Sunday, August 01, 1999
Cash crowds out council candidates
Field looks thin as deadline looms
BY HOWARD WILKINSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The philosopher-king Yogi Berra said of a once-trendy New York restaurant, “Nobody goes there anymore; it's too crowded.” Sort of like a Cincinnati City Council race.
Nobody goes there anymore either. It's crowded — not with bodies, but with money.
A year ago, you might well have guessed the number of Cincinnati City Council candidates in 1999 would be about the size of the field in the Flying Pig Marathon.
After all, in this year's council election, two seats are open, thanks to the city's term limits law — those of Mayor Roxanne Qualls and Councilman Tyrone Yates, both Democrats.
Add to that the fact that two of the incumbents running in 1999 — Charterite Jim Tarbell and Democrat Paul Booth — were appointed to their seats, and the only previ ous times they have run for council, they have lost.
In short, they can be had.
Four real or potential open seats, you would think, would draw candidates like ants to a picnic, but it hasn't happened.
When the filing deadline for council candidates rolls around on Aug. 19, there are likely to be 17 party-endorsed candidates, plus one or two independents willing to give it a go as political outsiders.
In a city where, not too long ago, council fields of 25 to 30 candidates were not un common, that is a relatively small batch of contestants, battling for nine council seats in the final election where the mayor will be the top vote-getter.
There are several reasons for this:
• Charter: The Democrats have a slate of nine endorsed candidates (three incumbents, six non-incumbents), and the Republicans are fielding seven (three incumbents, four challengers). But the Charter Committee, Cincinnati's third political party, has only one: Mr. Tarbell.
Chances are the Charterites will do what they normally do, “cross-endorsing,” in which they endorse candidates who are already running under the banner of one of the other parties, and declare victory when and if those candidates win.
• Waiting it out: There are, we know, some bright and earnest people out there who might like to be on Cincinnati City Council, despite its current reputation — people who might have found irony in the fact that a touring circus, announcing its plan for a run at Swifton Commons, held its opening press conference in city council chambers.
But some of these people are likely waiting for 2001 — the first election in which the mayor will be elected separately from council. Candidates will have to choose one or the other — mayor or council, with no turning back.
This, the reasoning goes, will weed out the big fish who suck up all the campaign money. They'll run for mayor, leaving more opportunity for the bottom-feeders, who may be able to win a council seat at a discount price.
• Money: It takes a boatload of it to win a council seat these days, particularly for a first-time candidate.
Yet, there are a few who seem to manage. Pat DeWine, a Republican, is a first-timer, but he is likely to spend at least $300,000 in his first council campaign. It helps, though, to have strong ties to the city's business community, from whence most campaign dollars flow; to have a U.S. senator for a father; and to be able to bring in nationally known big-foot politicians like Orrin Hatch to draw people to your fund-raising events.
Your average Joe running for council can't do this.
In the last three council elections, the average amount spent by the winning candidates for the three political parties was $269,132 for Republicans, $122,528 for Democrats and $80,586 for Charter (i.e., the recently retired Bobbie Sterne, the only Charterite elected lately).
That's enough to thin out any crowd.
Howard Wilkinson's column runs Sundays. Call him at 768-8388 or e-mail at hwilkinson@enquirer.com
Heat kills 2 more
The victims: 12 who died from heat
Volunteers help out in hot times
In summer of '34, cool was hard to find
Party to greet Peace Bell today
Bell's bid for peace harder than it may sound
Riverfront project needs precise timing
How they're remaking the riverfront
Record producers and their labels of love
Brazilian music tough sell in U.S.
Jazz enthusiast turns passion into product
Music store and label small, personal
Cash crowds out council candidates
Activist wants council members to pledge property tax cut
Gun restrictions working, flea market owner says
Loser status proves short for Boehner
School levies now up to voters
'Sen. Springer' rings a bell with college class
Back to school: chalk dust, gunpowder
Breakthroughs offer hope for diabetics
Lack of diversity a sin of omission
African-Americans talk about TV flap
Cincinnati's Century of Change
Muni makes his mark
Production group forms in Indiana
Bush scores W in Ky. cash
Ex-zoo gorilla wins Koko's love
Can judge reject inmate suit?
Corn festival harkens to simpler times
Fairfield's new police chief on the case
GET TO IT
Heat withers county fairs
Klosterman's collection of magic is second to none
Oktoberfest volunteers can sign up online
Three treated at paper mill fire
TRISTATE DIGEST
