When was the last time you heard anyone in City Hall criticizing the academic work of the University of Cincinnati for ANYTHING? And on top of that, have at least two members of city council cheering about it? Probably never before.

Well, that is what took place at the December 8^th meeting of city council’s Budget and Finance Committee. The city’s new Finance Director essentially trashed the quality of UC’s economic forecasting and reported that he has instead brought economic forecasting “in-house.”   And you had Councilmembers Cramerding and Jeffreys crow about how great it is that the city has dumped UC.

That was it. No explanation of what the “dissatisfaction” withthe economic forecasting of our university was all about. Obviously, behind the scenes they all talked about it and decided the public did not need to know any more than that. I guess it is none of our business? I wonder what UC thinks about what was said?

I thought it was so outrageous that I’ve written to the Finance Director with a few questions (with a copy to the head of UC’s Economics Center).

In episode 41 of “Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser,” which is in the works, we are going to connect the dots about how bringing economic forecasting, in-house, is related to the projected deficit and the future “revenue enhancements,” e.g. tax increases, which were also mentioned quite matter-of-factly by the Finance Director .

UC’s Income Tax Forecast 2020 -2026 ; the Tentative Tax Budget presentation: and the email to the Finance Director follow:

UC’s Income Tax Forecast FY2022-2026

Presentation Tentative Tax Budget

Email to Finance Director 12.19.25

I am including this case in my research library in the folder,” That’s Where the Money Is.”  The folder is a collection of cases of local public corruption from across the U.S.

This case involves the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce which is not a local government but these days the line between government and non-profit organizations is becoming more and more blurred, especially here in Cincinnati.

Moving forward, we will be including reports about fraud involving non-profits in the folder.

In this case, the guy was very, very greedy. Most embezzlers have some human condition such as gambling or drug addiction, substantial debt, or the need to finance an extramarital affair, or some other secret life. This guy was making $275,000 a year but felt the need to embezzle another $213,000 to fund an even more privileged lifestyle.

He used 5 different embezzlement schemes over the course of several years. which is extraordinary.

By my count, Cincinnati grants funding to almost 200 non-profits (including 2 local Chambers of Commerce) with little or no oversight. As I have stated previously, in my view, the city’s practice of funding so many nonprofits is a high risk for fraud.

District of Minnesota _ Former President and CEO of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce Pleads Guilty to Fraud _ United States Department of Justice

Lead_Investigation_Report_9.15.2025

I received the GCWW’s lead pipe investigative report today along with many other documents. I have not yet reviewed all the documents but I did review the report. The link above will take you to the report. As soon as I review the other documents, they will also be posted here.

Unfortunately the investigation was a Human Resources matter, i.e. employee disciplinary matter and not a investigation of the entire program. But there is still enough information in the report to trigger important follow up.

My initial take is that the management failures seem more significant than any financial loss or possible criminality of an employee or employees. I think you will see what I mean if you read the report.

Also, the report has a number of gaps that I picked up. There may be more.

1. The report does not say whether anyone has checked the copper inventory. It is like they checked the piggy (lead) bank and not the cash (copper) drawer. If the lack of controls for the copper replacement lines are even half as bad as they are for lead, they need to check the copper inventory ASAP.
2. There is no indication that they are tracking down any of the scrapped lead.  Even the primary attorney conducting the interviews emphasized the seriousness of the improper handling.
3. Also, if the mishandling of the scrap lead does trigger a reporting requirment to the State and the EPA, there is no indication in the report that any reports have been made.

Maybe the other records will answer these and other questions. I hope to get through them soon.

WA public records guidelines may get revamp _ The Seattle Times

There is a universal truth: The people inside the government want the people outside the government to only know what they want them to know, unless greater disclosure is compelled, or is likely to be compelled, by a judge.

If you read Beryl Love’s July 1 ,2025 column, he reported that this past summer, in this year’s budget bill, the Ohio legislature made “text messages and emails between lawmakers and their staff exempt from public records request.” My sense is that the law is not that broad and, in any event, does not appear to apply to city councils. Could you imagine? It is bad enough as it is.

If you remember, the “Gang of Five” was uncovered as a result of a public records request for text messages of city council members by a citizen.

I try to keep up with news about Seattle’s government since I have family that live there. It is happening there as well. But people there are putting up a fight against further exempting public records from disclosure.  Good for them.

City Hires Independent Firm, Led by Nationally-Renowned Harvard Economist, Who Finds No Evidence of Systemic Racial Bias in Police Searches _ City of Cleveland Ohio

Cleveland’s mayor hired a “nationally renowned Harvard economist who found ‘no evidence of systemic bias in police searches’.”

Meanwhile, Cincinnati hired a civil rights activist who, possibly on city time, strolls around, interferes with the police, and encourages the public to file complaints against police officers in order to get those officers on her “list.”

My sense is that the Mayor Pureval’s consultant would not like to see such a study conducted here in Cincinnati and definitely would not like to see those results, especially if it meant that her services were no longer needed.

What else could explain why the city’s consultant failed to recommend such a study during the 3 years she has been under contract with the city?

You would think that if Cleveland’s mayor could figure it out, Cincinnati’s mayor could figure it out as well. But I guess not.

The full article can be found at:

https://www.clevelandohio.gov/news/city-hires-independent-firm-led-nationally-renowned-harvard-economist-who-finds-no-evidence

A copy is also be posted in my research library.