Action Alert

Thanks to everyone that acted on the last action alert. We may be on the verge of a huge victory and you can help see it through.

I received this important message from Josh Spring from the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless.

I have two very important points: two motions have been put forth in the budget committee, collectively they would restore $600,000 to Human Services, reducing the cut from $850,000 to $250,000. This would be a success.

One of these two motions was put forth by Wendell Young today. This motion if passed, would repeal all city only jail-able offenses, including the Marijuana Ordinance. This is the ordinance that has resulted in the criminalization of primarily African American Men and cost the city a lot of money. The resulting $300,000 savings would be put into Human Services if this motion is passed. This is about the only perfect motion I have ever seen at city hall. It chooses prevention over response. This would be a success for our community on several fronts. I have attached this motion.

I think we may have four votes on this one now, and we need to get the fifth. I strongly urge you to email Chris Bortz as well as Roxanne Qualls, Laure Quinlivan, and Charlie Winburn urging them to support this (contacts attached). Let them know that this is perfect because it will save money for the city in the way of paying for the constant implementation of the law, it chooses prevention over response and it truly shows service to the people. This motion can unite fiscal conservatives and also the more left of center folks. I urge you to email Wendell Young thanking him for his insight, creative thinking and work for our people. We need to lend him support in this.

Traditionally the city has spent 1.5% of the budget on human services. These services are crucial to battered women, the homeless and many other great services. This money helps leverage other money.

A poll in 2008 showed that an overwhelming majority of Cincinnatians support this level of funding, but it continues to be targeted for cuts year after year. This year there is a 33% cut proposed at atime when homelessness is growing and changing. There are more and more families with kids on the streets.

Please spread the word far and wide and act now. Thanks for all that you do. You are making our communty better.

Please contact them all and ask them to support Wendell Young's motion to repeal all city only jail-able offenses. Please ask them to support funding for humn services.

Here are council's contact info:

wendell.young@cincinnati-oh.gov,
"Mallory, Mark" ,
"Quinlivan, Laure" ,
"Berding, Jeff" ,
"Bortz, Chris" ,
Chris Monzel CCC ,
"Thomas, Cecil" ,
"Ghiz, Leslie" ,
"Qualls, Roxanne" ,
charlie.winburn@cincinnati-oh.gov

Here are their phone numbers and fax numbers etc. They like to hear from their constituents.

Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls
City Hall, Suite 351
Phone: (513) 352-3604
Fax: (513) 352-3621
roxanne.qualls@cincinnati-oh.gov
Cecil Thomas - President Pro-Tem
City Hall, Suite 349
Phone: (513) 352-3499
Fax: (513) 352-3218
cecil.thomas@cincinnati-oh.gov
Jeff Berding
City Hall, Suite 348
Phone: (513) 352-3283
Fax: (513) 352-3289
jeff.berding@cincinnati-oh.gov Chris Bortz
City Hall, Suite 356
Phone: (513) 352-3249
Fax: (513) 352- 3264
chris.bortz@cincinnati-oh.gov
Leslie Ghiz
City Hall, Suite 354
Phone: (513) 352-3344
Fax: (513) 352-3277
leslie.ghiz@cincinnati-oh.gov Chris Monzel
City Hall, Suite 352
Phone: (513) 352-3640
Fax: (513) 352-4649
chris.monzel@cincinnati-oh.gov
Laure Quinlivan
City Hall, Suite 346B
Phone: (513) 352-5303
Fax: (513) 352-5390
laure.quinlivan@cincinnati-oh.gov Charlie Winburn
City Hall, Suite 346A
Phone: (513) 352-5354
Fax: (513) 352-5367
charlie.winburn@cincinnati-oh.gov

Wendell Young
City Hall, Suite 350
Phone: (513) 352-3466
Fax: (513) 352-3957
wendell.young@cincinnati-oh.gov