TO THE EDITOR:

I walk down Fourth Street from one end of downtown to the other everyday on my way to work. And I've come to realize that Cincinnati is in trouble.

The trouble comes from a lack of leadership. While other cities revitalize and grow, our downtown is plagued with empty storefronts, deteriorating buildings and empty parking lots. While other cities welcome efforts to bring life to their streets, our city works to register panhandlers. While other cities control violent crime, Cincinnati is on a record-setting homicide pace. All this while law enforcement is busy fighting the evils of videotapes. ("Flynts may face old charges," July 15)

We need a wholesale leadership change in Cincinnati. From law enforcement that understands common sense policing, to a city council that has an attention span. From a prosecutor who works to get violent criminals off of the street, to an election process that holds officials accountable in their own neighborhoods.

Sadly, the legacy that our current leaders will leave is one that will continue to embarrass the city with small-mindedness.

John Wall, Mariemont

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Census analysis wrong about city losing Gen X

Regarding the letter ("City unexciting? We like it that way," June 19) by Alvin Blanco, I couldn't have said it better myself. Cincinnati is loved by those of us who live here because, simply, it is the way it is.

I have lived in several cities over my lifetime. I never knew anyone, who, when given the opportunity to leave a particular city, had any intention of ever returning. The exceptions? Those from Cincinnati. Anyone I knew simply couldn't wait for the opportunity to return to Cincinnati.

I work for myself in Hyde Park. In the course of my profession, I carefully monitor movement in and out of the area. To those who are caught up in the frenzy of wringing hands over the young people leaving our city, know this: Young people move into the city in droves. So to those who want to leave? Leave! You are being replaced with wonderful, responsible, creative people, daily.

Cincinnati is doing fine.

Rick M. Singel, Hyde Park

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Highest earners should get the most back

The letter ("Only the wealthy benefit from tax cuts," June 20) continues to spread the Democrat lie. We are not wealthy at our house, but will get a tax cut, because we pay taxes. So what if we only receive $400 and someone else paying higher taxes get more back than we do. Folks paying more taxes should get more of their money back. Republicans are right to reduce spending.

My wife and I retired three years ago and our income was drastically reduced. We had to adjust our budget accordingly. We prioritized everything and the lower priority items, although desirable, never got funded and came off the list. State legislators should do the same thing.

The writer criticizes President Bush, but fails to mention that some of the problems he inherited (a recession that was already under way and the World Trade Center disaster that happened while he Bush was in office) may have been caused by the previous president's inability to take care of business, because he was spending most of his time defending himself against his alley- cat antics and then lying about it.

Art and Eva Smith, Loveland

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State budget proposal makes matters worse

Every taxpayer in Ohio should be most unhappy with the state budget plan that has just cleared the House and Senate.

If Ohio is truly in the dire financial condition that we've been hearing about, why is this budget raising taxes and spending $10 billion more?

Any reasonable family experiencing budget problems would tighten up and spend less for a while until conditions improve. Why can't the lawmakers of Ohio do the same? The only explanation I can come up with is that it's easier to go on a spending spree when the money isn't your own.

The only responsibilities the state has are education (this is constitutionally mandated), public safety and road maintenance. All else could be put on hold for a while.

I urge my fellow taxpayers to remember this at election time.

Bob Stolz, Xenia

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Reds manager showed class during fight

While watching the latest brawl involving the Reds, I could not help but notice the Cubs' manager Dusty Baker getting in on the fight with his players by going as far as shoving Reds coach Ray Knight.

At first I thought I would give Baker a break and assume he was caught up in the moment. However, his class (or lack thereof) truly showed when Baker remarked in a post-game interview that Wilson "got his butt kicked," and warning other teams "we've got some guys who can hurt you with that ball."

Do these actions mirror those of a leader of a professional baseball team, or a playground bully? I am happy to see that Reds manager Bob Boone had the class to stay mature during a childish situation.

John Greely, Green Township

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Kids learned bad lesson from Cubs, Reds

Today I attended the Reds game along with over 40,000 other people, most of whom were kids. The Reds won, but the kids lost! Late in the game the Chicago pitcher threw a ball too close to the batter's head. The batter said something to the Chicago pitcher, who stormed off the mound toward home plate. Both benches emptied plus both bullpens. The result was a huge pile of "professional" players. Children learn behavior from the example of the adults in their lives, be they parents, teachers, idols, etc. This incident was an example of everything we don't want our kids to exhibit: poor sportsmanship, gang mentality, and loss of self control.

There should be a rule in the National and American Leagues that anyone who leaves the bench, or the bullpen, during an altercation will be expelled from the game, with the exception of the team's manager and coaches.

Katherine O'Connell, Blue Ash

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Cubs show their true colors in brawl

The Chicago Cubs may currently be in first place in their division, but they are playing baseball like a bunch of thugs. I saw Cubs pitcher Kyle Farnsworth throw at the Reds pitcher on television. I realize that in baseball after a player is hit by a pitch, it is a pretty sure bet that someone from the other team is going to get hit also. After Farnsworth threw at our pitcher, he then charged the plate and tackled him. The post-game interview with the Cubs' manager, Dusty Baker, made it all too clear to me. I certainly hope the Reds can overtake the Cubs, but if we can't, I sure hope some other team does.

Joe Seiler, Colerain Township

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Cincy cops had case of mistaken identity

I am so grateful to Cincinnati's finest for busting all those young hooligans at Semantics Art Gallery in Brighton ("City art gallery cited for alcohol," June 12). Thank heavens that the cops in our fair city have nothing better to do than raid DAAP student festivities and take away contraband cheap wine and rubber cheese that the young ne'er-do-wells were feasting on.

Fabienne Christenson, Downtown

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Punishments for crimes need some rethinking

On June 17, The Enquirer (Metro B5) had stories of two criminal acts. The first story "Vandal ..." told of a criminal who injured a young man and received a six-year prison sentence. The second story of violence told of two criminals who beat to death a 50-year-old man and who each received five-year prison sentences.

Because Hamilton County prosecutes all crimes to the fullest extent of the law, it appears that if you injure someone doing something stupid, you will receive a lighter sentence than if you continue the attack and beat them to death.

L. Gene Pettyjohn, Green Township