The mayor and city council members sworn in Saturday face high expectations and low tolerance for business-as-usual.

        They'll face some tough issues, too. Here are some of the most important:

        • Reforming council itselfFreshman David Pepper, the top vote-getter, campaigned on a platform of fixing the “broken politics” of City Hall.

Councilman Chris Monzel holds daughter Mary Grace, 4, while being sworn in Saturday. (Tony Jones photo) | ZOOM |

        He's not alone. Minette Cooper, newcomer David Cranley, and Mayor Charlie Luken campaignedon restoring civility and effectiveness to city politics, too.

        • Selecting a new city manager For now, the selection process is more immediately a concern of the mayor, who is responsible for initiating the hiring and firing under the new system.

        His nomination could define how the next four years will go.

        Because City Council can no longer fire the city manager by itself, members will be looking to confirm someone who shares their values.

        They will look to for someone who can make significant changes to the administration while keeping City Council in the loop.

        And if council rejects Mr. Luken's choice — an unlikely scenario given the Democratic majority — the damage to the mayor's relationship with City Council could be irreparable.

        • Improving police-community relations After the riots in April, City Council committed to fix the underlying problems of crime, racial injustice and perceived racial profiling by police.

        Now, the bill is coming due. The Justice Department has released a 24-page report with strong recommendations on how to fix the Police Division.

        Pat DeWine, the new chairman of the Law and Public Safety Committee, is particularly eager to overhaul the Office of Municipal Investigation and the Citizens Police Review Panel, which provide oversight of the Police Division.

        But council's role in reforming the Police Division isn't clear. Some think the issues are better handled through the mediation of a federal lawsuit over alleged racial profiling — a settlement that would have to be approved by City Council eventually.

        • Balancing the budget The city faces a $17 million deficit in 2002, and $25 million in 2003. Making those cuts while maintaining city services — and adding 75 more police officers by 2003 — will be a challenge.

        • Making Cincinnati a more livable city Each member has different priorities.

        John Cranley wants more street cleaning. Mr. Luken wants to rein in panhandlers. Mr. Pepper wants a stronger law on abandoned cars.

        It's called the “broken windows” theory of city government. Do the little things right, and the big things — such as economic development and homeownership rates — will take care of themselves.

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