Do they REALLY want citizen feedback?

Hamilton County commissioners might want to adhere to the adage "Be careful what you wish for -- because you might get it."

Commissioners issued a self-administered "report card" in December that looked at trends in 30 different categories - home values, poverty, population, crime and tax revenue - to give commissioners a snapshot of the services county government provides and how those services will be affected in the future.

The report included a postage-paid post card so residents could write comments and send them to commissioners. Hundreds have replied thus far.

Generally, the comments commended the report as insightful, telling, easy to read and well done.

But some residents took the opportunity to add their opinions -- some biting -- on lots of issues.

One criticized the penmanship of Commissioner Todd Portune, suggesting it was so sloppy as to identify him as a medical doctor. Another chastized Commissioner Phil Heimlich for "grand standing" with the report card.

One pointed out that all three commissioners -- Portune, Heimlich and Pat DeWine -- are former Cincinnati Council Members, suggesting that wasn't a positive. "You commissioners screwed up Cincinnati. Now it looks like (you're doing the same) to the county," one wrote.

Another read: "The way this county is set up is loony. The only people who qualify for anything has book knowledge. Most of them don't know nothing and are lazy as hell," one wrote.

Some were less polite.

• "(You should) publish (the report card) on toilet tissue so it can be recycled often," one wrote.
• "Please resign now."
• "Is this all you do? Get a job."
• "Pay the postage (for the comment cards) with YOUR tax dollars, you dumb (expletive deleted)."
• "This report is a waste of money."
• "Don't print this junk."
• "You commissioners are overpaid if this is the best you can come up with."

Others addressed specific complaints to parts of the report card that noted criminal justice costs were skyrocketing:

• "Stop appeasing the criminal mentality that whines until they get their way."
• Tougher sentencing. Stop (Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity pleas). They're acting. Duh!"

Others voiced displeasure with the part of the report card that noted there is a likelihood of a $190 million deficit in the fund that pays for the two stadiums that are home to the Bengals and Reds.

• "The main problem is not the report (card) -- it is the stadium 'deal.' You hoodwinked all of us into believing it was vital to spend millions for 8 (home) games. SHAME!"
• "Get our money back from Bengals & NFL!!!"

One was particularly upset that Bob Bedinghaus, the Hamilton County Commissioner who led the sales tax increase in the mid-1990s that provided the money to build the stadiums now is a highly paid executive for the Bengals.

• "A former County official promoting the stadia is now an employee of same?" one wrote.

Commissioners and their staff will review the comments and use them to create next year's report card.