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  • Cincinnati's Pension Liability

    Cincinnati's Pension Liability
    2025/06/30
    Cincinnati's pension crisis looms larger than ever, and ignoring it isn't an option. The city's current approach—with a $64 million surplus just sitting on the sidelines—is stagnating progress. Asset sales are a band-aid, not a cure, and the risks involved in regionalizing the waterworks make it a gamble we can't afford to lose. Our episode spotlights the city's hesitance to act on the straightforward advice from pension trust trustees: incrementally increase employer contributions. This simple yet effective strategy could revitalize the pension fund by 2045. Instead, Cincinnati's priorities lie elsewhere, leaving one of its most critical financial obligations in jeopardy.

    Join Todd as he scrutinizes the city's financial strategies and call for an urgent reallocation of resources. Redirecting surplus funds to tackle urgent pension liabilities, deferred maintenance, and infrastructure deficits is not just prudent, but essential for ensuring the financial stability of both the city and its employees. We argue for a shift in focus from new commitments to honoring existing promises, like those to the pension participants. Together, let's address these looming liabilities head-on, making sure they no longer overshadow Cincinnati's financial future.
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    18 分
  • Championing Transparency in Cincinnati

    Championing Transparency in Cincinnati
    2025/06/23
    By exploring real incidents like the bridge fire and the mismanagement of the city's fleet, we promise you'll gain a deeper understanding of the critical need for open governance. Todd crafted a 12-point transparency agenda aimed at enhancing clarity and accountability, setting the stage for better oversight and informed citizenry. Our conversations address how these issues affect not just the current landscape but shape the future of governance in Cincinnati.

    Our episode also sheds light on the glaring absence of cost accounting systems for major projects like the Connected Communities and Green Cincinnati Plans, highlighting the need for improved financial oversight. The lack of public engagement tools, akin to the federal process for commenting on ordinances, further underscores the need for reform. By championing the incorporation of citizens’ voices in governance, we advocate for a system that prevents oversight and ensures responsible spending. Join us as we outline a future where Cincinnati’s government operates with the transparency its citizens deserve.
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    18 分
  • Where the Sidewalk Ends . . . - Cincinnati's Budget Battles and Sidewalk Saga

    Where the Sidewalk Ends . . . - Cincinnati's Budget Battles and Sidewalk Saga
    2025/06/17
    City budgets aren't just about numbers; they're arenas where power and transparency clash, especially when sidewalks are on the line. With the clock ticking towards a June 30 deadline, we're breaking down the complex labyrinth of Cincinnati’s budgeting process. We highlight the slippery slope of leveraged support and the arbitrary adjustments by the mayor and city council—adjustments that are ripe for corruption without clear criteria or conflict-of-interest safeguards. It's a dive into the murky waters of city politics, where the absence of accountability raises more than just eyebrows.

    We're also shining a spotlight on a contentious new twist in the sidewalk saga. Vice Mayor and Councilwoman Albi have thrown a curveball with their proposal for a Sidewalk Repair Pilot Program, stirring controversy by tapping into railway funds. This proposal isn't just a bureaucratic shuffle; it challenges the city’s equitable spending plan, Cincy on Track, and evokes fears of misuse of resources. As complaints pour in, we question the fairness of a rail-funded fix. Will this pilot program be a boon for the citizens or a backdoor for favoritism? Tune in as we unravel these budgetary plot twists and their potential impact on Cincinnati's streets and its residents.
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    21 分
  • The Great Cincinnati Train Robbery

    The Great Cincinnati Train Robbery
    2025/06/02
    I told you so. . . . Nearly $6 million has been funneled into the shadows, and the integrity of the city's campaign finance system hangs in the balance. Join us as we unravel the strings of alleged corruption surrounding the 2023 railway election, where Norfolk Southern, the city council, and Mayor Aftab's roles have sparked controversy. The lack of transparency and manipulation of campaign finance rules have raised serious questions, and our recent op-ed in the Inquirer zeroes in on the city's broken promises regarding anti-corruption reforms, shifting the narrative beyond Sittenfeld's pardon.

    We're demanding accountability and transparency like never before. The clandestine operations of the Norfolk Southern Steering Committee, especially regarding the sale of a public asset, are under the microscope. Why is there so little clarity about the committee's composition and their dealings with Aftab? And what about the staggering funds channeled into a related campaign—were they used responsibly? Our conversation doesn't just stop there; we propose legislative reforms to tighten the reins on corporate contributions to ballot issue campaigns in Ohio, calling for stringent campaign finance rules to ensure the integrity of public asset sales.
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    17 分
  • Look what we found! The Missing Audit. Response to Episode 12

    Look what we found! The Missing Audit. Response to Episode 12
    2025/05/28
    Todd unlocks the secrets of effective city governance as we expose the tangled web of a missing audit report and the story behind it. Navigate with us through the perplexities of audit management, from the bombshell draft by Crowe LLP in December 2022 to the final report's emergence nearly two years later. Despite the clear and valuable recommendations from Crowe—like improving council member recusals and managing conflicts of interest—the city has remained stagnant, leaving crucial improvements untouched. You’ll learn why transparency is more than a buzzword and hear firsthand why action on these findings is desperately needed.

    As tensions rise over the unaddressed audit findings and a hefty $150,000 price tag, we question the city's priorities and oversight capabilities. With ongoing issues in vehicle procurement and financial allocations, the city's new fleet plans are shrouded in controversy. Join the conversation as we unveil our plans to create a website dedicated to hosting key documents such as audit reports and city budgets, empowering you with the evidence to hold governance accountable. This episode promises to elevate your understanding of city governance challenges and the urgent necessity for transparency and accountability.
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    19 分
  • Cincinnati's Fleet Audit - City's Fiscal Crisis: Neglected Audits and Aging Fleet Challenge Priorities

    Cincinnati's Fleet Audit - City's Fiscal Crisis: Neglected Audits and Aging Fleet Challenge Priorities
    2025/05/20
    City leaders are failing their responsibilities, leaving essential services vulnerable and residents unprotected. With nearly half of the city's fleet, 685 vehicles, way past their prime, one might wonder if flashy goals like carbon neutrality are distracting from urgent needs. In this episode, we dissect the city's mounting $1.3 billion fiscal headache, including pension liabilities and neglected infrastructure, exacerbated by an ignored internal audit. The stark $82.7 million needed to replace these outdated vehicles demands attention to prevent another fiasco like Winter Storm Blair.

    Todd tackles the perplexing choices of city council members, who seem to prioritize long-term visions over immediate necessities. While the ambition for a greener future is commendable, the current cracks in fleet management can't be overlooked, especially with the looming threat of regionalizing the waterworks. Listen as we scrutinize the city council's fiscal decisions, the passivity of the mayor, and the seeming inaction of the city manager despite the audit's alarming revelations. Critical questions are raised about where the city's priorities truly lie and the lack of effective oversight in addressing these urgent challenges.
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    17 分
  • Unpacking Cincinnati’s Funding Oversight: Transparency, Accountability, and Reform

    Unpacking Cincinnati’s Funding Oversight: Transparency, Accountability, and Reform
    2025/05/13
    This week on “Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser,” is a discussion of Cincinnati’s 200 non-profit and other external grantees. Our examination is just beginning, but we have already found 2 potential conflicts of interest and over a million dollars paid to a private venture capitalist over the past several years.
    It is not common for a city to pay public funds to a venture capitalist.

    One important development is a recent report from the city’s Internal Audit Manager issued on April 27, 2025. She audited a “Leveraged Support” partner that has been receiving $250,000 a year from the city for many years. The report includes serious findings, especially for an organization that has received more than a million dollars from the city over the last several years.

    1. Contract management review and oversight need improvement.
    Among the findings is missing documentation for $14,000 spent during the two years audited.
    2. Payroll journals contain insufficient information to determine whether contractual terms are upheld.
    This is a major finding. This means that the non-profit is not able to support its reimbursement claims for the time its employees spent working on city-related matters
    3. A 3rd party is unable to verify the terms of the contract.
    This is a major finding: This essentially means that the non-profit is “un-auditable.”
    4. The contract language should be updated.
    This suggests that the terms of the funding contract between the city and the non-profit has simply been copied from one year to the next without being updated.
    Remember that this is only 1 audit of more than 200 non-profits and other external organizations that have been receiving city funding for many years.

    https://youtu.be/QiBELQv7UHE
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    16 分
  • Cincinnati's Green Ambitions Part 2 - Financial Dilemmas in the Pursuit of a Green Agenda

    Cincinnati's Green Ambitions Part 2 - Financial Dilemmas in the Pursuit of a Green Agenda
    2025/05/06
    Can Cincinnati truly afford to go green in the face of monumental fiscal challenges? We're putting the Green Cincinnati Plan under the microscope, scrutinizing its ambitious pursuit of carbon neutrality amid a staggering $824 million pension liability and $400 million in deferred maintenance. With public service vehicles, like fire trucks, in dire need of updates, we question whether the plan's focus on equity and carbon neutrality truly serves the city's most vulnerable populations—or merely adds to their burden. Join us as we dissect the financial intricacies and weigh them against the potential environmental gains, all while pondering the impact of federal climate policies like Justice 40 on local initiatives.

    Our conversation takes a turn to ethics and transparency within city governance, where we face the tangled web of relationships between city officials and nonprofits. With a lens on a nonprofit board that the mayor once served, alongside city funding, we raise critical questions about ethical boundaries and transparency. The temporary prohibition list, birthed from the 2021 corruption scandal, comes under fire as we debate its actual impact in preventing conflicts of interest. We challenge whether these measures are enough to restore public trust and ensure that city officials remain accountable. Tune in for a candid discussion on the balance of ethical governance and civic duty.
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    20 分