outside of representing the needs of my constituents, one of my most important duties as Vice Mayor is building strong relationships with other local officials and services. Having a strong working relationship with County officials is of utmost importance to me. With shared resources and utilities such as the MSD and the proposed Regional Safety Complex, it’s essential that officials from the County and City can not only sit down and discuss where we agree, but can work together to reach agreement on issues where we may have differing opinions. Balancing the needs to City and County residents to create better outcomes for all should be the ultimate goal.

How do you balance the viewpoints and perspectives of a diverse set of stakeholders on a given issue to inform your position? My work has changed the culture of City Council by emphasizing the need for community engagement and listening to the voices of the constituents whom we serve. One of the most important to me is showing the people of Cincinnati that I care about each of them achieving a fulfilling, successful life in our city. I often hear from voters that by showing up in every neighborhood and sincerely listening to people’s needs and issues, they feel they have a voice on Council every day. No one has all of the answers, but collaboration and engagement with the community gets us on the right track.

MEEKA OWENS

I am running for re-election to continue to make progress for the City of Cincinnati. We are a city that has so much opportunity and I’m running again to help grow our city to be a place that ultimately people move to, where we attract and retain talent and a place where people want to visit. As I have always stated, Cincinnati has the right components to be a city that can lead the Midwest and the nation on many things; we have a strong business sector, strong philanthropy and a robust arts community, a government that is responsive, and nonprofits that help to provide critical resources for the community. We have accomplished a lot, but there’s more to do and we work best when we solve problems together.

I was born and raised in Cincinnati, I’ve attended CPS schools, I raised my son here, I‘ve been an entrepreneur, I’ve served the community in a variety of ways. I have always sought to collaborate with others to solve problems. If given the opportunity to serve another term on city council; I will continue to prioritize building housing, investing in neighborhoods and public safety, supporting small businesses and economic development, the environment and more. Overall, I hope to improve the quality of life for every resident in Cincinnati.

When we work collaboratively to improve the quality of life for all Cincinnatians, our city thrives.

How would you accelerate the implementation of the Futures Commission, and which specific recommendations do you believe are the top priority for the City?

I appreciate the time that was taken from business leaders across the region to produce the Futures Commission report. A serious review of this set of comprehensive recommendations is critical for a fiscally sustainable Cincinnati.

I think one of the first steps is to address the recommendation around our water utility that is related to how we might make our pension solvent. We also need to have strategic goals around growth, and identify specific metrics that are measurable for our city, including the City’s regulatory environment.

Ultimately, this work will need to be led by council and the mayor, the administration, and the business community, while engaging intentionally with the community at large. My office is prepared to further engage on recommendations around our water utility as a first step. I also think there is room for my office to lead on the creation of a formal response to the report and what steps we may be taking to address it. As I’ve stated publicly I am prepared to be a leader in creating the actions related to the Futures Commission recommendations.

Do you support the creation of the Office of Strategic Growth?

I do support the creation of the Office of Strategic Growth. I believe accountability is important in achieving results and ensuring that we eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy is key. We should be making decisions based on data, metrics, and strategically laid out timelines. We are lucky as a city to have the resources to sustain a robust report from the Futures Commission, and it is on us to implement the recommendations in a timely manner to see our city thrive.

Are there recommendations you believe the City should not pursue?

The entire set of recommendations should be taken into thoughtful consideration at this point. I believe we can approach the recommendations as a whole by discussing what should be prioritized based on our vision for the city as we grow into the next decade. It is important that we take a critical look at measures that increase revenues not only in the short-term but in the long-term.

Public safety, housing, and infrastructure will always be top priorities for a city like Cincinnati. All three of these topics are centered in investments in people. Whether it is the way they live their lives, the place they rest their head, or the route they take to work.

We know these are important for our residents’ quality of life. I’m grateful for the passage of Issue 22 to support infrastructure spending in our city. This is a huge step in ensuring better results as these investments are only getting more expensive. Having additional flexibility in infrastructure spending means we can invest in resources that will not only protect Cincinnati’s workforce, but continue to promote growth in our city.

As a result of changing weather patterns, it is critical that we make preventive investments where we can. For example, in the last biennial budget I supported recommendations around preventative road maintenance and repair. I believe moving forward, climate investments that support more resilient and green infrastructure have to be a part of the conversation. As Chair of the Climate, Environment, and Infrastructure committee, I believe it is paramount to bring together diverse groups of stakeholders to ensure our climate investments are in alignment with a growing Cincinnati.

Public safety investments is another reason the recommendations of the Futures Commission have to be taken seriously. To best support increased personnel, capital investments, fleet, and technology, revenue has to be a part of the conversation. This is not only about worker safety, and dignity of work, but about having the personnel and infrastructure to support growing business opportunities for the City.

And finally, we need to continue to grow our city and in my time on Council I have been a constant advocate of increasing our housing stock while helping those who might be financially insecure stay in their homes through emergency rental assistance. I have also championed the creation of the Tenant Bill of Rights, which helps to support better conditions for renters in the city of Cincinnati parallel with the Ohio Revised Code.

Do you support an increase in the City’s earning tax in the next Council term? If yes, how much would you increase it and what would you utilize the revenue for?

I do support an increase to the earnings tax. It definitely needs to be a part of a comprehensive growth conversation in this upcoming term. I would be open to looking at any additional increase beyond the recommendation in the Futures Commission that would support furthering economic development through increased housing production and small business growth. We need to look at increases that might go beyond the recommendation of just 10 years. One generation should not be responsible for the increase in taxes that will build the future of our city, rather I think we should have a focus that could reflect continuous growth.

As a member of council, of highest priority is the city’s budget, as we are constrained by a looming deficit, and aging infrastructure, increased revenue to the general fund is central to that conversation.

The City has a number of external partners like REDI Cincinnati, The Port, CincyTech, Cintrifuse, 3CDC and others that help it achieve its growth goals.

Do you support continuing to provide funding to these organizations?

100%, absolutely. As a city, we need to continue to invest in organizations that are supporting the growth of our region at large. Not only do they attract residents and businesses to our great City, but they do so with data-driven solutions and a lens for tourism in mind.

I want our city to have enough housing units for those who live here now and those who want to live here, but more importantly I want the City of Cincinnati to be a location for the company that is looking to expand its reach in the Ohio River Valley and the midwest in general. REDI and the work that JobsOhio does to attract and retain talent are pivotal to ensure the health of our city’s economy.

Do you support continuing to fund the Affordable Housing Leverage Fund with the City’s waterfall?

Yes. We need to continue to find creative ways to leverage community partnerships between Cincinnati Development Fund, Hamilton County and the City to build the affordable housing we so desperately need. Affordability is not only about creating housing access for the residents that are already here, but is about creating the vision of a future for young people graduating from our City’s universities, and looking to build their lives in a great midwestern city.

You can look at models around the country where a strong Community Development Financial Institution has catapulted growth in cities; Cincinnati cannot afford to be any different. In addition, I want to see additional investment into our Affordable Housing Leveraged Fund. I would be interested to see where other sources for the fund can be discovered. We need to look at fees, taxes, and programs that do not hinder the development process but rather are a wrap around for the services that already exist. I believe we need to examine how we create additional revenue through potential sources like rental registration fees.

What actions would you take to support job growth and site development?

I led on revising our Human Services and Leveraged Support process this last year to make it easier for organizations like CincyTech and REDI to receive city funding. We know that for every dollar that the city puts in, the state matches.

We could not, and cannot, afford to have the energy of these important, job-creating organizations, spent on grant applications to the city for a service the city simply doesn’t have the capacity to provide.

I also am in favor of streamlining permitting processes for the lots that might be available in the landbank. We have parcels and properties around this city that are dormant. I want to see these come to life, we just need to put forth the effort. Part of that effort is ensuring that we make the process for development accessible to all business owners looking to place their roots in Cincinnati.

We should have 20+ sites pad ready and open for RFP a year, minimum. I plan in this next term to prioritize the need to be prepared for the activity we want to see. I also support the industrial strategy of the PORT to help achieve these things. If we prepare, the investment will follow.

Do you believe Cincinnati needs to grow? If so, what do you believe is Cincinnati’s greatest opportunity for growth and what tools should City Council provide to make it successful?

Cincinnati needs to grow, but more importantly Cincinnati is growing for the first time in a long time and we can’t afford to lose momentum. We are at an inflection point in our city where the 2020s can be defined by really intentional growth in all 52 neighborhoods. I believe one of the largest barriers to growth can be administrative processes, but I want to see that improve.

In my conversations in the community with Developers, I have heard that there is a need for additional incentives to get developments across the finish line. From comments in the development community I hear it is financial packages that are accessible. We need to do a deep dive on bonding capacity, our TIF districts (we are close to expiration), and other tools.

Other cities have found effective ways to revitalize aging housing stock like Philadelphia’s Rental Improvement Fund which I have asked the City administration to see how we might be able to implement here in Cincinnati. This would help to invest in Cincinnati’s aging housing stock while improving affordability through access to capital. This would require partnerships to help execute a program like this and the identification of a revenue source. But, we need to be visionaries. I like to say that as an elected official; we are governing the city of today while building the city of tomorrow. We need to focus on our tomorrow a little more in these next two years.

Yes, I voted in favor of Connect Communities proudly. I believe we need to see how we can increase density beyond the creation of permitted middle housing. I have also appreciated conversations around minimum lot size and how that could also help foster growth. Ultimately, we need to create opportunities for more starter homes and many other types of housing. Land use efficiency has to be in the conversation. I believe we need to have developers who come to the city with really ambitious ideas that move our city forward in a big way.

Additionally, I think we need to empower CDCs to do zoning studies for their communities. These are ways for communities to provide input on the front end on what they believe the best land use of their neighborhoods should be. As a city, we are lucky to have a robust network of CDCs, and it is on us to empower them with the tools to support their neighborhoods.

In 2021 the Chamber released Embracing Growth, which laid out a number of policy recommendations. Since then, Council has considered a number of policies to increase housing supply.

What specific actions should Council take to expand housing of all kinds across the City?

We need to approve all forms of housing. Council is not in the business of negotiating development deals or generally outlining what type of housing we are looking for. We need to approve all housing from luxury to affordable, single-family to multi-family, apartment buildings and duplexes. We need to be aggressive in our approval of more housing at all income levels and all forms.

This comes in the form of incentivizing all forms of housing, and most importantly having housing and development friendly elected officials. Around the country we are seeing developments being downsized to accommodate “community opinion”, this is not helpful to achieving our housing goals and this starts at the elected and administrative level. I will push the administration to present projects that are ambitious and will launch us in the right direction of growing our housing stock.

Would you restore the residential tax abatement program if presented with evidence that housing production has slowed?

Every tool should be on the table to increase housing production. I supported our updated residential tax abatement policy to see these investments happen in other areas of the city. Abatement can also be a tool to help support investment in housing stock. If there was evidence presented that additional incentives are needed I would be in support. The most critical part of the conversation is using evidence-based recommendations for sustained growth for our city.

The top priority of TIF funds should be and has been the development and revitalization of housing. We need to utilize them more effectively and not let TIF funds decrease the amount of funding that might come from a VTICA or CRA. In the past, I have heard that there are multiple City incentives provided to a project that can lower the original request for TIF funds or a CRA. That is unacceptable, we need to provide as many incentives as possible to get projects over the finish line. We need to be aggressive in incentivizing housing development and our TIF funds are a powerful resource to achieve that. I believe we need to create clearer guidelines on the use of TIF and be proactive in working with communities to identify the benefits of using them and the opportunities.

How would you improve the city’s permitting and development process?

I believe creating plug and play contracts is really important. While the city administration will never take an external draft of an ordinance as the final draft we need to work with development firms to get our contracts done more quickly. I also believe we need to expand the capacity of all city departments that have a stake in the development process. Sometimes that means only DCED and B&I but there are also inputs from Law, and for example if it is a LEED project you can expect OES. We need to do more to ensure we have efficient processes.

Efficiency, and removing unnecessary bureaucracy is the key to a strong, growing city’s success. The process for developers and expectations for developers should be clear upfront. I have heard from some developers that even having a consistent point of contact during the stages of a project is impactful. We must streamline processes that touch multiple departments; like historic conservation.

As stated previously we have a chance for the 2020s to be defined by intentional and incredible growth. This requires us to have a growth mindset, a vision that is audacious and the belief that we can create communities that are inclusive and have abundant housing. This requires us to not only align policies with that idea, but to share this grand vision as well. In addition, we need to create the best mechanisms to ensure credible and consistent engagement occurs. This engagement should be based on the benefits that communities will receive from good projects. The expectations of this engagement have to be clarified between the community and the city. We must also create the opportunity and environments where all voices can be supported. .

Lastly, it is not lost on me that the comments about neighborhood character carry history with them. Many people historically used similar arguments to segregate by class & race. We must confront this reality, but set a better course to achieve thriving, healthy and vibrant neighborhoods.

We need financial incentives to aid in getting development projects across the finish line. They are paramount to the growth of our city and our region. During my time on Council, I reflect on some of the most transformative investments that we have made. The conversion of the Macy’s Building, bond issuances for the new Convention Center district, and incentives for housing development in our neighborhood business districts. There needs to be an intentional focus on ensuring the growth of our urban core without losing sight of our neighborhoods. I think about the FC Cincinnati development that was recently awarded TMUD funding. That project welcomes a new entertainment district that bridges two neighborhoods (West End and Over-the-Rhine) and will welcome new housing. We need to be prepared to support projects that are transformative now and into the future with incentives. I think about the upcoming need to support the construction of the convention center hotel. I, as a Councilmember, am prepared to support projects that grow the prominence of our city and region.

We should continue to use financial incentives like CRA’s to invest in growth. Residential and commercial abatements are also proven tools that incentivize growth in key areas. I believe projects that ensure the production of affordable units should always be on the table.

We need to create a city that retains those young professionals. At the top of the list, housing that is affordable to the young professional. I’ll give you a prime example, both of my official side staff are transplants. One is from Louisville, the other from the Cleveland area. Both of these young people came here for college, they loved our city, and the social diversity the city had to offer. The ability to go to a Reds game or a concert at Riverbend are appealing to our younger residents.

But when the time came to find affordable and safe housing, one moved into an apartment on Queen City Boulevard and the other bought property in Colerain Township. This scenario is far too common.

We need to build a city that makes it affordable for young people to call our city. The median rents and cost of living need to come down. You can see it in the happy hours or the Banks on a Friday night. We have the young crowd but we need to retain them the easiest way possible; with a good paying job and an affordable roof over their head.

I also believe there is a focus that we must place onto our public school system and our higher education institutions. I want to see investment in our public schools increase. Every young person coming out of CPS should be ready to tackle the world. I want there to be a greater alignment with our higher ed institutions; UC and Xavier, to have an emphasis on retaining talent as well. I believe that if we work together with the business community we will see results. We should also be working with the school district on industry trends and where we might want to see investment in workforce and early training and education.

On September 8th, I was proud to introduce legislation that would make a $5.5m investment for public safety improvement. Through conversations with my colleagues we landed at $5.42m but we started a million dollars lower than that. We need to be aggressive in addressing our issues around public safety and anything else for that matter. We need to define the story that our city tells and this short-term investment reflects that. I am a strong supporter of any resources the Cincinnati Police Department believes they need, including additional recruit classes. The long-term goal is to be at a full compliment of officers. We need to achieve that goal as quickly as possible, and retain them well into the future.

We can measure the success of those investments in two ways. First, is the immediate and long-term crime data. If we see a reduction in crime overall from these investments then we should be grateful for the improvement, but still flexible to continue investments. Second, is the public feeling and perception of safety. We get nowhere if people are not coming to businesses or enjoying parts of the city they deem dangerous. I heard from a local business owner in the wake of the 4th and Elm incident that their sales had decreased 60%, which is unacceptable. That is a powerful metric that we can use to see if our goals are being achieved.

In addition, I am willing to work with local creatives, community members and business leaders on how we re-shape the narrative that is most reflective of who Cincinnati really is. I believe social media can play a huge role here as well.

What is one concrete way you would engage business leaders to improve public safety outcomes, and how would you ensure accountability?

Accountability starts in city hall on this issue. We need to engage those who have stakes in our community; that means business leaders and residents alike. In the wake of the 4th and Elm incident, I held a meeting with over a dozen small businesses in OTR and the Central Business District to see what they might need in the form of extra safety and other support. I brought in CPD and DCED into the conversation as well. Some of the things we learned are how small businesses have seen a loss of business over the last few months because of perception. My plan is to reconvene this group in the coming weeks to get the resources they asked for. I will continue this type of round table dialogue, because it is only when we create opportunities to come together around the table that we find solutions.

Cincinnati’s small businesses are the lifeblood of neighborhood business districts. How would you support long time and new small business entrepreneurs?

We need to support relevant DCED programs like the Commercial Tenant Improvement Program and the PopUpShop program. These programs will empower neighborhood business districts and have been successful in supporting local small businesses. I hope that we can see the creation of a 52 main streets strategy across our city by the end of this decade. As an organizer and someone who likes planning events, I believe small business tours should be a strategy in highlighting and supporting local entrepreneurs. I would help to promote and grow initiatives like this.

What is one existing barrier to growing small, minority, or women-owned businesses in Cincinnati, and what is the City’s role in removing that barrier?

First and foremost, we as a city need to be invested in what success looks like for small businesses and how we define them. This should be rooted in data and metrics that keep us accountable. One of the most important things we can invest in are incubators that support scaled growth. We need to continue to support businesses from concept to execution and scaffold them with the ancillary tools that support growth. In my conversations around this topic, components from HR capacity to accounting are skills that entrepreneurs might not naturally have. Another barrier is access to the right capital at the right stage of the business. This is very important. Finally, when growth is supported in incremental ways we should also provide tools on how businesses can be supported by tech or be tech enabled.

We need to support events that attract national talent and can highlight our city for years to come. That includes BLINK, Oktoberfest, River Roots, and more. However, alongside the annual events that bring enormous economic impact, we also need to find and sustain more consistent revenue sources.

For the smaller scale events there should be a special events fund established that the City Council can allocate to the events we want to support. With our investment in the Sports Commission we will need to be agile in how we get funds out the door to build capacity for these events as well.

While the political commentary is meant to be distracting, we as leaders need to have a strategy of having an open chair and open ears.

An open chair meaning that we are willing to work with anyone. Personally, party affiliation is not a deterrent for me so long as those who I work with are also working to do the right thing for the City of Cincinnati. Open ears referring to our need as leaders to listen first.

I know that asking questions first can lead to greater information that can be helpful to the City of Cincinnati. By nature I am a collaborator and an organizer, and I approach all critical conversations with this lens in mind. We cannot afford for partisanship to get in the way of the progress of our city right now. As it relates to the topic of public safety, I have recently stood with Governor DeWine to show continued support of partnerships in how we address violent crime. Partisanship issues should never be brought up when it comes to quality of life issues or get in the way of what’s best for Cincinnati.

SETH WALSH

In my time with the College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation I found the city’s process for developing and giving resources for all 52 neighborhoods was flawed. While I led over $85 million in redevelopment, it was in large part due to the force of will by the community and it was clear to me our vision for the whole City could not be achieved with this relaxed approach. I am on council to deliver for all neighborhoods and to keep Cincinnati growing, vibrant, and safe.

How would you accelerate the implementation of the Futures Commission, and which specific recommendations do you believe are the top priority for the City?

Do you support the creation of the Office of Strategic Growth?

Are there recommendations you believe the City should not pursue?

I not only do support the creation of the Office of Strategic Growth, I have attempted to create it through the budget process only to be rejected by the City Manager. I do not believe we need to pursue the earnings tax increase for the City. I believe that the Futures Commission can be implemented through (1) creating an ad hoc committee to evaluate the Waters Works proposal; (2) creating an ad hoc committee to evaluate the Pension proposal; (3) having the Mayor and City Council unite in creating the Office of Strategic Growth; and (4) create the Future’s Commission Pipeline funding for economic growth, utilizing the waterfall funding and offsetting any need for an earnings tax increase. This last point is a partnership with CDF and the Port and something Jeff Cramerding and I are actively working on.

I reject the premise that the City budget is constrained. This last year alone we had a $10 million deficit, yet we are trending toward another $65 million surplus without ARPA money. What we have is faulty projections that are manipulated downward to suggest a larger gap than I believe is appropriate. The belief that we do not have the funding to prioritize growth is a dangerous mindset for our City and one we must fight against. My priorities while on Council have been to honor union contracts and ensure we take care of all public safety and public work endeavors and then to prioritize as much economic development as we possibly can. During my time on Council, I have made a reputation for being one of the few Councilmembers who knows the budget and I make budget change recommendations each year of over $5 million each (this past year over $12 million) to achieve these goals.

Do you support an increase in the City’s earning tax in the next Council term? If yes, how much would you increase it and what would you utilize the revenue for?

No, we do not need to increase the earning tax to fund all of the city services.

The City has a number of external partners like REDI Cincinnati, The Port, CincyTech, Cintrifuse, 3CDC and others that help it achieve its growth goals.

Do you support continuing to provide funding to these organizations?

Yes

Do you support continuing to fund the Affordable Housing Leverage Fund with the City’s waterfall?

Yes

What actions would you take to support job growth and site development?

Jeff Cramerding and I are working to prioritize the creation of the “Cincinnati Future’s Economic Development” pipeline that prioritizes excess funding from the waterfall for site acquisition and gap closure in partnership with CDF and the Port that I believe will be critical for supporting job growth and continued site development.

Do you believe Cincinnati needs to grow? If so, what do you believe is Cincinnati’s greatest opportunity for growth and what tools should City Council provide to make it successful?

Absolutely, keeping Cincinnati growing is key to a successful future in Cincinnati. I am in favor of utilizing TIFs, aba, and other tax incentives to bring development and jobs to our city. We sit on over $150 million in our TIFs with $50 million coming in each year. They must be utilized to the maximum extent to jump start our City’s growth and make us a city on the leading edge of growth in the country. I believe bonding is also a tremendously underutilized tool at the city, especially with TIFs.

Yes. I voted for it proudly. I am already working with members of the Chamber to discuss the next step for the next term that includes minimum lot size cuts and single stair policy changes, among others.

In 2021 the Chamber released Embracing Growth, which laid out a number of policy recommendations. Since then, Council has considered a number of policies to increase housing supply.

What specific actions should Council take to expand housing of all kinds across the City?

We need to be inviting developers to build in Cincinnati. This means streamlining the building permit and plan review process. Ensuring inspections happen quickly and do not take weeks to occur. Additionally, we need to continue to improve upon the zoning, planning and building codes to ensure that Cincinnati is pro-development while still being safe. Finally, we need to continue to fund the Cincinnati Futures Economic Development Pipeline so that when developments do hit roadblocks council has the resources to push a project across the finish line.

Would you restore the residential tax abatement program if presented with evidence that housing production has slowed?

Yes this is a vote that I regret having made in the first place.

I believe TIFs are critical for our growth. As mentioned above, we have $150 million in our TIFs right now and we have an additional $50 million a year coming into our TIFs. We need to bond these TIFs because that could be $500 million immediately for development, growth, site readiness, etc. We need to show the world that Cincinnati is open for business and create policies around our TIF to make them the bucket of first thought to pursue aggressive growth in Cincinnati.

How would you improve the city’s permitting and development process?

I want us to admit that our permitting and development process is deeply flawed in the first place. Then start at scratch and reimagine how we can do it to be as seemingless as we can. I think our problem has been that we continue to try to rebuild on a faulty foundation. During the pandemic, Chick-fil-a was called in to figure out how to create a drive through covid vaccinations. A similar mentality should be taken to improving permitting and development.

We must first become unapologetically pro-growth. We cannot simply type into a questionnaire that we are pro-growth and then every time a “controversial” development comes along tell the press and community we are undecided. I learned this lesson during Hyde Park. Why was I pretending to not know where I stood? So I announced my decision after meeting the community and being unswayed to why I should be opposed. If we as leaders are too afraid to be pro-growth, it will be impossible to make our City pro-growth. Shifting the narrative on Cincinnati being pro-growth begins at the top.

Development incentives are critical to the success and future of Cincinnati. I believe we need to unlock millions of dollars, not just through TIF but through excess waterfall funds, to ensure that incentives exist across the board to spur development. Projects that bring high quality jobs to Cincinnati are the most deserving of these credits.

Council can play a vital role in retaining our college students in Cincinnati. We have several top notch universities creating the workers of tomorrow. As team Cincinnati we need to ensure that there are entry level jobs, housing at every price point, and a vibrant community life is happening. This ensures our students stay in Cincinnati and offer their talents and resources to the development of our city.

Safety is a pillar of my platform. The city needs to deliver on the basic public services every city offers (police, fire, & trash pickup). We need to ensure we are investing and utilizing common sense to accomplish these tasks. In the short term we need to combat the narrative that Cincinnati is not a safe community. We do this by taking accountability for the actions that occurred over the summer and pivoting to show the actions we have taken to limit these issues. In the long term we need to look at the data and measure the actions we are taking to see if they are working. When incidents do occur they need to be resolved quickly, professionally, and with leadership from council.

What is one concrete way you would engage business leaders to improve public safety outcomes, and how would you ensure accountability?

I have prioritized conversations with business leaders during my time on Council and will continue to do so. I believe the next conversation needs to be to lean on your expertise to better identify new incentives to spur business growth and retention in Cincinnati. I come with a background on community development and use that to lead on community development. I need your expertise to lead on business growth.

Cincinnati’s small businesses are the lifeblood of neighborhood business districts. How would you support long time and new small business entrepreneurs?

Our small businesses are a key part of what makes Cincinnati a great place to live. We need to deliver on the promises of local government before extending services. This means excelling at collecting trash, plowing the roads, and ensuring our first responders are equipped to deal with issues that may occur.

What is one existing barrier to growing small, minority, or women-owned businesses in Cincinnati, and what is the City’s role in removing that barrier?

We are great at launching small businesses but are terrible at providing the support after we launch them. I have worked closely with BlaCk Coffee the last three years to help keep them afloat through hard times. One area in particular I think we need to improve for small businesses is parking for their employees. If it’s unclear, it can result in employees taking critical parking spaces that prevent customers coming in or it can result in employees leaving because they do not feel safe or are spending too much money. I think the City needs to step in and create a program for service workers to park (if not using bus rapid transit).

I am a big believer in big events for Cincinnati and I want to launch an events incubator. My proposal is to take the 15.5% increase in the ticket tax due to the loophole closing and set it aside to fund special events like BLINK every year. And 10% of that set aside should go into an incubator for future large events to grow.

The City needs to work with partners from federal, state, and county to ensure large investments are coming to Cincinnati. The current level of partisanship in our politics is detrimental to these efforts but do not stop them. I am a problem solver before partisan politico and am hopeful we can continue to collaborate with our partners to do what is best for Cincinnati. This means I need to take meetings with republicans, acknowledge their influence, and share the spotlight when we are able to deliver for Cincinnati.

ANNA ALBI

Why are you running for council/re-election? What motivates you as a candidate? What are your top priorities as a candidate? I am running for City Council because our State government is falling short and it is here in Cincinnati where elected leaders are working hard to make people’s lives better. Each time the state passes extremist legislation, I am proud that our City Council looks for creative solutions to protect residents and provide access to the resources they need.

As a gun violence prevention advocate, I am dedicated to passing gun safety legislation and investing resources directly into our communities. Community safety means ensuring everyone has access to fresh food, housing, livable wages, well-resourced schools and after-school programs, health care and mental health resources. We know these resources can counteract identified risk factors for gun violence.

Serving on the Madisonville Community Council, I’ve had the opportunity to hear from our residents that don’t feel that the City recognizes their needs. I am committed to improving communication between the City and residents by providing community councils the training and resources they need to be a more effective bridge between the administration and our residents.

In your opinion, what are the biggest issues facing Cincinnati and what do you view as the City government’s role in solving it? The focus of my campaign is community safety and gun violence prevention. For me, fostering safe communities means tackling the biggest issues facing our residents today: gun violence, livable wages, housing and health care.

Gun Violence Prevention

Pass additional gun safety ordinances (assuming the City prevails in its case against Ohio’s firearm preemption law)
Increase gun safety education and distribute gun locks
Expand Place-Based Investigations of Violent Offender Territories (PIVOT) and Alternative Response to Crisis (ARC)
Invest in violence interruption, survivor support and community programs
Implement a gun buy-back program

Livable Wages

Ensure the City is paying prevailing wages on any project funded completely or in part with tax dollars in Cincinnati
Invest in minority and women-owned businesses by providing access to capital through successful public-private partnerships and the Cincinnati Development Fund
Continue to invest in the Career Pathways program and expand it to encompass new kinds of roles
Encourage establishing apprenticeship programs in the private sector and trade careers

Housing

Change restrictive zoning and expand the adaption of form-based codes such as height, setback, minimum lot size, floor-area-ratio, and density, to allow more and easier housing production
Expand voluntary tax incentive contribution agreement (VTICA) program so more abatement recipients pay the 7.5% allocated to the Affordable Housing Fund and the 7.5% for the community fund
Encourage more mixed-use and mixed-income developments to foster walkable neighborhoods
Increase funding for Community Development Corporations (CDCs) and Homebase
Reduce energy costs for tenants and homeowners experiencing energy poverty by expanding programs such as WarmUp Cincy to support low-income renters, homeowners, and landlords of affordable housing with the installation of weatherization, energy efficiency, and healthy home upgrades

Healthcare

Eliminate health disparities and address Black maternal mortality by promoting doula services and group prenatal care and strengthening access to primary care
Provide greater mental health access and support
Continue to support City of Cincinnati Primary Care (CCPC) health centers and increase public education about accessing their services

Since January, the Cincinnati Futures Commission has been meeting to develop recommendations that chart a fiscally sustainable path forward for the City and develop a community-informed economic agenda for the future. When the report is delivered at the end of the year, how will you work to implement the recommendations? I anxiously await the report from the Cincinnati Futures Commission to help provide a roadmap for fostering a growing and equitable Cincinnati. There has been a lot of great progress over the past 10 years to grow our city; however, funding for the City has not kept up, and we are facing a $9+ million deficit in the coming years plus roughly $500 million in deferred maintenance costs. It’s clear that if we want Cincinnati to continue to grow–and we do!–then we must take action to tackle these economic challenges.

Once the report is issued, an important step the City must take before implementing any policy changes is to ensure our residents are aware of what the report says and the potential impact of its recommendations. As a Senior Strategic Communication Consultant, I know the importance of stakeholder engagement, especially when considering an impactful change. Starting now, the City should begin assembling a stakeholder engagement plan for socializing the findings of the Futures Commission with groups such as community councils, the full Regional Business Chamber, Organized Labor, the County, Cincinnati Public Schools, and more–including educating the press.

As we consider the big transformational needs of our City, such as increased housing and improved transportation, it is vital that we educate our residents on the findings of the Futures Commission report and how its recommendations can help fund the big projects that will improve their lives and help Cincinnati continue to grow and thrive.

The 2021 Census showed Cincinnati grew for the first time since 1950, what policies would you promote to continue this momentum in the coming years? As I consider what I hope Cincinnati will look like in the future, I would like to see a city where:

Every neighborhood is a safe, dense, walkable “15 Minute Neighborhood” with mixed residential (including multi-family) and commercial zoning with convenient public transit.
Downtown is a thriving lifestyle center bursting with small businesses and local restaurants and bars with easily accessible public transit.
Remote workers are eager to move to Cincinnati because of our flourishing arts, entertainment, and culture, relatively low cost of living, award-winning public schools, and leading health care systems.
Small and family-owned businesses have the resources to survive and thrive for generations.
College students are excited to apply to local jobs and remain in the community they fell in love with over the past four years.

In order to accomplish that vision, there are big, transformational policy decisions City Council and the Mayor will need to make. I fully support the work of Connected Communities to make Cincinnati more accessible and connected through changes to our housing development policies focused on middle housing, regulatory barriers, parking, affordable development and process improvements.

Additional policies include:

Leveraging residential and commercial tax abatements to foster incentive development, especially in those neighborhoods designated as the “Lift” tier in the new residential tax abatement system
Promoting the job creation tax credit to welcome more businesses to Cincinnati
Improving existing public transit and expanding service to help residents be less reliant on cars for both work and entertainment
Continuing to invest in providing access to capital for minority and female-owned businesses through successful public-private partnerships and the Cincinnati Development Fund
Expanding strategic relationships with partners such as Cincinnati Development Fund, Greater Cincinnati Development Fund, and more.

Change restrictive zoning and expand the adaption of form-based codes such as height, setback, minimum lot size, floor-area-ratio, and density, to allow more and easier housing production
Encourage more mixed-use and mixed-income developments
Remove parking minimums
Increase funding for Community Development Corporations (CDCs) and Homebase
Expand voluntary tax incentive contribution agreement (VTICA) program so more abatement recipients pay the 7.5% allocated to the Affordable Housing Fund and the 7.5% for the community fund

From Sep. 2022 – Aug. 2023, the Cincinnati Development Fund (CDF) deployed Affordable Housing Leverage Funds to build 857 income-restricted units. While this is a great improvement from previous years, this is far below what we need to keep up with the demand. We need an increased supply of not only affordable housing for low income households, but also an increase in workforce and student housing. We must accelerate our efforts to reform zoning to make it quicker to navigate the development process.

There is a proposal on the November ballot that would require an increase to the City’s earnings tax to invest approximately $50 million annually in affordable housing, grants, subsidies, and loans for the preservation and maintenance of affordable housing; do you support this? Why or why not? I believe City Council should wait for the results of the Cincinnati Futures Commission’s report to fully understand the City’s needs in the coming years. Once we have the results of that report, we should assess the need to increase taxes to ensure we fund affordable housing as well as additional needs such as City staffing (e.g., for CPD or City Hall departments). This avoids the need to raise taxes multiple times in a short period and instead takes a holistic view of what’s needed to ensure we get it right the first time.

Additionally, for major developments, City Council should be more forceful about requiring and enforcing Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs). City Council should make sure that developers are upholding their promises to the community years after the development is complete. This is vital to ensuring our residents feel the benefit of growing and developing our city so they are excited and encouraged to see future development.

I support the new residential tax abatement program that divides the neighborhoods into three tiers with varying lengths of time for residential tax abatements based on which neighborhoods the City is trying to incentivize additional development. For the “Sustain” tier, this new approach also means a shorter time span for the new value being abated–which translates into higher property taxes faster, which can be used to support CPS funding.

The proposed sale of the Cincinnati Southern Railway is being voted on this November. Do you support the sale? Yes or no? Assuming the sale of the CSR passes, what existing infrastructure would you prioritize with the increased capital funds? Yes, I do support the sale of the railway. We have $500 million in deferred maintenance costs and the gains from the sale of the railway will help us address this need. Once we have the gains from the railroad sale to invest into deferred maintenance, we should prioritize infrastructure maintenance in communities designated as the “Lift” tier for the new residential tax abatement system. The deferred maintenance we should tackle includes: repairing roads and sidewalks and renovating public buildings such as fire and police stations and rec centers (for example, our Madisonville fire station was built in the nineteenth century).

By investing in improving our existing infrastructure, especially by prioritizing that “Lift” tier of neighborhoods, the City will be able to attract businesses to expand to Cincinnati and help support small local businesses thrive by providing the public resources they need (e.g., safe roads, functioning sewer, bridges, clean water).

To me, the sale of the railway and how we invest the profits to improve existing infrastructure will be one of the most impactful things City Council will do over the next five years since the projects the City chooses to invest in will impact residents’ everyday lives. People really notice when there are potholes on their street!

While property tax makes up a smaller portion of the City’s overall tax receipts, the overall burden of property taxes has increased in recent years. How would you propose easing that burden on City taxpayers? I support continuing to utilize tax abatements to incentivize development, especially in the communities designated as the “Lift” tier. In those communities, the City should continue to leverage tax abatements and TIFs to foster investment into the community to help grow jobs and increase housing.

With that said, I recognize the importance of funding Cincinnati Public Schools through property taxes, so I want to ensure we are balancing our goal of development with ensuring our schools have the resources they need.

Under what circumstances and for what investments would you consider raising the City’s earnings tax? I believe the City is poised for bold, transformational change that will set us up for success in the future. As we think of big-ticket items that will foster increased growth and development–e.g., a new conference center, improved and expanded public transit, improvements to the Brent Spence Bridge, increased housing–the City will need to carefully consider how to fund these projects in a way to balance our future needs with economic impact on our residents today.

I am eager for the Futures Commissions report to understand better where they recommend increasing tax revenue.

The Chamber has spent the last decade focused on making Cincinnati a more connected region. What transportation and mobility projects and policies would you prioritize to better connect Cincinnatians to jobs, education, health care and all that our region has to offer Today in Cincinnati, there are too many jobs that are inaccessible by public transit. Owning a car adds an additional $10,000+ of costs for City residents and we know over 21% of Cincinnati residents don’t own a car. Improved and expanded public transit is vital to ensuring residents can get to work, contribute to the local economy, access healthcare and more. Furthermore, accessible and expansive public transit is key to increasing density in our urban core and enabling growth.

We can continue to improve Metro services by:

Expanding bus routes
Increasing service to reduce wait times, including on weekends
Building benches and shelters so residents are safe and comfortable while waiting for their bus
Adding wifi and charging stations
In addition, as the Streetcar continues to break ridership records, I would be open to conversations about possible expansion, especially to other business districts, to increase connectivity and foster local businesses along the route.

Affordable housing

Encourage more mixed-use and mixed-income developments
Reduce energy costs for tenants and homeowners experiencing energy poverty by expanding programs such as WarmUp Cincy to support low-income renters, homeowners, and landlords of affordable housing with the installation of weatherization, energy efficiency, and healthy home upgrades

Healthcare

Close the health gap and address Black maternal mortality by promoting doula services and group prenatal care and strengthening access to primary care
Provide greater mental health access and support

Gun violence prevention

Increase gun safety education and distribute gun locks
Expand PIVOT and expand ARC
Invest in violence interruption, survivor support and community programs

Environmental justice

Improve public transit by going electric as much as possible and investing in Metro to provide shorter wait times, safer, more comfortable places to wait, and extended hours
Increase tree canopy to absorb air pollutants and increase shade, thereby improving respiratory health and reducing energy costs

Law enforcement

Allocate an increased percentage of Cincinnati Police Department funding into Victim Services and the Cold Case Unit
Fully funding the Citizen Complaint Authority

Infrastructure

Prioritize infrastructure maintenance in communities designated as the “Lift” tier for the new residential tax abatement system, including repairing roads and sidewalks and renovating public buildings such as fire and police stations and rec centers
Increase pedestrian safety by installing curb bumpouts, speed cushions, curb extensions, and protected bike lanes, as well as other projects included under Vision Zero

A major economic driver for the region is the cultural vibrancy of Cincinnati. How can the city best foster a diverse cultural economy that supports neighborhood events, arts attractions, our various sports teams, and the tourism industry? Cincinnati’s flourishing arts and entertainment is a key element of our city’s continued growth and how we will attract and retain residents. I’ve always thought of Cincinnati as the “smallest big city” because we have all the attractions of a place like Chicago (top-tier theater and opera, championship-winning teams, fine dining, world-class entertainment, etc.) at affordable prices where everyone tries to figure out who they know from your high school.

To foster our cultural vibrancy, I believe strongly that the City should:

Continue funding organizations that contribute to our cultural economy
Work with the administration to streamline the process for organizations that are putting on marquee events
Support redevelopment of the convention center and the construction of a convention center hotel
In addition, I’d be open to establishing a city-level office dedicated to our cultural economy. Cities such as Austin and New Orleans have done something similar to ensure focused investment in the arts and entertainment to foster economic growth.

Please provide some examples of how you’ve seen the City and private sector work well together. Where are there areas you’d like to see increased collaboration? As we’ve seen over the past decade, public/private partnership has played a key role in rejuvenating and expanding our city. Some examples of recent and ongoing successes include the work 3CDC did in Over-the-Rhine, how the CDF and the Port are funding affordable housing, the management of the Boots on the Ground Fund with the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, and more.

I’d like to see continued collaboration around housing and would be interested in exploring opportunities to provide wifi in public spaces, such as parks, around the city through a public/private partnership.

How can the City work with business leaders in the community to help improve safety across the City and especially in the urban core? Addressing community safety comes in all different shapes and sizes–gun safety, pedestrian safety, workplace safety, etc. Fundamentally, I believe it is our local government’s most basic role to provide a safe community for residents and businesses. Recently, I was at the local coffee shop Cream + Sugar in Evanston and in speaking with the owner Aaron, I learned that they close at 2 pm because there have been issues of gun violence nearby and they don’t want to put their customers or workers in danger.

Business owners are key stakeholders in the community and can help the City prioritize areas that need increased attention, whether it’s highlighting local hot spots that need to be addressed by PIVOT or where traffic calming measures are needed for pedestrian safety. Businesses can also play an important role as advocates for safety legislation.

One of the greatest opportunities for the City and business community to work together to foster a safe community is around ensuring livable wages so everyone can afford to have a roof over their head, fresh food on table and access to healthcare.

Over the years there have at times been significant disconnects between the City and the County. How would you work to build a stronger working relationship between the two forms of government? I believe there are multiple opportunities where the City and County can increase collaboration, beginning with increased communication and engagement. Oftentimes the City and County are working in silos and in many instances, we need increased open communication to keep both sides apprised of what’s happening if there’s a direct impact.

There are two areas, specifically, where I hope to see increased partnership:

Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) – I’d be open to conversations about how we can realign or add to our MSD leadership team to ensure the County has a greater voice in the decision making process as we implement Phase 2A of the consent decree.
Housing – The County recently announced they are working with the CFD to build over 550 affordable housing units. I’d like to see how the County and the City working together on affordable housing with the CDF and others can help amplify the impact.

How do you balance the viewpoints and perspectives of a diverse set of stakeholders on a given issue to inform your position? In my day job, I am a Senior Strategic Communication Consultant. I believe the work I do every day to help my clients better communicate with their employees can help the City better engage stakeholders, educate residents to build trust, and increase connectivity across all 52 neighborhoods.

When elected to City Council, I will apply best practices around stakeholder engagement and education to help the City improve its community outreach. I believe an important piece of stakeholder engagement will be providing community councils with greater resources to communicate with and educate residents on what’s happening at City Hall and in their neighborhoods.

Public education is an important piece of stakeholder engagement. For example, in Madisonville, we’ve talked extensively about the current Madison Road Study and how we can educate our residents on what the process will be and what possible outcomes can be. To do that, we’re hosting three in-person meetings about the study over the course of six months, including a Saturday option so it’s more accessible to those who work night shifts or have kids.

Volunteering in the gun safety space has afforded me the opportunity to talk with many individuals from across the political spectrum regarding gun policy. I have literally had a man in a Second Amendment T-shirt beeline it to me to harangue me about gun rights give me a handshake after we agreed on the importance of secure firearm storage.

I believe it is foundational to start with the values we can agree on and build good policy from there.

SCOTTY JOHNSON

Why are you running for council/re-election? What motivates you as a candidate? What are your top priorities as a candidate? I am running for re-election to continue the progress my colleagues and myself have made since taking office officially in 2022. While we have accomplished a lot in regards to public safety, green energy, combating gun violence, and other areas, there is still tremendous work to be done. Being a contributing member of City Council is an immense honor to me, and continuing to serve my city instills great pride in me. I hope to continue working on ending violence in our city, growing Cincinnati economically, creating a more sustainable future, and much more in my second term.

In your opinion, what are the biggest issues facing Cincinnati and what do you view as the City government’s role in solving it? The biggest issues facing Cincinnati are affordable housing, ending gun violence, and inclusiveness. I believe the City government is responsible for leading the conversation on how best to resolve these issues and then following those conversations up with policies.

Since January, the Cincinnati Futures Commission has been meeting to develop recommendations that chart a fiscally sustainable path forward for the City and develop a community-informed economic agenda for the future. When the report is delivered at the end of the year, how will you work to implement the recommendations? I expect the Futures Commission’s report and recommendations to be thoughtful and well informed. As a member of council, I will work with my colleagues to implement the recommendations for fiscal sustainability and economic growth. I plan to use my position on the Budget and Finance Committee to prioritize the recommendations given to council. The members on council work collaboratively together so I am confident we will be able to effectively implement the recommendations.

The 2021 Census showed Cincinnati grew for the first time since 1950, what policies would you promote to continue this momentum in the coming years? In order to continue this momentum, I will continue to promote policies that bring both businesses and residents into our city. These policies include investing in minority and women owned businesses, supporting more affordable housing, programs that incentivize companies to move to Cincinnati, and various other initiatives. Cincinnati has an exciting opportunity to continue growing, and I am proud to be a part of such a movement.

The proposed sale of the Cincinnati Southern Railway is being voted on this November. Do you support the sale? Yes or no? Assuming the sale of the CSR passes, what existing infrastructure would you prioritize with the increased capital funds? I support the sale as long as there is a clear plan of how the money generated will be spent. I would prioritize our bridges and roads, especially in communities that have been historically under-invested in. If we sell the railroad, it must benefit everybody and every neighborhood in the city.

While property tax makes up a smaller portion of the City’s overall tax receipts, the overall burden of property taxes has increased in recent years. How would you propose easing that burden on City taxpayers? We must always be willing to look at all possibilities in easing tax increases; I would propose looking at tax breaks and abatements to help homeowners of businesses in the city.

Under what circumstances and for what investments would you consider raising the City’s earnings tax? I would be willing to take a look at increases in the city’s earning tax if there were a clear cut plan to assist in business development , home ownership, or possibly an increase to assist in funding first responders. I believe an in depth conversation with the business community must take place.

The Chamber has spent the last decade focused on making Cincinnati a more connected region. What transportation and mobility projects and policies would you prioritize to better connect Cincinnatians to jobs, education, health care and all that our region has to offer? One of my first priorities would be focusing greater attention on higher quality public transportation. This means synchronizing the public transit routes with healthcare services, aligning schedules with work times, making sure routes run through areas where demand is greater, and making public transit more inclusive and available. Cincinnati is growing and becoming more condensed, which means a sufficient public transportation system will reap great benefits.

A major economic driver for the region is the cultural vibrancy of Cincinnati. How can the city best foster a diverse cultural economy that supports neighborhood events, arts attractions, our various sports teams, and the tourism industry? The city can use its culture to foster economic growth in many ways. Whether it’s promoting all our professional sports teams, attending city-wide events, or advertising to tourists, I believe that I have a responsibility to showcase Cincinnati. Cincinnati has been my home nearly my entire life, and I am so proud to show it off to the world and represent it as a council member.

Please provide some examples of how you’ve seen the City and private sector work well together. Where are there areas you’d like to see increased collaboration? The city has worked well with the business community, beginning to address affordable housing through rezoning, subsidies, and business incentives. In the future, I would like to continue to involve the private sector in solutions to the affordable housing crisis and build on those partnerships in discussions around the future of Paycor stadium, real estate development, and growing our small business community.

How can the City work with business leaders in the community to help improve safety across the City and especially in the urban core? Working downtown nearly everyday, I find it very important we support and back any measures that promote the safety of downtown businesses and residents. The city can utilize businesses by asking what they would like to see from their perspective. My office is always open to feedback on how to improve city operations, especially in safety.

Over the years there have at times been significant disconnects between the City and the County. How would you work to build a stronger working relationship between the two forms of government? I believe the best way to work together with Hamilton County is to start by understanding that we, as the City of Cincinnati, often want the same prosperity and strong communities that the county wants. We both have similar goals, so I think it is important to set any differences aside to work for the citizens who elected us. We have a responsibility to serve those who put us in these positions, and I think we need to overcome any differences with the county.

How do you balance the viewpoints and perspectives of a diverse set of stakeholders on a given issue to inform your position? I firmly believe in fully educating myself before making a decision. In order to balance the different perspectives that come before us in Council, in meetings, and out in the public I take into consideration the information that has been presented to me and come to my own point of view. By understanding all sides of an issue I believe I am able to better make a decision that best benefits the city as a whole.

VICTORIA PARKS

Why are you running for council/re-election? What motivates you as a candidate? What are your top priorities as a candidate? I grew up during the civil rights movement and witnessed the importance of fighting for one’s beliefs and the government’s capability for positive change. I am motivated by the possibility I see for all Cincinnatians and my hope to level the playing field for our children and grandchildren. My top priorities are increasing access to affordable housing, increasing equity in the city, and making Cincinnati a safe and welcome place for all.

In your opinion, what are the biggest issues facing Cincinnati and what do you view as the City government’s role in solving it? The biggest issue facing Cincinnati is the lack of access to affordable housing. Housing provides stability and can be a pathway to generational wealth and a comfortable retirement. I believe the city should do everything it can to promote development, through things such as zoning changes to allow for more housing and increased investments in the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Since January, the Cincinnati Futures Commission has been meeting to develop recommendations that chart a fiscally sustainable path forward for the City and develop a community-informed economic agenda for the future. When the report is delivered at the end of the year, how will you work to implement the recommendations? Getting our city’s finances back on track is a necessity. I cannot say what specifically I would do without seeing their recommendations first, but from my communications with them so far, I think they are on the right track. I will take their recommendations into consideration, particularly when it comes time for the city’s annual budget.

The 2021 Census showed Cincinnati grew for the first time since 1950, what policies would you promote to continue this momentum in the coming years? The city’s growth is great news. For our city to thrive, we need to grow. I hope to continue this momentum through increased units of housing and by increasing the number of quality union jobs. The Convention Center District provides a great opportunity for career pathways for thousands of Cincinnatians.

The proposed sale of the Cincinnati Southern Railway is being voted on this November. Do you support the sale? Yes or no? Assuming the sale of the CSR passes, what existing infrastructure would you prioritize with the increased capital funds? I do support the sale. We all know about the hundreds of millions of dollars of deferred maintenance for city infrastructure, so I would prioritize those desperately needed repairs.

While property tax makes up a smaller portion of the City’s overall tax receipts, the overall burden of property taxes has increased in recent years. How would you propose easing that burden on City taxpayers? I support the city’s HARBOR Grant program and the Home Enhancement Loan Program (HELP), which will assist low-income homeowners maintaining their residence.

Under what circumstances and for what investments would you consider raising the City’s earnings tax? It is never an easy decision to raise taxes, but if the Futures Commission determines it to be needed for the financial health of the city, it might have to be done. The decision should not be taken lightly, however.

A major economic driver for the region is the cultural vibrancy of Cincinnati. How can the city best foster a diverse cultural economy that supports neighborhood events, arts attractions, our various sports teams, and the tourism industry? Smart investments across the city help develop those items. Supporting new development and renovations will bring in both locals and tourists. Our investments in organizations such as ArtsWave bring cultural vibrancy across the city and make it a more welcoming place.

Please provide some examples of how you’ve seen the City and private sector work well together. Where are there areas you’d like to see increased collaboration? The city has a great collaborative relationship with 3CDC for development and partners well with community organizations like the Urban League. The city helps fund the Urban League’s Community Partnering Center to target high risk youth and try to steer them away from violence.

How can the City work with business leaders in the community to help improve safety across the City and especially in the urban core? Open communication is critical with these leaders. Continuing to fund the police is necessary, and so is hearing from local business and community leaders. They know their neighborhoods better than anyone, so if they believe there should be increased patrols in one area or more lighting on a certain street, they should be listened to.

Over the years there have at times been significant disconnects between the City and the County. How would you work to build a stronger working relationship between the two forms of government? I have a unique advantage here as I come from the county. In my years with the County Commission, both as Todd Portune’s Chief of Staff and later a Commissioner, I developed positive working relationships with all the major players at the County. I have continued these relationships in my role at the city.

How do you balance the viewpoints and perspectives of a diverse set of stakeholders on a given issue to inform your position? This is the heart of working as a policymaker. With every issue I use my own judgment but also hear from experts, community members, and other advocates. Every issue is unique, but as a general rule I will listen to all stakeholders and fight for the best outcome that benefits the most people.