BY LUCY MAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Proponents of the Broadway Commons ballpark site are thinking about changing Hamilton County's form of government to give people a vote on where the new Reds stadium goes.
Cincinnati City Councilman Todd Portune, Hamilton County Commissioner John Dowlin and restaurant owner Jim Tarbell are considering a push for a countywide ballot initiative to create a county charter, Mr. Portune said Wednesday.
The proposed charter would consist of two articles, according to a draft proposal. Article I states county government would operate exactly as it does now except for Article II, which requires commissioners to build the new ballpark at Broadway and Reading Road.
By week's end, Mr. Portune said he, Mr. Dowlin and Mr. Tarbell will decide whether to proceed with the countywide initiative or stick with the city initiative Mr. Portune unveiled last week to ask voters which site they prefer.
"What needs to guide this is what is the best approach and what has the capacity of being binding at the end of the day," Mr. Portune said. "It makes no sense to undertake any of this if the vote is meaningless." Whatever the decision, Mr. Portune said Broadway backers will begin circulating petitions by this weekend.
Two county leaders vowed to fight any drive to adopt a charter. Commissioner Bob Bedinghaus, who favors the riverfront for a new ballpark, said any attempt to adopt a county charter will fail. "What they're proposing there is bad government," he said. "I will fight charter government whether it's enacted in support of a particular cause or whether it's just enacted on its own." Hamilton County Auditor Dusty Rhodes said the proposal sounded "off the wall" to him.
"It's an interesting try," Mr. Rhodes said. "But I don't think we want to risk our entire form of government on one issue, no matter what it is."
Mr. Bedinghaus argued that adopting a county charter could lead to a commission president with broad executive powers, an increase in the number of commissioners and could limit the ability of the county's cities and townships to govern themselves.
Mr. Rhodes argued voters can cast a vote for Broadway Commons in November by voting for Marilyn Hyland. Ms. Hyland, a Democrat, is challenging Commission President Tom Neyer Jr., a Republican appointed to the commission last year.
Ms. Hyland favors Broadway. Mr. Neyer has said he'll approve a deal for a riverfront ballpark if the county and Reds reach a deal. Broadway backers would need 26,000 signatures by July 24 if they opt for a countywide initiative, which Mr. Portune said would be preferable since a countywide sales tax is funding the stadiums. He acknowledged there's a good chance the Reds deal could be completed before November, saying that must be considered.
"It's a monumental task to collect the signatures, and at the end of the day, people want to make sure their vote means something."
