What happens when David Crowley the environmentalist disagrees with David Crowley the die-hard union man?

The environmentalist wins.

The Democratic councilman, who turns 67 Thursday, just brought a Japanese-built Toyota Prius, a hybrid-fuel vehicle that boasts 60 mpg in the city. (Sticker price: $20,510.)

"It was a compromise," said Crowley, who replaced a Pontiac Sunfire. "Hey, the American automakers have to get with it."

At Crowley's urging, the city also bought a Prius in December - used to shuffle mail around the Metropolitan Sewer District - as part of a pilot project that could someday convert the city's fleet into hybrid-fuel vehicles. But the city's Fleet Services Division prefers the Chrysler Stratus, which runs on a fuel made of 85 percent ethanol. The Stratus costs $3,692 less to operate and maintain over its useful life, the city says.

POLICY WONK: City Manager Valerie Lemmie's new "zero tolerance" policy on the use of racial or ethnic slurs - prompted by City Council's reaction to the alleged language of Police Lt. Jeff Butler - isn't really new at all.

Former council candidate John Schlagetter - one of the few people outside the Police Department ever to read its policy manual cover-to-cover - points out that the new policy only strengthens the penalties. Now, racial harassment is dealt with as severely as sexual harassment.

The upshot: Now officers can be fired after three racial slurs, instead of four.

NEWS FROM ELSEWHERE: As City Council considers a plan to abolish Cincinnati's city manager form of government, former City Manager Sy Murray has won a $220,000 contract with Camden, N.J., to write a reorganization plan for that city. The hiring was not without controversy. Two Camden councilmen raised questions about allegations Murray's firm submitted a fraudulent $1,500 hotel bill while working for Washington, D.C., in 1998, and billed Cincinnati $1,400 a day for sub-par race relations work in 2001.

IN THE LOBBY: Cincinnati's lobbyist registration law requires anyone whose job it is to influence City Council to register with the clerk of council within 10 days.

Tuesday, Convergys lobbyists Erik Kirkhorn and Bill Hawkins registered as legislative agents - 242 days after City Council voted to give the company a record $52.2 million in grants and tax breaks.

GET REAL: Mayor Charlie Luken's short-lived campaign to lure MTV's The Real World to Cincinnati almost ended before it started, as producers announced Tuesday they would film the 15th season in Philadelphia, after all.

Luken spokesman Brendon Cull said he hasn't given up on the 16th season, however.

BLAME THE MESSENGER: Alicia Reece, chairwoman of the Health, Tourism, Small Business and Employment Committee, is again complaining that reporters don't cover her meetings.

The last ordinance passed by her committee was Dec. 9, 2003.

QUOTEABLE: "Nick does want to be mayor of Cincinnati, but I'm not moving to Cincinnati!" - Pop star Jessica Simpson, discussing husband Nick Lachey's political aspirations with ESPN.com.

E-mail gkorte@enquirer.com