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Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Coffee and Talk with the Mayor
Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati
Mark Mallory discusses topics ranging from Nazis to the public libraries
Photo courtesy of here.
This morning, Mayor Mark Mallory met with The Cincinnati Beacon to discuss informally a wide ranging set of topics. I sat down with Mallory at The Coffee Shop on Madison, a new business in O’Bryonville featuring coffee beans that have never made it East of the Rocky Mountains until now. We talked about a variety of issues, from current events to the behind-the-scenes workings of political life.
The Nazis
This week, the Nazis have made a media buzz—with their attempted scheduling of a march through Over-The-Rhine on the anniversary of Hitler’s birthday. Some might even remember this January item by Kevin Osborne at the CityBeat blog.
Mallory does not think the two events are related.
He denies that the January meeting was designed to suppress information in the media. “We were aware of the group’s desire to do something in Cincinnati,” explained Mallory, “and we wanted to let the media know the best information we had. We left it up to the editors to decide if they wanted to pursue the issue. We just wanted to make sure the media had accurate information.”
That flow of information was different for this most recent situation. “The media actually got ahold of the information before I did,” explained Mallory. The result has been a lot of attention and speculation about the Nazi event—attention and speculation that could have been more productive, Mallory thinks, if there was a more comprehensive data flow from the City to the media.
During the campaign, Mallory promised to include alternative and independent media sources in his own information distribution strategies—and it’s true that Jason Barron, the Mayor’s media liaison, has always included bloggers and citizen reporters as well as corporate press in his distribution of press events and releases.
And meeting with The Cincinnati Beacon for coffee is just another way to keep channels of information open with a variety of sources.
Recess!
During the 2005 race, Mallory’s platform included a call to “end the chaos” at City Hall, calling on his record as a “consensus builder.” When some saw that Mallory’s strategy of ending chaos meant holding recess to conduct discussions out of public view, many criticized him for promoting back-door politics. Mallory disagrees with such characterizations.
“There are some situations where discussion gets difficult because not everyone has information,” explained Mallory. “Sometimes, when I recess, we’re waiting for information and data.”
Mallory offered a situation involving the Owensby family as another example.
When Mr. Owensby came to council, in an agitated state because he thought the City was giving him the run-around, Mallory called a recess. He characterizes such moves as “de-escalation moments.”
“I was able to talk with Mr. Owensby and calm him down,” said Mallory.
“Not every part of every discussion is going to be in a Council meeting,” he continued. “The process happens on different levels, and much work on issues happens before things get to the floor of council. That’s typical of legislative bodies.”
When asked if there was value in seeing different sides of an issue debated on the floor of council, Mallory rhetorically asked what debate has happened in this current council where the different sides were not made clear.
Marijuana
Mayor Mallory seemed surprised to hear about some of the statements made by Leslie Ghiz in a video interview we previously posted at The Beacon.
Mallory does not like the idea that a law would be unequally enforced from one neighborhood to another, and he wondered at the idea of Ghiz making such claims.
But more significantly, he seemed genuinely interested in learning more about alternative crime statistics as reported previously by Paul Green here at The Beacon. Green’s analysis contradicts the presentation given by the Police to the Law and Public Safety Committee Meeting.
Green’s data (which includes numbers and details) suggests that Part I crimes have increased by 4.4%. The Police slideshow says they have decreased by 3.7%, but no numbers are given to substantiate that conclusion.
Mallory asked that we forward him all data that we have gathered on this topic, so that he can investigate further. We will keep you posted.
NAACP, The Democrats, Mayoral Power
When asked what role he thought the new leadership of the NAACP should have with City Hall, and about Christopher Smitherman’s recent visits to Council and his letter about the Nazis, Mallory responded evenly.
“The issue of engaging leaders is nothing new,” said Mallory. Though the Mayor and Smitherman may have different strategies for achieving certain goals, the Mayor supports the goals of the NAACP and is open to working with that organization.
Given his image as a “consensus builder,” I asked what he thought about the apparent split in the Democratic Party—particularly the anger many people feel toward Jeff Berding, who seems to be contradicting to ideals of the Democrats.
Mallory declined to offer comment on the issue of Jeff Berding, or any other politicians in such a pointed manner. When asked if he had heard that Berding may challenge him in the 2009 race for Mayor, Mallory said, “I have heard lots will be running—but I need to focus in on the City. The reality of being mayor is that the work goes on ...”
When asked about his most significant accomplishments so far, Mallory said he has to have accomplishments just about every day. He disagrees with the notion that he has not been successful at advancing his agenda, citing the hiring of the City Manager and certain aspects of the budget process as just two examples indicative of success.
Literacy
When asked about the “Get Carded!” signs posted at the Pubic Libraries (signs featuring a picture of the Mayor with a library card), Mallory was eager to talk about libraries, and his own family’s history with promoting literacy.
“My father established a ‘Read Ohio’ initiative,” explained Mallory. He said Bob Taft copied the move for an expensive and less successful initiative called “Ohio Reads.” But one memory that stands out for Mallory is something called “Mallory Learning Seeds.”
He remembers his mother hand sewing bags (which later got mass produced) to include these “seeds”—which were really materials showing adults how to teach other adults to read. He says he sometimes still sees the red “Learning Seed” bags around town.
“I am a big promoter of literacy and education, especially for a generation acclimated to the internet,” said Mallory.
Despite the proliferation of data online, only a fraction of the information in the world is currently available on the internet. While useful, people cannot rely on the web for finding all their is to know—but the first step is creating an atmosphere where people learn to read.
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10 Apr 2007 at 03:03 pm | #
When I talked to Paul Green about this, he said that he had asked CPD for data on crimes involving guns, and that these gun crimes had gone up. CPD in their presentation gave stats on “Part I” crimes. These are crimes that the FBI uses to determine crime rates. These include muder, forcible rape (not statutory rape), robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, auto theft, and arson. As one can see, many of these are crimes that do not necessarily involve guns. Larceny, for example, can include bicycle theft or shoplifting.
The police did not include “Part II” crimes in their presentation. Some examples of Part II crimes are fraud, simple assault, forgery (including check forgery), vandalism, buying and receiving stolen property, statutory rape, indecent exposure, prostitition, drug abuse, gambling, non-payment of child support, DUI, and curfew violations. As one can see, these are crimes that do not involve guns. If the crime were forced upon the victim by the use of a gun, it would become a Part I crime.
Paul Green had the right approach. It was the threat of violent crime that was used as a justification for the enhanced penalties for marijuana, not the threat of shoplifting.
10 Apr 2007 at 08:21 pm | #
In the words of Eazy -E: Don’t quote me boy cuz I ain’t said shit.
Nice that you actually got him to sit down for a chat though. The Beacon at least tries to get more info than the Enquirer. That’s the shiznit.
11 Apr 2007 at 12:57 am | #
Dean,
Why didn’t you ask him why he lies about living in Mt Airy, NOT on Dayton St?
Why he and his family sold out the West End to CityLink?
/
11 Apr 2007 at 11:09 am | #
How does, where you had cofee, pertain to the discussion you had with the mayor? Doesn’t that qualify as advertising? Did you get free coffee in exchange for the Product/Business placement in the article? Does this mean you won’t be doing any investigative articles on the coffee business?
11 Apr 2007 at 11:35 am | #
I did not get free coffee. It is a new locally owned business.
11 Apr 2007 at 12:16 pm | #
“When asked about his most significant accomplishments so far, Mallory said he has to have accomplishments just about every day. He disagrees with the notion that he has not been successful at advancing his agenda, citing the hiring of the City Manager and certain aspects of the budget process as just two examples indicative of success.”
That’s it? Why didn’t he brag about his eradication of crime in OTR, as a result of his little walkabout, just days after Si Leis announced he would start patrolling OTR? Kind of makes you wonder why it wasn’t a priority before then.
There’s nothing here; he talks about what his daddy did, what his mommy did, and that he was able to assure Mr Owensby that the check was still coming; other than that he only taked about what he didn’t know.
11 Apr 2007 at 02:42 pm | #
JFD, why are you always such a prick? You act like you hate the Dean’s site but you are constantly on it. You must just enjoy making a fool of yourself but I thought you would slow down after he outed you.
11 Apr 2007 at 03:06 pm | #
now that lawdog admits he’s been high on drugs for 10 years, will his pal HONORABLE dale admit he’s also been spaced out most of his adult life?
12 Apr 2007 at 09:26 am | #
Hello 1/2 bro joe and judge! Nice to see that you’ve crawled out from under your rock. I’m glad to see you’re back because the discussions around here have been getting a little high-brow. It’s about time someone drags it back down to the gutter with childish insults, innuendo, and blatant lies.
12 Apr 2007 at 09:52 am | #
Fair Trade
“JFD, why are you always such a prick? You act like you hate the Dean’s site but you are constantly on it. You must just enjoy making a fool of yourself but I thought you would slow down after he outed you.”
What does this have to do with the article? You have hijacked the thread and that kind of divergence is frowned upon around here. Please stay on topic.
12 Apr 2007 at 12:34 pm | #
Oh,it’s Phoenicie!
How’s work with Weiland and crew? LaShawn workign out well, keeping the speed under a hunnert and the sauce hidden?
Dick treating you well with the loyalist, yes-man routines? Too bad Mayo can’t tell us he actually lives at the two parcels on Fairhill Drive. You are there a lot. You know.
Neighbors know. Drivers for Bill know. West End residents know. 907 Dayton is still in family as a stopover but the Mayo can’t ride his bike or walk from his real home on Fairhill due to distance.
West End get too hot for some people or just too eeffeen scary? Some j-thug utter the words ‘two slugs in the head and $200 and that’s justice in the West End’ once too often?
Scared someone else’s drug deals were gonna catch up and implicate you guys? Or just the protection rackets?
Blatant lies? Hell’s bells, slewfoot, you guys have them patented? Auditor’s web site will bear the lies your staff tells.Check Mallory on Fairhill. Sure bet. Childish? Why not, you guys have made it an art.
So just how much does being a yes-man pay these days? As much as when the campaign staff worked out of the back of j-thugs with Junebug,his half-brother Lawson and Cleveland’s buddies? Say hello to alter-man Joey Ramone and gang. Any more Christian hex letters left behind? Casting hate down on Pepper and Winburn? Ain’t no dead rockers in the statehouse.
12 Apr 2007 at 12:48 pm | #
Many Extra Mallory Foster Siblings - nice trash talk you’re spewing, all you did was cobble some rumors together and act like they’re factoids and you’re in the know-
12 Apr 2007 at 03:44 pm | #
[Editor’s Note: This comment is being removed because it was pointlessly offensive. Make your points without going totally over the top.]
12 Apr 2007 at 04:23 pm | #
I’ve noticed people, here and elsewhere, insulting the Mayor because he said the budget and the hiring of the manager were accomplishments.
Why are those two things so insignificant?
12 Apr 2007 at 05:50 pm | #
“pointlessly offensive”?
the mallory camp always cries about offensive comments.
the comments are always SPOT ON and true.
The POINT is the mallorys are masters of the big lie to cover their over the top and offensive lives.
tell the truth about where you live and don’t lie about the family tree.
13 Apr 2007 at 04:52 pm | #
dan p p says:
12 Apr 2007 at 01:44 pm | # [Editor’s Note: This comment is being removed because it was pointlessly offensive. Make your points without going totally over the top.]
Thanks dan p p, you just proved my point.
Dean, any chance you can email me that comment? I’d love to see what it said.
Oh and by the way, Many Extra Mallory Foster Siblings, I don’t work for Weiland and neither does Shawn, but again, thanks for proving my point about you not knowing what you’re talking about.
15 Apr 2007 at 10:07 am | #
“I’ve noticed people, here and elsewhere, insulting the Mayor because he said the budget and the hiring of the manager were accomplishments.”
If that’s all he has after a year and a half and you want to call it significant, then go ahead; me I’m not impressed.