Saturday, September 30, 2000
Public funds sought for Olympic bid
By Robert Anglen
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Three days after promising no taxpayer money would be needed to bring the Olympics to Cincinnati, local organizers sent letters to state, county and city officials in Ohio and Kentucky asking for $2.6 million.
Nick Vehr, president of Cincinnati 2012, said he does not see a contradiction in the request.
Mr. Vehr said Sept. 8 that no public money would be used to operate the Summer Games if they came here in 2012. But the organizers need help landing them. The letter asking for financial help in attracting the Games was dated Sept. 11.
The entire region will benefit from the Olympic bid, he said, and it is time for public agencies to make a “show of support.”
The distinction between getting the Games and operating them has never been made before, say Cincinnati officials who have been asked to donate $500,000 a year in 2001 and 2002.
“I have to cut $52 million from the operating budget of the city over the next six years,” said City Manager John Shirey. “With that ... I'm not likely to recommend funding any new program or activities.”
Councilman Todd Portune said he was surprised at the request, which needs to be considered carefully.
“All along, they have said no public funds would be needed,” he said.
In a phone survey re leased three weeks ago by Cincinnati 2012, residents said the use of public money was their second-biggest worry in bringing the Olympics here — after traffic.
The survey will be included in a bid due Dec. 15 to the U.S. Olympic Committee, which will select one of eight U.S. cities bidding to compete internationally.
In June, A.D. Frazier, former chief operating officer of the Atlanta Committee for the 1996 Olympic Games, told the Enquirer the International Olympic Committee would not even consider a city that doesn't have billions of dollars in financial backing from state and local agencies.
Online poll: Should tax dollars be used to fund Cincinnati's Olympic bid?
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