Thursday, February 20 2014
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Smitherman Wants to Fix the Pension System
Councilman Smitherman has issued a proposal to resolve the looming pension crisis in Cincinnati. It includes a number of previously voiced suggestions such as freezing cost of living adjustments as well as call for the city to cough-up a one-time $100 million. Once the program is solvent, he'd look to transfer everything to the state retirement system, similar to how other cities in Ohio operate.
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Cranley Eying Federal Funds, Partners With Dayton Mayor
Mayor John Cranley has announced that he'll be partnering with Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley to compete for federal funds to attract new manufacturing businesses to the area. There is apparently $1.3 billion up for grabs, and the two city leaders hope to be named among 12 benefactors across the nation. Cranley also noted that whether or not the partnership is a success for this specific initiative, it should help foster future regional relationships to benefit both communities.
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Boone County Considers Arming Teachers
A favored plan amongst gun enthusiasts, the question of whether or not to arm educators to discourage violence in schools is currently being debated in Boone County, KY. The program under consideration, "Protecting Our Students and Teachers" was created by Boone County Constable Joe Kalil following the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre in Newtown, Connecticut. Kalil says that arming teachers will deter any future plans for attack; some parents and teachers disagree.
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Xerox Tries to Regain Control of Parking System
Mayor John Cranley is adamant about retaining control of the city's parking system. According to the Cincinnati Business Courier, Xerox proposed to overhaul the city's parking meters to include smarter technology that would allow customers to pay by their phones. Xerox claims their plan would allow the city to generate $1 million more per year than the current plan, but would require the city to take on more debt to initially implement. Cranley is against having an outside company manage the meters and appears to have support to pass his version of the parking plan.
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Cincinnati Economy Expected to Add 10,000 - 15,000 Jobs in 2014
A chief economist at PNC Financial group estimated Cincinnati's economy should add more than 10,000 jobs this year. Despite the big number, it's not really all that much to be excited about. The Cincinnati area added somewhere between 8,000 - 9,000 jobs last year, which puts this year's predictions at a 1.5 percent growth rate compared to the national average of 3 percent.
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