Deters, In Cincinnati Gentlemen

Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters has some strong things to say about the city and its leaders in an essay published as the magazine's The Last Word feature.

So far, we can't find anybody at City Hall who's seen the story yet. So here are some highlights of what Deters wrote:



Jail Tax Falls

Will Cincinnati Follow?



"The failure of the jail tax levy on the November ballot h as generated a multitude of questions and recriminations. One fact stands out, however. The need for a new jail is not due to a lack of foresight or long-range planning. The need is based on the fact that since the Cincinnati riots of 2001, the violent crime rate has tripled here. The city's weak response in the riot aftermath, coupled with unfair police bashing prior to the riot, generated a spirit of lawlessness that has not abated to this day."



"This fact was brought into stark focus recently when a national statistical measure by a reputable organization rated Cincinnati the 16th most dangerous city overall in the nation in 2006. One can track Cincinnati's unfortunate climb by looking at our steady rise in these rankings over the past few years. In 2005, Cincinnati was ranked 18th. In 2004, it was ranked 20th. In 2003, it was ranked 25th."



"The result of more criminals on the street is more crime. The bulk of this crime will occur in the city of Cincinnati. Despite this obvious fact, many city leaders did little to support the jail levy. The payoff will be the continual decline of safety in the city."



"Why does Northern Kentucky thrive while the city fights to maintain its population and businesses? Simple, people feel safe over there."



"When I left Cincinnati to become state treasurer in 1999, the area around Main Street was thriving and fun and safe. Today, if my 19-year-old son informed me he was heading to that area for the evening, I'd take his car keys."



"But, I contend it doesn't matter where you move the fountain. One punk with a gun can ruin everything."



"The last in a long line of bad ideas from City Hall was to run trolleys from the stadiums into Over-the-Rhine."



"I have a better idea for the trolley money. Sit down with the county commissioners and have, thoughtful, meaningful discussions about our jail problem. If any money is left, give it to Police Chief Streicher, stay out of the way and let him do his job."