Why I Am Running For Cincinnati City Council

By George J. Zamary

A brief overview of why I decided to enter the race for Cincinnati City Council.

People also ask why I have chosen to run for City Council. Personally, I too have become frustrated with what I will call the "do nothing" City Council. While I respect and believe several council members are good representatives, they have now been there almost four years together, and we see little that they have accomplished. The city faces a growing deficit and higher unemployment. Simply, things are not better today than they were four years ago. As such, I believe fresh leadership is needed at City Hall.

History demonstrates that I am not alone. Since the 1970s, Cincinnati has lost one third of its population. Other similar cities, such as Columbus, Louisville, Lexington and Indianapolis have gained population. And while the mayor has held the US Census accountable to keep accurate figures, what is being done to move Cincinnati forward?

I recognize few people in Cincinnati have ever heard of George Zamary. My family has never been involved in politics at a local or statewide level. I know that as a new face on the political landscape I have large obstacles to overcome. Nevertheless, I believe my background would be a benefit to City Council. My commitment to Cincinnati dates back to when I moved here over 10 years ago. I gravitated to this region's center and, up until last year, had lived downtown for 6 years.

During my years in Cincinnati I have been Chairperson of the Urbanists organization, past president of Know Theatre of Cincinnati in Over-The-Rhine, Co-Chair of the Hamilton County Republican Party Leadership Council, a member of the Cincinnati Academy of Leadership for Lawyers, and even helped build a playground in East Walnut Hills. I have also been active with the Cincinnati Art Museum's Taste of Duveneck Committee, the Taft Museum of Art and the Mercantile Library's Niehoff Lecture XX Committee. I do not believe Cincinnati will be successful because of policies coming out of City Hall, but despite them. We are blessed with a rich culture and history that any other city in Ohio (and the tri-state) would want to call their own. We must not squander these riches we have locally, and I encourage everyone with whom I come in contact to support these organizations on a personal level.

The proposed budget set forth last December by City Council projected a $54 million dollar deficit by 2012. Like so many projections before, I anticipate this is well off the mark, likely lower than the deficit will actually reach. Additionally, the pension fund is unfunded to an amount of $307 million dollars. Almost everyone, if not all of us, in Cincinnati will feel the pain of these financial issues. For example, if the projected lay-offs occur, what impact will this have on the benefits of our retirees?

City Hall must recognize that it cannot spend itself to prosperity. It must set realistic expectations as to its projected revenue and cut spending until the city again has better economic times. At the finance committee meeting on July 27, 2009, Milton Dohoney indicated that a frank discussion about revenue must be had in order to address the current crisis. Not surprisingly, this conversation is not set to be held until after the November elections.

City Council must also focus on problems that directly impact the quality of life of its residents. In 2008, Cincinnati had 75 homicides. This was up from 68 homicides in 2007. Today, it seems there are daily reports of another homicide in city limits. The people of Cincinnati are giving up hope that Cincinnati is a great place to live, work and play. A symptom of this, that is also spilling into Hamilton County, is the fact that our city and county populations are decreasing. (Cincinnati Enquirer, March 19, 2009). If people are afraid to live in or visit the city, it will never be able to overcome its present deficit.

City Council must focus on cleaning up blighted neighborhoods and create communities where people feel safe regardless of the time of day. Despite the city's stressed budget, quality of life must include an emphasis on safety and cleanliness. We must adhere to the theory that broken windows and vacant streets lead to a greater opportunity for criminal activity. We must focus on basic services, including the police and fire departments. If people do not feel safe in their neighborhoods then our population will continue to decline.

Since I announced my candidacy, I have met with numerous organizations, community councils, and neighborhood leaders who all share the desire to improve this great city. I have developed a positive plan for revitalizing, repopulating, and reenergizing this city.

Fundraising is now critical and several fundraisers are planned to secure the funds needed to build an aggressive campaign. You can donate to my campaign so at http://www.GeorgeZamary.com.

My campaign email is zamaryforcitycouncil@yahoo.com. I am also on Twitter (George_Zamary) and Facebook (with personal and political pages) and engaging the world in ways I never imagined several months ago. If you have any questions about me or my campaign, do not hesitate to contact me using any of these resources.

Simply, I am a fiscal conservative who does not believe Cincinnati is being responsible with its taxpayers' money. I have no personal projects or agendas that I want to see happen at City Hall other than more efficient and effective government.

I believe together we can build a better Cincinnati. With your help, starting November 3, 2009, we will!

Remember "Z" for Zamary on Election Day!