LWV LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS

Smart Voter
Hamilton County, OH November 2, 1999 Election
Council Member; City of Cincinnati

2 Year Term. Salary $49,460.25

Governing body of the city. Each council member also serves on several of the committees which study, hold hearings and listen to citizens' complaints or point of view on all proposed ordinances, resolutions, and motions before they are acted upon by the full council. The council member who receives the highest number of votes in the regular municipal election serves as mayor. The mayor has a vote, but no veto power. Council appoints the city manager (who must not be a council member) to be the chief executive and administrative officer of the city. The city manager has a seat in the council, but no vote.

a charter city


Candidates (Vote for 9)
Click on a candidate name for more information.

Charlie Luken 42,022 votes 9.7%

  • Occupation: Law
  • Neighborhood: Downtown
  • Education: Purcell; B.A. University of Notre Dame; J.D. University of Cincinnati
  • I am a former Cincinnati Councilmember, three-term Mayor and Congressman
  • During the 1980s, I balanced the budget during difficult economic times
  • brought new business to the City
  • and founded the Infrastructure Commission to improve city streets, parks, and public buildings
Priorities:
  • Housing
  • Job Creation
  • Infrastructure Repair
Todd Portune 36,333 votes 8.4%
  • Occupation: Attorney, Partner Conen, Todd
  • Neighborhood: Westwood
  • Education: Oberlin College A.B.; University of Cincinnati College of Law J.D.
  • Lifelong Cincinnati Resident, Homeowner, Business Owner
  • Member Walnut Hills Avondale United Methodist Church; Father and husband
  • Community Volunteer, Member Westwood Civic Association; Former Board Member Human Relations
  • Council and CDAB member of Council 1993 - present
Priorities:
  • Reducing poverty, unemployment and joblessness
  • Developing a truly regional integrated multi-modal transportation system
  • Developing a capitol plan for citywide projects to rebuild Cincinnati
Charles Winburn 34,176 votes 7.9%
  • Occupation: City Council Member
  • Neighborhood: Price Hill/ Westwood
  • Education: M.Ed., University of Cincinnati
  • Served on City Council since 1993
  • Received an A.S., B.S., and Master's degree from U.C., coupled with over 20 years work experience
  • I am committed to serving the City of Cincinnati, and I look forward to serving you again
Priorities:
  • Crime, We must reduce drug related crime n the city
  • Hold Cincinnati Public Schools accountable for $100,000,000 the city contributed toward repairs
  • Neighborhoods
Phil Heimlich 31,487 votes 7.3%
  • Occupation: City Councilmember
  • Neighborhood: Mt. Washington
  • Education:Undergraduate - B.A. from Stanford University, 1971 - 1975; Graduate - J.D. from University of Virginia, 1976 - 1979
  • Since 1993, my approach has been simple: I have listened to the people to develop effective, concrete programs addressing their concerns.
  • I have led the way for Council to fight crime and am working to improve education.
Priorities:
  • Improve Education
  • Make Cincinnati Safer
  • Eliminate Wasteful Spending and Reduce Taxes
Alicia Reece 27,900 votes 6.5%
  • Occupation: VP-Communiplex ; Producer-WCIN
  • Community/Neighborhood: Bond Hill
  • Withrow High School (1989), Grambling State
  • Small Business Woman
  • Coordinator/Countywide Democratic "Get Out To Vote" Campaign
  • Congressional Community Outreach Director (Congressman David Mann) Campaign Manager, Steven Reece for Congress
  • College Voter Registration & Mobilization drive-registered 7,500 students
Priorities:
  • Neighborhood Investment-City and corporate partnership in neighborhoods
  • Health Care-Promotion of city clinics for preventative care for all
  • Cincinnatians first - City and School partnership preparing students for
Pat Dewine 27,745 votes 6.4%
  • Occupation: Attorney; Keating, Muething & Klekamp
  • Neighborhood: Mt. Lookout
  • Education: J.D. University of Michigan Law School; B.A., B.S., Miami University
  • Founder of successful bipartisan Charter reform allowing voters to elect Mayor directly
  • Helped lead fight against wasteful spending by current Council
  • Worked to control property taxes on Tax Levy Review Committee
  • Director Talbert House, Over-the-Rhine Foundation, Mt. Lookout Civic Club, Youth Mentor
Priorities:
  • Attracting homeowners and jobs; controlling spending, focusing on basics, and lowering taxes
  • Improving public safety through more community-oriented policing
  • Better schools and increased educational opportunities
James R. Tarbell 26,045 votes 6%
  • Occupation: Cincinnati City Council Member
  • Neighborhood: Clifton
  • Education: St. Xavier and Withrow High; Lowell Institute in Cambridge, MA
  • To quote the Cincinnati Enquirer:
  • "Jim Tarbell has a viselike grasp of the hard work and sweat it takes
  • to turn around declining neighborhoods one business, one home at a time
  • ...Mr. Tarbell knows and loves this city."
Priorities:
  • Forming an accountable, thoughtful coalition on City Council
  • Improve neighborhood business districts and communication with neighborhood leadership
  • More effective public works with emphasis on street maintenance, litter, cleanliness
Minette Cooper 25,277 votes 5.9%
  • Occupation: Vice Mayor, Cincinnati
  • Neighborhood: Avondale
  • Education: Howard University, B. A. Elementary Education; X. U. Graduate study, Learning Disabilities
  • As Vice Mayor of the City of Cincinnati, I have demonstrated leadership ability
  • while serving on eight of the city's committees, chairing three of these.
  • Additionally, I am active in numerous community organizations, above and beyond my work on council.
Priorities:
  • No Response
Paul M. Booth 22,667 votes 5.3%
  • Occupation: Manager, Seven-Hills Management; Councilman
  • Neighborhood: Oakley
  • Education:Morehouse College B.A. Business Administration
  • My experience includes over twenty years as a professional property manager, specializing in subsidized housing for low to moderate incomes
  • I have also been politically active for many years trying to improve the quality of life for all Cincinnatians
Priorities:
  • Downtown and neighborhood development
  • Education
  • Crime
Jeanette Cissell 22,095 votes 5.1%
  • Occupation: Council Member
  • Neighborhood: North Avondale
  • Education: Attended University of Cincinnati, Guilford College and John Wesley College
  • I have been an effective member of Council for three years
  • I consider views from all sides and make my decisions based upon what is the best interest of the people of the City of Cincinnati
Priorities:
  • Neighborhoods - Increase in Home Ownership; Neighborhood Business District
  • Downtown Development - A vibrant downtown
  • Job Training - Matching the hardest to employ with existing jobs through training
Diane Goldsmith 21,250 votes 4.9%
  • Occupation: Assistant to County Commissioner
  • Neighborhood: Hyde Park
  • Education: University of Cincinnati, Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science
  • I have worked in local government for nineteen years both as assistant to a council member and county commissioner
  • I have participated in the development of numerous policy issues facing this community
  • . My involvement in volunteer community service is extensive
Priorities:
  • Strengthen the economic base by completing downtown development and revitalizing our neighborhoods
  • Work cooperatively, effectively and decisively with Councilmembers to move the city forward
  • Insure safe communities, quality basic services and good schools for our children
Scott V. Seidewitz 20,389 votes 4.7%
  • Occupation: Marketing and Advertising Consultant
  • Neighborhood: East Walnut Hills
  • Education: MBA, MIT Sloan School of Management; B.A. in Economics, Virginia
  • Founder, The Seidewitz Group, a successful small business.
  • Former Procter & Gamble Manager. Managed large organizations and budgets of up to $200 million.
  • President, SmartMoney Community Services, a non-profit that provides affordable financial services to thousands of low-income Cincinnati families.
Priorities:
  • 1. Streamline the city bureaucracy to reduce wasteful spending and improve services.
  • 2. Get business and government working together on long-term economic investments.
  • 3. Give people skills to break the cycle of inner city poverty.
Kaye M. Britton 19,300 votes 4.5%
  • Occupation: Realtor
  • Neighborhood: Madisonville
  • Education: Withrow High School; Kentucky State College - Elementary Education
  • Businessperson
  • involved in serving citizens of Cincinnati as wife and volunteer for State Representative Samuel Britton
  • We have the unique capacity to see this city's problems and solutions from a multiplicity of viewpoints
  • Mother of child in Cincinnati Public School
Priorities:
  • Using my consensus building skills to assure a harmonious, effective Council atmosphere
  • Facilitating for regional progress, arrangements between businesses and various levels of government
  • Overseeing collaborative paradigms with Cincinnati School Board for safe, quality neighborhood schools
Forrest L. Buckley 19,248 votes 4.5%
  • Occupation: Retired Cincinnati Firefighter
  • Community/Neighborhood: Cincinnati/Westwood
  • Graduate, Hughes High School, 1959, some college
  • As a citizen of Cincinnati for 45 years who raised his family here I care about Cincinnati.
  • As a Cincinnati Firefighter for 32 years and president of the Firefighters Union for 12 years,
  • I know how city government should work.
Priorities:
  • Work to bring citizen confidence and respect back to City Council.
  • Stabilize and revitalize our neighborhoods.
  • Repair and improve the city infrastructure.
Jane Anderson 17,297 votes 4%
  • Occupation: Adjunct Associate Professor, U.C.
  • Education: Wellesley College, AB, University of Cincinnati PhD Political Science
  • Teacher of politics and government;
  • consultant to Charter Review Committee;
  • community volunteer and civic leader for over 35 years - League of Women Voters, Woman's City Club, Cincinnatus, Citizens for Civic Renewal,
  • Leadership Cincinnati, Cincinnati Human Relations Commission
  • small business owner
Priorities:
  • Create a more effective partnership between the City and Cincinnati Public Schools.
  • Strengthen neighborhood through small business development, improved safety and affordable housing.
  • Restore confidence in government with campaign finance reform, user friendly city hall.
Ken Anderson 15,433 votes 3.6%
  • Occupation: Legal Researcher / Real Estate
  • Neighborhood: Kennedy Heights
  • Education: Bachelor Liberal Arts: Associate Degree Business Administration, X.U.
  • I graduated from Xavier University
  • I've been in the real estate business since 1978
  • I've developed a number of proposals for the city, two of them being: · Educational Cooperation · Free metered parking downtown on weekends
Priorities:
  • Education
  • Community and Economic Development
  • Police / Community Relations
Chris Monzel 9,335 votes 2.2%
  • Occupation: Engineer
  • Neighborhood: Winton Place
  • Purdue University, B.S. Aero-Engineering;University of Cincinnati, M.S. Aero-Engineering; Harvard University, Masters
  • As an engineer, a father, and a neighborhood leader, I have the experience and skills necessary to help lead our city.
  • As an outsider with real world experience I bring new energy and commitment to a system that needs to be fixed.
Priorities:
  • Neighborhoods having the necessary public services - keeping them safe, viable and attractive.
  • Business retention and recruitment; as well as more attention for small business development.
  • Education - to make our schools the best they can be.
Sam Malone 5,030 votes 1.2%
Theo Barnes 4,885 votes 1.1%
  • Occupation: Business Consultant
  • Neighborhood: Mt. Auburn
  • Education: Associate Degree in Business Administration and Accounting
  • Educated in tax and city policies and procedures
  • I've been very active in dealing with the youth
  • I have operated a small business, designed especially for community capacity building (bringing families together)
  • I've worked with the mentally challenged and elderly
Priorities:
  • Housing opportunities
  • Neighborhood stabilization
  • Economic development
Charlie Lee Gardner 3,312 votes 0.8%
  • Occupation: Retail owner; Wrigley's Market
  • Neighborhood: Price Hill
  • Education: High School Graduate
  • I am a business owner Over-The-Rhine
  • The store is called Wrigley's Market
  • Our store has over six years in the neighborhood
  • I also served 4 years in the military
Priorities:
  • Highway Safety I-75, Slow truckers down; too many accidents
  • Schools change the publishing companies; most school books are incorrect
  • Health care: Set up a universal health care management system

Basic candidate data supplied by the County elections official. Any additional information supplied by the candidate. Order of candidates is random and changes daily.
  Candidates Answer Questions

The has asked all candidates for this office to respond to 3 questions on housing, regionalism, and Convention Center.

News and Analysis

The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Cincinnati Post Nonpartisan Information

Cable Broadcast Schedule for the LWVCA Candidate and Issue Forums
Suggest a link related to this contest
Links to sources outside of Smart Voter are provided for information only and do not imply endorsement.

Home (Ballot Lookup) || About Smart Voter || Feedback


Created: November 18, 1999 14:52
Smart Voter '99 <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © 1999 League of Women Voters of California Education Fund.
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.