CITIZENS STRONGLY SUPPORT THE CITY’S FUNDING OF HUMAN SERVICESS

Cincinnati residents overwhelmingly approve the City of Cincinnati’s long-standing policy of financial support for human services. Ninety-four percent of the city residents who took part in a recent telephone survey said that it is “very important” or “somewhat important” that the City provides funding for these services (70.9% very important). In addition, eighty-seven percent of the survey participants favor the practice of spending a portion of the City’s general revenue on human services either “strongly” or “somewhat” (53.4% strongly favor)..  See the video of the human services press conference.

Picture: Courtesy of Cincinnati Herald Newspaper

Conducted by the University of Cincinnati’s Institute for Policy Research, these survey questions were part of the Institute’s Greater Cincinnati Survey that took place this June. Representatives from AIR, Inc. and interested non-profit organizations and local human service agencies worked with Institute staff to develop a series of questions focusing on human services and the City of Cincinnati’s policy of supporting them with tax dollars. Beginning with the submission of the 2005 City budget, Council has cut the percentage of dollars traditionally allocated for human services (1.5% of the general budget) , and the question arose whether residents cared about city government’s funding of these services and whether they were aware of the City’s reduction of support. Read more about the report.

Setting A Citizen Agenda

A group of diverse citizens met at the Peaslee Neighborhood Center on recently to share information about recent events and policies and to begin a discussion about developing “a citizen agenda.” Known as “the Citizens’ Voice,” these informal sessions have taken place in recent months to explore ways that civic activists representing different issues can share common ground while reinforcing each other’s work.

Previous interest by the group in the proposed Environmental Justice Ordinance led to an update from David Altman, the co-chair of the citizen task force that sponsored the proposal. Altman reported that a redraft of the ordinance had just been completed, and he had not yet had a chance to read it. He confided some concern that such a redraft may weaken environmental protection for neighborhoods, and he promised to provide a written evaluation once he reads the new version.

Georgine Getty and Josh Spring of the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition then briefed the group on the City’s proposed zoning amendments (see specific article). After the large public hearing and a second meeting by the Planning Commission, the 32 zoning text amendments were sent back to the Planning Department for further work. People will have to be ready for a second round of hearings, warned Getty and Spring, once the Department finishes its revisions and sends them back to the Commission.

For more information see www.queencityforum.com