It passed anyway, and the next year Vehr supported a charter amendment that overturned the ordinance and prohibited City Council from ever mucking around in the issue again.

That charter amendment became known as Article XII, and Vehr, now vice president of economic development for the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce, is helping to lead the charge to repeal it.

"I'm older, more mature. Society is a lot more tolerant," Vehr said. "In 1993 - and this is what was so uncomfortable, the entire discussion was about morals and values. There is a lot more discussion now about economics - the skills and talent and quality of the workforce. My position now, and it's clearly the position of the chamber, is that Issue 3 just went too far."

Vehr's change of heart is but the most conspicuous of a shift that's happened throughout the Fourth Street power structure since 1993. Companies and institutions that sat on the sidelines as 62 percent of Cincinnati voters amended the city's constitution are now leading the charge to amend Article XII back out.

Today, a coalition of business groups will announce its support for the repeal effort.

It includes the Greater Cincinnati chamber, which endorsed the repeal in August, as well as the African-American Chamber, the Hispanic Chamber, the Over-the-Rhine Chamber and the Downtown Hotel Association.

Phil Burress, a leader in the 1993 charter amendment now defending the measure with a campaign to oppose the repeal effort, said the chamber's support doesn't reflect the broader array of small business owners who still oppose "special rights" for gays and lesbians.

He said he has prominent business leaders in his camp, but won't name names. He said some are "terrified" of being targeted by boycotts and hate mail.

"Our campaign isn't geared toward big names," he said. "The Chamber of Commerce does not vote. The people do."

Among the big names on the other side are executives from Procter & Gamble, Frisch's Restaurants, Federated Department Stores and Towne Properties.

P&G, which has been targeted in a national boycott by Christian conservative groups because of its leadership in the repeal effort, was invisible in 1993. Since then, the company says, it's become apparent that Cincinnati's reputation as intolerant hurts its ability to attract talent and visitors.

"The unrest in Cincinnati several years ago highlighted issues in the city that prevented us from being world-class," said company spokesman Doug Shelton. "Cincinnati is considered to be out of step with those cities that we're competing with."

The city's image seems to be the driving concern of corporate supporters of the repeal, but Burress questions whether it has a bottom-line effect. In fact, he said, repealing Article XII could drive up the cost of doing business for small businesses by exposing them to "frivolous" discrimination complaints.

"I can understand the business community coming out on this and supporting the repeal. I do, actually," said Burress. "But what they don't understand is what step two is."

Step two, he said, is the reinstatement of the 1992 human rights ordinance that many businesses were against.

Under the law - which still prohibits discrimination based on race, religion, sex, disability, marital status, or even Appalachian origin - the city manager could fine an employer, restaurant or landlord up to $100 a day for illegal discrimination. Those who persist could be charged with a fourth-degree misdemeanor, and jailed up to 30 days.

That's why Vehr still opposes adding sexual orientation to the ordinance. But he said that's a separate issue.

"Article XII just went way too far. It's really bad for business. It separates out Cincinnati as being different, and not in a positive way, from other cities," he said. "If people are upset with laws adopted by City Council, they should change the City Council. We shouldn't change the city's constitution to prohibit people from even addressing the issue to City Council."

E-mail gkorte@enquirer.com