The next city council must be willing to work as a team to meet the challenges facing the city.

        The nine candidates we endorse are a diverse group of veterans and newcomers, men and women, black and white, Democrats, Republicans and Charterites. We believe they will work with the new strong mayor to move the city forward.

        Incumbent Republican Pat DeWine has been council's MVP during his first term. He is a leading reformer and innovator — a conservative who's skilled at forging coalitions across the ideological spectrum. Mr. DeWine was an architect of the strong mayor system and has been a strong advocate for Issue 5 to reform the city's management.

        Democrat John Cranley, appointed last year to succeed Todd Portune, also has been a strong consensus builder. He has proposed hiring 75 more police officers and curtailing the development of new subsidized housing projects within the city. Mr. Cranley has made some beginner's mistakes, most notably when he lost control of the Law and Public Safety Committee at the start of the April riots. But he has since regained his feet and shows promise of real leadership in the years to come.

        Democrat David Crowley is making his first run for council. He comes backed by a lifetime of public service, including the Navy and Peace Corps. He was founding director of the Ohio Commission on Aging and led major relief efforts in Romania, Bosnia and Kosovo. In 1995, he returned to run the family business and served on the Port Authority board. He has a slew of endorsements and would be a welcome advocate for small businesses.

        Democrat David Pepper, also is making his first try at council. He served as assistant director of the International Action Commission for St. Petersburg, Russia, where he helped the mayor and other city leaders with economic reforms. He is a Yale Law School graduate and promises to be an antidote to council bickering. He suggests report cards to measure City Hall progress.

        Democrat Minette Cooper, the longest-serving incumbent with six years on council, is the vice mayor and chair of the Finance Committee. This experience is more important now than ever as the city launches a new form of government. She's a strong voice for children and youth and an unwavering representative for African Americans. We often disagree with her political views, but she has won much respect as a mature, moderating voice amid council controversy and incivility this past year.

        Charterite incumbent Jim Tarbell has been a consistent advocate for reforming Cincinnati's disastrous housing policies that turned entire neighborhoods into low-income ghettoes. He was one of the few city officials to give angry protesters at City Hall some explanation of the police shooting of Timothy Thomas. He has the courage to take unpopular action against nonperforming city contractors and he understands the history and consequences of city policies better than most on council.

        Republican challenger Todd Ward proposes to make City Hall more citizen friendly by scheduling council meetings at night so working people can attend, and by streamlining the building and permit process to expedite construction projects. He was a regional economic development director under Governors George Voinovich and Bob Taft, and was chief legislative officer for State Treasurer Ken Blackwell.

        Challenger Sam Malone, a Republican, is a banker from Bond Hill and a Navy veteran with a passion for helping young people, revitalizing neighborhoods and reducing crime. He's involved in mentoring high-schoolers and serves on human relations and neighborhood development boards. His personal history of growing up in Cincinnati, being mentored by a policeman and learning teamwork in the Navy, are springboards for his irrepressible “can-do” approach. He ran for council in 1999 and we're glad he's back.

        Newcomer Dawn Denno, a Charterite, is a long-time civic activist who is designing systems for the Ohio Department of Education to track more than $500 million of taxpayer money in education programs. She understands the city's poverty issues and offers good ideas for rebuilding trust and respect between residents and the police.

Candidates we liked

        In past City Council elections, some voters have bemoaned a lack of good choices, even with a field of 20 or more candidates. Not so in 2001. An impressive crop of council candidates offers fresh ideas and an enthusiasm for public service.

        A new generation is making its voice heard. Term limits for council incumbents have created vacancies, encouraging a strong field of newcomers.

        Among the candidates we liked:

        Republican challenger Tom Jones, a strong voice for neighborhoods, challenges the traditional civil-rights leadership with his law-and-order stance, claiming to speak for a quiet majority. A small businessman and community leader, he's a refreshing balance to protesters who have dominated the race debate.

        Incumbent Alicia Reece, a Democrat, can point to accomplishments since her surprise election in 1999. She's bright and personable and shows promise, as we said in 1999. But her term has been a disappointment. At times, her actions seem more about advancing her own interests than serving her city. Her behavior seemed to aggravate problems during a meeting that contributed to the April riots. Ms. Reece is favored to win. We hope she seasons with experience.

        Clarence D. Williams III, a retired Cincinnati Police lieutenant and attorney running as an independent, has an impressive command of the issues. We like his proposal for a policy-making Public Safety Commission to replace the city safety director. With his focus on jobs, housing and safety, he occupies a crucial middle ground.

        Democrat Paul Booth has been a solid, reliable member of council, adding a quiet likability and maturity. We'd urge him to step up in leadership and become more assertive.

        Republican Chris Monzel, also an incumbent, pushed for tougher ethical standards in his short time on council.

        Democrats Akiva Freeman and Lawra Baumann offer valuable expertise, especially in neighborhood development; Laketa Cole, a former aide to two Democratic council members, is running a strong independent campaign.

        Other candidates with good qualifications include Democrats Jane Anderson and Eric Wilson, and Charterite John Schlagetter. We urge them to run again.

        For various reasons, the remaining candidates did not merit any support: Toni Andrews, Theo Barnes, Wes Flinn, William Kirkland and Nate Livingston.

Enquirer endorses Luken for mayor

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