Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken wielded his first-ever veto Wednesday, rejecting an ordinance to spend $65,890 on a housing study that critics called wasteful.

        The study, originally proposed by city housing officials at a cost of $100,000, was supposed to look at the impact that federal housing vouchers are having on neighborhoods.

        Specifically, officials in the Department of Community Development wanted to know how poor families decide where to live.

Luken

        To some members of City Council, that's no $65,000 question.

        “People who live in the West End move to places like College Hill and Price Hill because it's a better life,” said Councilman John Cranley. “We don't need a $100,000 study to tell us that people are going to take a voucher and move to the best place to raise a family.”

        But defenders of the study said it would be worth the money if it helps the city decide how to better spend millions in housing money throughout the city.

        “To me, it's making a plan, and you can't make a good plan without information,” said Councilwoman Minette Cooper.

        Opponents of the study tried varied tactics to kill it. First, they held it in committee for three months by asking for more information.

        Then Wednesday, Councilman Pat DeWine offered five substitute ordinances that would divert the $100,000 to cleanup of neighborhood business districts, police patrols, low-income housing maintenance, code enforcement and playground maintenance.

        Council members accused Mr. DeWine of “playing games” and violating a rule against introducing last-minute agenda items.

        The housing study passed with five votes: Paul Booth, Ms. Cooper, David Crowley, David Pepper and Alicia Reece. Voting against were Mr. Cranley, Mr. DeWine and James R. Tarbell.

        Mr. Luken, too, chided Mr. DeWine for his tactics. But he said he agreed with the Republican councilman on the merits.

        “I have yet to be convinced that this study will tell us anything that those of us who have been out in the hustings don't already know,” he said.

        It was the first veto by a Cincinnati mayor at least since 1925, when the charter made the mayor a member of council and created a city manager to run the city. The veto was restored through a charter amendment that provided for the direct election of the mayor last fall.

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