Bad day for Portune
Today isn't a good day for Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune.
First, upon arriving at the county office this morning, Portune's staff was greeted with a death threat on his voice mail.
A female caller left a message for Portune indicating that if some unspecified "it" didn't stop, she was going to come in and "shoot the place up." The caller didn't identify herself or what she wanted changed.
Hamilton County Sheriff's deputies were called and responded, going to Portune's office and tape recording the call.
Portune won't be attending today's interview of the second of four prospective developers for the Banks.
Today, Portune said, was one of the days he specifically told planners for the interview he couldn't make it because he is attending a retreat for the Hamilton County Family and Children First Council. He is chairman of that agency's board of directors.
At the interview, though, will be Commissioners Phil Heimlich and Pat DeWine -- and Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory.
"I'm glad they could accommodate the mayor's schedule," Portune sarcastically said.
8 Comments:
at 3:54 PM, March 31, 2006 
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at 12:12 AM, April 01, 2006 
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at 12:50 PM, April 01, 2006 
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at 12:08 PM, April 02, 2006 
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at 6:46 PM, April 02, 2006 
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at 8:40 AM, April 03, 2006 
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at 12:47 PM, April 03, 2006 
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at 1:58 PM, April 03, 2006 
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Post a Comment*This is no surprise by the dynamic duo. Why include Commissioner Portune in any conversation if he is going to be ignored anyway. Phil and Pat have other priorities and must keep pushing the Banks project forward in order to have something to say they have done beside decimating county health care and ignoring their constituents on the Drake Center/ Health Alliance deal. More on Heimlich by Todd Portune can be found at www.cincinnatibeacon.com
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Character is how !
Portune is so far above that duo and finds solace in the fact that it won't be long before we adopt the Hindlick remover !
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Anybody figure out why Mallory is fronting for those two idiots? Mallory must be mad at Pepper because he keeps propping Heimich up!
In all candor, I would like to offer these facts. In careful researching, you will find that the so-called BANKS is not a concept that developed originally out of public consensus. The BANKS was dreamed up as an artist's rendering on the 11th floor of Procter and Gamble. The BANKS was a design to draw attention away from public anger about the Hanilton County sales tax used to fund the stadium. If you remember, that part of a million dollar advertising campaign fueled by Cincinnati's important corporate community. The stadium sales tax was not carefully thought through-the public was 'marketed' into voting for the tax without the stadium tax proponents giving a fair and accurate picture of the potential costs to taxpayers and voters. When people discovered what it was all about The BANKS was offered as a way to make the stadium proposition more palatable. But the $600 million dollar BANKS proposal was never widely discussed in governmental groups and civic organizations or by elected leaders or planning committees or departments of Economic Development or even by developers with city leaders. The reason is it so difficult to get off the ground in planning or funding is because there is no current economic model that would make The BANKS a success-except if if is largely funding by the public-and the public should be careful about investing public money in such an area while other parts of the City of Cincinnati need economic development.
The Mayor and the new Members of Cincinnati City Council do not have this history and look back. The Mayor and Council are simply touting The BANKS because they have heard it so many times they believe it is as viable as proponents say that it is. I am not writing here do not do Te BANKS, I am only saying that careful thinking, planning and analysis need to go into the consideration.
State Representative Tyrone K. Yates
I agree Mr. Yates. This project should be completely and privately funded.
If the Mayor of Las Vagas wanted to build a mormon museum in the in the center of the city completely supported by the tax base, do you think the taxpayers would let him?
The taxpayers have been racked over the coals when it comes to Riverfront developement. Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me.
This must come under full private enterprise because the majority the bulk of all the cash is only going to go to a lucky few with all risk being placed upon the taxpayers shoulders.
Fix up Over-the-Rhine with the cash and many win. Then maybe we can look at the people that will be able to use the banks on a regular basis.
Dear Mr. Deane:
I have enjoyed your civic literary leadership work over the past few years. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of my historical view that The BANKS was originally no more than an artist's conception dreamed up on the 11th floor of Procter and Gamble rather than a well considered plan for economic development. I wrote that perspective because the new Mayor and the fresh Cincinnati City Council have been touting The BANKS as the number one economic development project in the region based upon the mature urban legend that The BANKS was the product of broad public consensus and agreement. To the contrary. I do not say do not do The BANKS-I only say let us do the hard thinking and analysis with broad public discussion such a project requires-before the public and voters are fleeced to our naked ankles. The BANKS project has yet to be started because no current economic model will support its success without a massive infusion of public subsidy-direct and indirect, apparent and less apparent. The civic community can interest itself in the matter by paying close attention to The Cincinnati Enquirer. Democracy requires that we pay attention.
Frankly, I like the stadiums. I believe they are good things for the region and for our prestige as a city. The investment was proper-except that too much public investment fueled private enterprises where the Cincinnati corporate institutions did not pay their fair share of the civic obligation that brought the stadiums to our Riverfront. Wouldn't you think it was a good arrangement to be a part of a corporate community to collectively contribute only a millions dollars for an inaccurate and mislaeading stadium campaign to get a $1,000,000,000 ( one billion dollars ) worth of hardware on the Riverfront-and then be able to write off the hundreds of thousands of dollars you pay to have luxury boxes off your corporate federal income taxes and state corporate taxes for business expenses. I am not criticizing the great value that stadiums do for the collective public good-and we all should pay a share-but the corporate community invested the least and got the most. Those who get the most should, in a fair and democratic good society, contribute in a proportion to what is received. The Bible says " to whom much is given, much is expected." The Bible also says, "the wicked flee when no man pursueth."
Thank you Peter Deane. You are The Dean of Cincinnati and I hope you will join my voice in making Cincinnati and the nation a better place.
Let me pose this suggestion for your consideration dear citizens-for a fraction of what The BANKS would cost-what would you think of a world class New York City Central Park type park for the area now designated as the so-called BANKS?
State Representative Tyrone K. Yates
My Scottish grandmother, upon accepting American citizenship, offered her children and grandchildren the vision that if we were "to study local history we could build good relationships through understanding; to study our regional history we added to our nation's capacity to grow in conscious democratic change, and; to study and share our personal histories we could offer up ourselves and experiences to expand that foundation of greatest base and heart, the individual citizen". Thank both of you honourable men, Representative Yates and Mr. Deane, for the insight you provide to make us aware, to travel away from the cult of personality to actual understanding of the situations we hear and dwell in each day. Knowledge IS power, pass it along.
A very citizen knowledgeable former Governor named John Joyce Gilligan was, even though it cost him some elevation into the rarefied air of power, able to present such matters as you have here ON THE LINE, so that the regular citizen could take what they needed and make their best educated decision. He still does that as a school board member at 85. The slogans, sound bites, glitter are nice, but the reality you have presented make for STRONGER bonds and more deeply formed CONSENSUS. It makes for the base of trust between citizens, and citizen elected officials. This IS the best inning of Opening Day, gentlemen, to empower our people. Kudos for a winning edge!
Lucian Wilbanks
Mr. Yates,
Happy those who do not follow the counsel of the wicked, nor go the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers.
Rather, the law of the LORD is their joy; God's law they study day and night.
They are like a tree planted near streams of water, that yields its
fruit in season; Its leaves never wither; whatever they do prospers.
But not the wicked! They are like chaff driven by the wind.
Therefore the wicked will not survive judgment, nor will sinners in the assembly of the just.
The LORD watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.
Pslams 1... I think about this psalm when the hurry up and shuffle deals in Cincinnati concerning the Banks are happening .
Matter of fact it's my favorite psalm and I do agree that a gem like Central Park is sorely needed.
I think of watching the people of Cincinnati in play and in solitude. I think of short order venders and the open smell of people buying a cheap hot dog before a game. Artist painting the skyline above large oaks and white sycamore trees. Someone juggling their profession and people dropping coins in a hat. A photographer trying to catch it all. A frisbee thrown to a dog. Families picnicing... A father playing catch with his son. People dreaming with their eyes closed catching every ray of sunlight. Not having to pay a dime if you don't wish to. Police patrolling on horse back and bycycles.
But what I think of most is young lovers in the grass on a mild and sunny spring day, flowers in bloom, talking about where they would love to raise a family and they fall asleep together downtown knowing that it's here in Cincinnati... Somewhere in the distance I hear live music playing... as a lone saxaphone plays along with someone that brought a bongo drums and another that brought his classical guitar.
A poet laying his pen to paper.
A Gem it would be,
to be free from the wicked,
and to study out in the open,
to find that this is my home,
in the assembly of the just,
being part of the people,
rich or broke or on my last dollar,
something like Central Park,
but better because it's here,
in the area of the Ohio River,
free to all,
a place called...
John Van Zandt Park.
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