I know people couldn't see that on the radio, but I guess as the elected person on this panel, what do you think about that? Do you think there's room for change there?

Oh, there's there's a very real need.

I think when it comes to the departments themselves, the silo department city government often works very well when it comes to issues, especially quality of life issues that fall between departments.

You know, is there trash on the sidewalk or the street or is the trash on private property? That can become a very real issue.

So the administration has been working to eliminate some of those miscommunications.

And at the same time, we are working and I will be introducing a quality of life task force that's going to specifically deal with this, where there will be members of the administration appointed to this task force and members of the community, eight members of the community that are really talking about these things so that the community members and the administration are interfacing directly because most of the frustration is about these quality of life issues.

Council Member Kramerding, do you see it that way?

Where I do agree with Mike is the loss of executive session was huge.

And can you explain what they're doing, what it's called for, and what the difference is in the two ordinances?

Sure.

So version A was put forth by the administration.

It had the most requirements.

That came forth earlier this year.

The mayor took the lead in negotiating with parking operators to take out some of those requirements.

That led to version B, less requirements.

That's the point.

Is it lip service? Is the thing got teeth?

Yeah, I think, I mean, their quality of life issues, you know, it can be grass, it can be litter, it can be dogs, it can be a lot of things.

And we just talked about the police.

The police are often the first person called, but often these are not police issues because it's not a crime.

It's more of a quality of life issues.

And that's where people often perceive that there's been the runaround that there's not a point person and i think it's largely true at times and i think there can also be a breakdown among city departments when it comes to these quality of life issues so this forms a formal working group where you've got all the quality of life city departments police fire buildings and inspections law and you also have delegates you know appointed by the manager or the mayor that serve as representatives from the neighborhood So there's one place where all these quality of life issues are being discussed.

And, you know, there's a lot of misinformation in neighborhoods, and this would correct that.

What do you say to that person?

Is this the missing link here? Is this why development sputtered down there? And if so, why didn't we find a way to fix this sooner?

You know, this was a big ask.

And yeah, I mean, you talked about the undeveloped sections of the banks.

The worst part, the part of the banks that is most undeveloped is the west side around Paul Brown Stadium, excuse me, Paycourse Stadium now.

So it's those parcels that are next up in this connectivity, tapping Fort Washington Way between Vine and Walnut as a first step will really address that and I think will spur development along that.

It was really a really good example of foresight for the city that we put the pylons in that allow us to cap Washington Way.

That was a public-private partnership, thanks to John Baird and Carl Lindner and business leaders that put in private money that are letting us do that.

How do you make the case to those constituents this is worth it?

Is this the missing link here? Is this why development sputtered down there? And if so, why didn't we find a way to fix this sooner?

You know, this was a big ask.

And, yeah, you talked about the undeveloped sections of the banks.

The worst part, the part of the banks that is most undeveloped is the west side around Paul Brown Stadium, excuse me, Paycourse Stadium now.

So it's those parcels that are next up in this connectivity, tapping Fort Washington Way between Vine and Walnut as a first step will really address that.

I think we'll spur development along that.

And, you know, it was really a really good example of foresight for the city that we put the pylons in that allow us to cap Washington Way.

How do you make the case to those constituents this is worth it?

I- is that a real budget strategy, or are we just making, uh, potholes of the future?

No, I mean, it, it, it, it...

We are not taking money out of the capital fund, which we did for years, which caused the problem.

So that is a good thing.

Uh, but the, the city's budget, uh, is very lean and, and, uh, it's really unsustainable, uh, which goes back to something you and I have talked about, the need for a, a small earnings tax that was recommended by business leaders.

Uh, and, and to me, that is the long-term solution so that the city's budget is balanced and we're able to provide basic city services year in and year out.

Uh, so this budget is leaner, uh, there are cuts, uh, but, uh, this is, this is, uh, in the short term, I, I think this is the best we can do, but this is not the long-term solution.

Can you explain that?

I- is that a real budget strategy, or are we just making, uh, potholes of the future?

No.

I mean, it, it, it, it...

We are not taking money out of the capital fund, which we did for years, which caused the problem.

So that is a good thing.

Uh, but the, the city's budget, uh, is very lean and, and, uh, it's really unsustainable.

Uh, which goes back to something you and I have talked about, the need for a, a small earnings tax that was recommended by business leaders.

Can you explain that?