James R. Tarbell Answers Questions

Candidate for
Council Member; City of Cincinnati

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Hamilton County and asked of all candidates for this office.

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. Detail policies/proposals you would advance and support to increase and improve the city's housing stock, as well as the rate of home ownership in the city of Cincinnati?

Starts with inner city. Over two hundred (200) vacant buildings, twice as many half-vacant, a bunch of vacant, trash-laden lots as well as many surface parking lots. Tons of opportunities (and needs). Year 2000 plan (conceived in 1980) calls for 6000 additional (new and rehabbed) units of housing by year 2000. We now have barely ten percent (10%) of the goal. Solutions include grants, low interest loans, permit and planning assistance from city officials.

2. Would you move to advance or halt regional approaches to the following: public transportation, Arts council(s), management of snow removal, air quality, and water quality?

Advance. City and surrounding area (including Northern Kentucky and Indiana) are conspicuously linked increasingly every day. Mutual dependency is irreversible. All of the above should be aggressively pursued in our mutual interests.

3. Should the Cincinnati Convention Center be expanded? If so, how should the expansion be funded?

Yes. City manager's proposal is best so far. County and state must be major contributors. Kentucky and Indiana should also contribute. Serious thought should be given to metropolitan area programs such as Portland, Oregon and others have done very successfully. Port authority could be such a vehicle. We should take great care that we not compromise the integrity of the inner-cities and neighborhood civic centers.