CINCINNATI IS EMERGING FROM THE PANDEMIC AND THE CITY'S POPULATION IS ON THE RISE.

SO WHOSE VISION SHOULD LEAD THE QUEEN CITY FORWARD AS OUR NEXT MAYOR?

DAVID MANN OR AFTAB PUREVAL?

FROM CLEANING UP CORRUPTION AT CITY HALL TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND EQUITY, TONIGHT WE ARE GIVING YOU, THE VOTERS IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, A FINAL CHANCE TO HEAR THEIR IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE.

THIS IS THE FINAL CINCINNATI MAYORAL DEBATE.

MODERATING TONIGHT'S DEBATE HERE IS WVXU'S CINCINNATI EDITION HOST MICHAEL MONKS.

MONKS: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE FINAL TELEVISED CINCINNATI MAYORAL DEBATE.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING US ON 91.7 WVXU, CET/PBS CHANNEL 48 AND THE FACEBOOK PAGES OF WVXU, CET, AND THE CINCINNATI CHAMBER.

I'M MICHAEL MONKS HOST OF CINCINNATI EDITION ON WVXU FM.

IN COLLABORATION WITH CET, THE CINCINNATI USA REGIONAL CHAMBER WERE PLEASED TO BRING YOU AN EVENING WITH CINCINNATI'S TWO CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR: DAVID MANN AND AFTAB PUREVAL.

WELCOME MR. MANN AND MR. PUREVAL.

QUESTIONS IN TONIGHT'S DEBATE WILL COME FROM OUR WONDERFUL GROUP OF PANELISTS.

I'D LIKE TO WELCOME BECCA COSTELLO, WVXU'S LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPORTER.

UP NEXT IS RICKELL HOWARD SMITH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE CENTER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AT THE URBAN LEAGUE OF GREATER SOUTHWESTERN OHIO.

LASTLY, WE HAVE KATIE EAGAN, VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR THE CINCINNATI CHAMBER.

NOW LET'S GO OVER SOME GROUND RULES FOR TONIGHT'S DEBATE.

EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE 60 SECONDS TO PROVIDE AN INITIAL RESPONSE TO THEIR RESPECTIVE QUESTIONS.

THE OPPOSING CANDIDATE WILL RECEIVE 90 SECONDS FOR REBUTTAL, AND THEN A 30 SECOND FINAL REBUTTAL WILL BE GIVEN TO THE INITIAL CANDIDATE.

CANDIDATES WILL BE NOTIFIED BY OUR TIMEKEEPER WHEN 15 SECONDS REMAIN AND WHEN THE ALLOTTED TIME HAS EXPIRED.

IF THE OCCASION ARISES, I MAY ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.

WE'LL START WITH SHORT OPENING STATEMENTS.

IT WAS DECIDED BY COIN FLIP THAT MR. MANN WILL BE FIRST THIS EVENING.

LET'S GET STARTED.

MR. MANN.

MANN: MICHAEL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU TO WVXU, TO CET, AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER TONIGHT.

WE FACE A VERY IMPORTANT ELECTION IN 12 DAYS.

YOU PROBABLY ARE NOT COUNTING, BUT IT'S 12 DAYS FROM NOW.

I'M WEARING PINK TONIGHT BECAUSE, AND THIS IS AGAINST THE ADVICE OF MY CAMPAIGN MANAGER.

BUT THIS MONTH IS BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS MONTH.

OUR POLICE CHIEF, CHIEF ISAAC, OUR FIRE CHIEF, CHIEF WASHINGTON, HAVE BEEN WEARING PINK BADGES THIS MONTH.

AND TONIGHT I WEAR A PINK SHIRT PROUDLY.

AND THIS IS SIGNIFICANT TO MY FAMILY BECAUSE MY DEAR WIFE, BETSY, HAS SPENT MANY, MANY MONTHS GOING THROUGH A STEM CELL TRANSPLANT PROCESS.

AND TODAY, OUR DOCTOR TOLD US THAT TODAY SHE IS -- HER CANCER IS IN REMISSION.

A DAY OF GREAT CELEBRATION.

SHE HAS MULTIPLE MYELOMA, THE SAME DISEASE THAT TOOK COLIN POWELL.

SO SHE REMAINS IMMUNE SUPPRESSED AND REMAINS HOMEBOUND PENDING THE END OF COVID, OR A MUCH LOWER RATE OF PREVALENCE IN OUR SOCIETY.

SO IF YOU'LL EXCUSE ME FOR THAT PERSONAL MOMENT.

MY WIFE AND I ARE BOTH FROM NORTHERN KENTUCKY.

SINCE I GOT OUT OF LAW SCHOOL, WE HAVE LIVED IN CINCINNATI.

WE'VE RAISED THREE CHILDREN, FIVE GRANDCHILDREN, ALL ARE MEMBERS AND GRADUATES OF CPS.

I WENT TO COLLEGE, THANKS TO THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

AFTER I GRADUATED FROM HARVARD COLLEGE I PAID THE NAVY BACK, SPENT FOUR YEARS ON A DESTROYER IN THE ATLANTIC AND MEDITERRANEAN, THEN WENT BACK TO HARVARD LAW SCHOOL.

WHEN I CAME HERE, I JOINED DINSMORE & SHOHL.

PUBLIC SERVICE CALLED ME AND I SPENT 18 YEARS ON CITY COUNCIL, THREE YEARS AS MAYOR.

I WAS IN CONGRESS FOR TWO YEARS AND THEN I HAD A 20 YEAR BREAK IN SERVICE, ORGANIZED A LAW FIRM WITH MY SON, THE FIRM OF MANN AND MANN.

AND EIGHT YEARS AGO RETURNED AND HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS OF SERVING FIRST AS VICE MAYOR AND MOST RECENTLY AS CHAIR OF THE BUDGET FINANCE COMMITTEE.

MONKS: MAN.

MR. PUREVAL, YOUR OPENING STATEMENT.

PUREVAL: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND DAVID, THAT IS.

THAT IS A DAY TO CELEBRATE, AND I'M SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT NEWS.

SO HAPPY FOR YOU AND BETSY.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR PUTTING ON THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY, THIS FORMAT, THIS FORUM TO TALK TO YOU, THE CITIZENS OF CINCINNATI AT HOME.

MY NAME IS AFTAB PUREVAL AND I'M RUNNING FOR MAYOR.

I'M ALSO THE SON OF IMMIGRANTS.

MY PARENTS MET IN NEW DELHI, INDIA, IN COLLEGE AND DECIDED TO IMMIGRATE TO THE UNITED STATES.

THEY DECIDED TO COME TO OHIO IN 1980.

I WAS BORN A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER, WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEN OFF TO OHIO STATE.

I ATTENDED THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI COLLEGE OF LAW, WHERE I WORKED AT THE LEGAL AID DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CLINIC REPRESENTING SURVIVORS OF ABUSE WHO COULDN'T AFFORD AN ATTORNEY.

I'VE ALSO SERVED AS A SPECIAL ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY RIGHT HERE IN CINCINNATI, A FEDERAL PROSECUTOR.

AND MOST RECENTLY, I WAS THE GLOBAL BRAND ATTORNEY FOR OLAY AND COVERGIRL AT PROCTER & GAMBLE.

THEN PUBLIC SERVICE CALLED ME.

I RAN FOR THE HAMILTON COUNTY CLERK OF COURTS AND I WON.

BY WINNING, I BECAME THE FIRST DEMOCRAT IN A HUNDRED YEARS TO BE ELECTED TO THAT POSITION.

INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE REFORMS WE'VE PUT IN PLACE THERE, OF THE EFFICIENCY OF SAVING TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

I'M RUNNING FOR MAYOR BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A REALLY CHALLENGING YEAR, A CHALLENGING YEAR FOR SO MANY CINCINNATIANS.

I KNOW THAT PERSONALLY BECAUSE MY WIFE'S A DOCTOR.

SHE WORKS AT BETHESDA NORTH TREATING COVID PATIENTS EVERY DAY OF THIS PANDEMIC.

SOME OF THE DAYS SHE WINS THAT BATTLE, BUT TOO MANY DAYS SHE LOSES.

WE'VE ALL LOST.

SOME OF US HAVE LOST OUR HOMES, OUR JOBS, OUR LOVED ONES.

ON TOP OF THAT, SEVERAL INDICTMENTS ON CITY COUNCIL, A SPIKE IN VIOLENCE.

IT'S A REALLY DIFFICULT TIME RIGHT NOW, BUT I'M RUNNING BECAUSE I BELIEVE OUR BEST DAYS ARE AHEAD OF US.

I BELIEVE CINCINNATI RISES WHEN THE DECK IS STACKED AGAINST US.

AND WE NEED NEW LEADERSHIP TO TURN THE PAGE ON THIS UGLY CHAPTER AND PUSH OUR CITY FORWARD.

THANK YOU.

MONKS: THANK YOU, MR. PUREVAL.

AND NOW WE WILL GET INTO SOME QUESTIONS AND OUR FIRST COMES FROM RICKELL SMITH.

SMITH: THANK YOU.

MONKS: I'M SORRY, I SHOULD SUGGEST THAT THIS IS DIRECTED AT MR. MANN WHO WILL HAVE 60 SECONDS TO ANSWER.

MY APOLOGIES FOR THAT.

SMITH: MR. MANN, A BROOKINGS INSTITUTION STUDY FOUND THAT CINCINNATI HAS A SMALLER BLACK MIDDLE CLASS POPULATION COMPARED TO OTHER METRO CITIES.

CINCINNATI ALSO RANKED IN THE BOTTOM HALF OF METRO CITIES IN BLACK HOMEOWNERSHIP RATES.

WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO AS MAYOR TO ADDRESS THIS AND MAKE CINCINNATI AN ECONOMICALLY INCLUSIVE CITY FOR BLACK RESIDENTS?

MANN: I'M FAMILIAR WITH THOSE STATISTICS, AND THEY ARE CONFIRMED BY THE REPORT THAT THE URBAN LEAGUE PRODUCED IN 2015 DOCUMENTING IN GREAT DETAIL THE REALITY THAT CINCINNATI IS A TALE OF TWO CITIES: ONE BLACK, ONE WHITE, WITH DRAMATIC DIFFERENCES IN TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT, IN TERMS OF INCOME, IN TERMS OF PERSONAL WEALTH, HOMEOWNERSHIP, CHILDHOOD POVERTY, INFANT MORTALITY.

THE ONE THAT TROUBLES ME THE MOST IS LIFE EXPECTANCY.

AS PEOPLE SHOULD UNDERSTAND, A BABY BORN TONIGHT FROM A FAMILY IN AVONDALE CAN BE EXPECTED TO LIVE 20 YEARS LESS THAN A BABY BORN TONIGHT FROM NORTH AVONDALE, TWO NEIGHBORHOODS THAT SIT SIDE BY SIDE.

THAT DRAMATICALLY EMPHASIZES THE REALITY THAT POVERTY AND ALL THE DISPARITIES IN OUR SOCIETY IMPACT SO MUCH OF LIFE FOR BLACK CITIZENS IN CINCINNATI.

AND THOSE STATISTICS, COMPARING US WITH WHAT WE MIGHT CALL PEER CITIES, ARE VERY, VERY TROUBLING.

YOU KNOW, TIME'S UP.

IT'S TIME FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND THE NEXT MAYOR TO MAKE SURE, IT'S TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO HIGHER PRIORITY THAN REMOVING THOSE DISPARITIES AND ACHIEVING THE DAY WHEN WE ARE BUT ONE CITY, BLACK AND WHITE SIDE BY SIDE, WITH EQUAL DEMOGRAPHIC STATISTICS.

MONKS: THANK YOU, MR. MANN.

MR. PUREVAL, YOU HAVE 90 SECONDS.

PUREVAL: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

IT'S SO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, AND I'M SO GLAD THAT IT'S OUR FIRST QUESTION.

BECAUSE CINCINNATI, DESPITE THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE SHORT TERM, CONTINUES TO BE INCREDIBLY SEGREGATED.

WE ARE A SEGREGATED CITY, SEGREGATED BY RACE, SEGREGATED BY WEALTH.'

AND THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURNS OF BOTH 2008 AND MOST RECENTLY 2020 HAS SHOWN US THAT OUR BLACK COMMUNITY DISPROPORTIONATELY FEELS THE BRUNT OF THAT, DUE TO THAT SEGREGATION AND DUE TO THAT SYSTEMIC RACISM.

I'VE GOT A BLACK AGENDA AND IT CAN BE SUMMED UP WITH ONE WORD: OWNERSHIP.

WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN AS A CITY TO ENCOURAGE MORE BLACK OWNERSHIP OF HOMES, MORE BLACK OWNERSHIP OF NEIGHBORHOODS, AND MORE BLACK OWNERSHIP OF BUSINESSES.

AND I'VE GOT A PLAN FOR IT, A COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN THAT CALLS FOR CONTINUING TO INVEST IN IMPORTANT PARTNERS WHO ARE DOING THE WORK OF SUPPORTING BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO CAPITAL, LIKE THE MINORITY BUSINESS ACCELERATOR AT THE CHAMBER, LIKE THE URBAN LEAGUE, AND LIKE THE NAACP AND THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHAMBER.

BUT WE HAVE TO DO MORE THAN THAT.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IS A PRIORITY IN OUR CITY CONTRACTING.

MAKING SURE THAT WE LOWER THE BARRIERS TO ENTRY FOR BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES TO BE VENDORS, NOT JUST IN CONSTRUCTION, BUT ALSO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.

AND WE'VE GOT TO LEVERAGE THE INCREDIBLE STRENGTH WE HAVE IN OUR FORTUNE 500S TO PARTNER WITH OUR LOCAL BLACK BUSINESSES SO THAT WE CAN FIND SYNERGIES AND UPLIFT EVERYONE.

THOSE ARE JUST THREE VERY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF HOW WE CAN DO IT, AND THERE'S EVEN MORE IN MY PLAN.

THANK YOU.

MONKS: MR. MANN, YOU HAVE 30 ADDITIONAL SECONDS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE THEM.

MANN: I WOULD ASK YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT MY RECORD, PARTICULARLY IN RECENT YEARS AS CHAIR OF THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.

I'M SO PROUD OF THE MONEY WE WERE ABLE TO DEVOTE TO BLACK ORGANIZATIONS, ORGANIZATIONS DEVOTED TO IMPROVING THE ECONOMIC SITUATION OF BLACK BUSINESSES AND CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT I'M PROUD OF, SOME 80% OF OUR LARGE BUDGET IS MANAGED BY DIRECTORS WHO ARE AFRICAN AMERICANS.

SO THE CITY OF CINCINNATI HAS ACHIEVED SOMETHING GREAT IN TERMS OF PLACING RESPONSIBILITY WITH BLACK EMPLOYEES.

MONKS: THANK YOU, MR. MANN.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT QUESTION, AND THIS ONE COMES FROM BECCA COSTELLO FROM WVXU.

COSTELLO: GOOD EVENING.

DESPITE COUNCIL'S ACTION A FEW YEARS AGO TO ESTABLISH AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND, CITY OFFICIALS HAVE SO FAR NOT DEDICATED A REGULAR REVENUE SOURCE FOR THAT FUND.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST CONTINUOUS REVENUE SOURCE FOR THE HOUSING FUND SO THAT IT CAN ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS ESTABLISHED WHEN IT WAS CREATED?

MONKS: YEAH, AND THIS QUESTION GOES TO MR. PUREFALL FIRST, YOU HAVE 60 SECONDS.

PUREVAL: I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU.

UNFORTUNATELY, RIGHT NOW, OUR CITY LEADERS DON'T HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

AND I SEE IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I SEE THE DISASTROUS EFFECTS OF THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY IN EVICTION COURT, WHERE PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC ARE BEING EVICTED.

AND BACK TO THE FIRST QUESTION, BY THE WAY, WE ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY EVICTING BLACK MOTHERS.

THIS IS A CHALLENGE.

IN ORDER TO -- IN ORDER TO FUND THE TRUST FUND, WE'VE GOT TO PRIORITIZE PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS, OUR UNIVERSITIES, OUR HOSPITALS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE A REAL COMMITMENT TO FUND THE TRUST FUND.

BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER STRATEGIES THAT DON'T COST ANY MONEY, LIKE REFORMING OUR TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM.

RIGHT NOW, A VAST MAJORITY OF OUR TAX INCENTIVES ARE CONCENTRATED IN THE THREE WEALTHIEST NEIGHBORHOODS AT THE EXPENSE OF NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE PRICE HILL AND BOND HILL.

RIGHT NOW, OUR ZONING CODE, WE'VE GOT TO REFORM OUR ZONING CODE BECAUSE IT'S FROM AN ANTIQUATED ERA AND IT PREVENTS MULTIFAMILY UNITS FROM BEING BUILT AND IT HAS STRICT PARKING REQUIREMENTS.

THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT ARE HOLDING US BACK FROM INCREASING SUPPLY AND ALSO THEY DON'T COST ANY MONEY.

MONKS: THANK YOU, MR. PUREVALL.

MR. MANN, YOU HAVE 90 SECONDS.

MANN: I'VE BEEN ONE OF THE LEADERS ON CITY COUNCIL THE LAST FOUR YEARS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

IT WAS MY LEGISLATION THAT CREATED THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND.

IT WAS MY LEGISLATION THAT CREATED A DEDICATED STREAM OF INCOME, THE TAX ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS, AIRBNBS.

AND DURING THE PANDEMIC THAT DID NOT PRODUCE MUCH REVENUE, BUT WE JUST LEARNED LAST WEEK THAT FOR THE FIRST MONTH OF THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING JULY 1, ONE MONTH, IT GENERATED $200,000 DEDICATED TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND.

IN THE BUDGET THAT WE ADOPTED THIS YEAR WE SET ASIDE $19 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND INITIATIVES.

SOME OF IT GOES TO THE PORT, OTHERS GOES TO OTHER ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE CITY, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

RECENTLY, AT THE REQUEST AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE CITY MANAGER, WE CREATED A HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD THAT INCLUDES SOME REALLY TOP NOTCH PEOPLE.

FORMER MAYOR, VICE MAYOR ROXANNE QUALLS IS ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THE GROUP.

GREG LANDSMAN HAS BEEN APPOINTED.

THIS GROUP IS BEING ASKED TO CREATE AN EFFECTIVE, DOABLE PLAN TO BRING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO OUR CITY.

WE HAVE BORROWED $34 MILLION FROM THE HUD TO CREATE A REVOLVING LOAN FUND.

WE'VE ASKED THE CINCINNATI DEVELOPMENT FUND TO MANAGE THAT FOR US, SO WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS.

SO I THINK THAT WE'RE IN A VERY GOOD PLACE.

WE HAVE A LOT TO DO AND WE HAVE TO INCLUDE PRIVATE PARTNERS, WE HAVE TO INCLUDE THE PRIVATE SECTOR, FINANCIAL PARTNERS, AND THE LIKE.

MONKS: THANK YOU, MR. MANN.

MR. PUREVAL, YOU HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 30 SECONDS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE.

PUREVAL: YEAH, FOLKS, THIS IS A LEGITIMATE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MR. MANN AND I. I DON'T, I DISAGREE.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE IN A VERY GOOD SPOT.

I THINK A LOT OF FAMILIES, PARTICULARLY DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, ARE REALLY STRUGGLING AND STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

I TALKED FROM MY AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLAN ABOUT MY SPECIFIC IDEAS ABOUT REFORMING ZONING, ABOUT REFORMING TAX ABATEMENTS, WHICH ARE COMPLETELY UNFAIR.

BUT WE ALSO LOSE TRACK -- LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT 60% OF OUR CITIZENS ARE RESIDENTS.

THEY'RE NOT EVEN OWNERS.

SO WE HAVE TO BALANCE THE EQUITIES IN EVICTION COURT.

WE NEED A FULL TIME HOUSING COURT, ONE JUDGE TO HOLD BAD OUT-OF- TOWN LANDLORDS ACCOUNTABLE AND ONE JUDGE TO WORK WITH LEGACY COMMUNITIES.

MONKS: THANK YOU FOR THAT, MR. PUREVAL.

AND FOR OUR NEXT QUESTION, WE MOVE ON TO KATIE EAGAN FROM THE CINCINNATI CHAMBER.

AND THIS QUESTION WILL BEGIN WITH MR. MANN.

EAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. MANN.

THE CINCINNATI CHAMBER RECENTLY RELEASED EMBRACING GROWTH, A DATA DRIVEN REPORT FOCUSED ON HOUSING, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY A CRITICAL ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AS MAYOR, WILL YOU SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT WILL PROVIDE FOR ADDITIONAL DENSITY IN HOUSING AND THROUGHOUT CINCINNATI NEIGHBORHOODS?

AND HOW WILL YOU BALANCE THE SOMETIMES COMPETING VOICES TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE BOTH NEIGHBORHOOD AND -- NEIGHBORHOOD GOALS, EXCUSE ME, AND EMBRACE GROWTH?

MANN: THANKS, KATIE.

AND BY THE WAY, I FIND THAT PLAN, THAT STUDY VERY GOOD, VERY THOROUGH.

I'VE READ IT IN DETAIL SEVERAL TIMES.

AND ONE OF ITS PRINCIPAL CONCLUSIONS IS THAT MORE HOUSING AT ANY LEVEL, ANY INCOME LEVEL, BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY.

BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE MORE HOUSING THAT TAKES LESS PRESSURE ON THE HOUSING THAT'S AVAILABLE, THAT'S NUMBER ONE.

THE CITY IS ACTUALLY CONDUCTING A DENSITY STUDY, THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

THIS WAS AN INITIATIVE OF COUNCILMEMBER KEATING.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS ACTUALLY REVIEWING CHANGING SOME OF THE RULES IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH RESPECT TO WHAT THE DENSITY LIMITATIONS ARE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSING.

ALSO TO PERMIT THE CONSTRUCTION OF SECONDARY BUILDINGS ON A LOT, AUXILIARY DWELLINGS, THEY'RE CALLED.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

IT'S UNDERWAY AND I EXPECT THOSE CHANGES TO TAKE PLACE.

THEY MUST BE DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING, WE DON'T WANT TO DO DAMAGE TO A NEIGHBORHOOD AS WE MOVE TO IMPROVE THE DENSITY RULES AS THEY MIGHT AFFECT HOUSING CONSTRUCTION.

MONKS: THANK YOU, MR. MANN.

AND MR. PUREVAL, YOU HAVE 90 SECONDS.

PUREVAL: YEAH, THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT QUESTION BECAUSE RIGHT NOW OUR POLICIES AND LAWS ARE ARTIFICIALLY KEEPING OUR SUPPLY OF HOUSING DOWN, WHICH IS ARTIFICIALLY MAKING RENTS AND PROPERTIES SKYROCKET.

AND OF COURSE, THE SOLUTION TO THIS IS WORKING WITH EACH NEIGHBORHOOD AND TALKING ABOUT A PLAN FOR WHAT THEY WANT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD TO LOOK LIKE.

IT HAS TO BE COMMUNITY LED AND IT HAS TO BE COMMUNITY DEVELOPED.

AND IF I'M LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE MAYOR, THAT'S EXACTLY THE STRATEGY THAT I'LL EMPLOY.

BUT ONCE WE GET BUY IN FROM THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR EXISTING LAWS AND POLICIES AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE SUPPORTING MORE HOUSING AND NOT LESS.

AND AGAIN, THE CHAMBER'S OWN REPORT POINTED TO THE ZONING CODE.

THE ZONING CODE IS REALLY FROM THE 1950S, CREATING A CITY THAT I DON'T THINK ANY OF US WANT TO LIVE IN.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR DENSITY.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR DIVERSITY.

WE'RE LOOKING TO TAKE DOWN THE INVISIBLE WALLS OF SEGREGATION.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, TOO OFTEN IT'S OUR ZONING CODE THAT HAS PROHIBITIONS ON MULTIFAMILY UNITS BEING BUILT, THAT HAS REQUIREMENTS FOR PARKING THAT IS PUTTING A STRANGLEHOLD ON LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ON HOMEOWNERS.

OUR CITY LEADERS HAVE BEEN ANTAGONISTIC TOWARDS AIRBNBS AND OTHER INNOVATIVE IDEAS, LIKE AUXILIARY DWELLING UNITS.

IF I'M ELECTED MAYOR, I'LL BE LOOKING FOR INNOVATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONS TO CREATE MORE SUPPLY OF HOUSING, NOT LESS.

MONKS: THANK YOU, MR. PUREVAL.

WE HAVE 30 SECONDS FOR MR. MANN.

MANN: LET ME JUST MAKE TWO IMPORTANT POINTS.

NUMBER ONE, IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT NEIGHBORHOODS TODAY AND WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, IT'S JUST NOT TRUE THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF NEW HOUSING.

MADISONVILLE, COLLEGE HILL, MOUNT AUBURN, WALNUT HILLS, NORTHSIDE, THE LIST JUST GOES ON AND ON AND ON.

MANY DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE'RE NOT -- WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT COLLABORATION WITH, SUPPORT FROM, AND INCENTIVES PROVIDED BY THE CITY.

SECONDLY, WE'VE GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL WE DON'T DO DAMAGE TO NEIGHBORHOODS AS WE CHANGE THE ZONING RULES THAT APPLY.

MONKS: THANK YOU, MR. MANN.

RICKELL HOWARD SMITH IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AT THE URBAN LEAGUE OF GREATER SOUTHWESTERN OHIO.

AND RICKELL, YOU HAVE OUR NEXT QUESTION AND THIS WILL BE DIRECTED TO MR. PUREVAL.

SMITH: MR. PUREVAL, I WANT TO TRANSITION TO TALK ABOUT THE OPERATIONS OF OUR CITY GOVERNMENT.

IN JUNE 2021, OUR CITY COUNCIL PASSED A MOTION TO CREATE A TASK FORCE THAT WOULD DEVELOP A DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND ACCESSIBILITY POLICY FOR THE CITY.

AS MAYOR, DO YOU PLAN TO PRIORITIZE CREATION OF THIS POLICY?

AND IF SO, WHAT CRITICAL ISSUES WILL YOU ADDRESS IN THAT POLICY?

PUREVAL: ABSOLUTELY, YES, LET ME BE CLEAR.

AGAIN, I WOULD POINT YOU TO MY ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN AND SPECIFICALLY IDEAS ABOUT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT OUR BLACK COMMUNITY AND CREATE MORE WEALTH, SPECIFICALLY IN OUR BLACK MIDDLE CLASS.

IT'S A SHAME THAT I STARTED AT PROCTER AND GAMBLE WITH SEVERAL OTHER LAWYERS OF COLOR, AND MANY OF THEM HAVE LEFT THE COMPANY.

THEY'VE LEFT FOR CHICAGO, FOR THE WEST COAST, FOR THE EAST COAST.

WE ARE LOSING DIVERSE YOUNG TALENT AND WE'VE GOT TO GET THIS RIGHT.

IN ORDER TO DO THAT, I BELIEVE WE NEED TO MAKE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION A PRIORITY WHEN WE'RE DOING OUR CITY CONTRACTING.

RIGHT NOW, ONLY 17% OF CITY CONTRACTING GOES TO WOMEN OWNED AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES.

I BELIEVE WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT BY LOWERING THE BARRIERS OF ENTRY, ALLOWING MORE BLACK AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES TO BE CERTIFIED TO DO CONTRACTING WITH THE CITY, BY BREAKING UP OUR CITY CONTRACTS, SO THAT THEY'RE NOT MASSIVE AND TOO BIG FOR OUR SMALLER BUSINESSES, AND BY PAYING OUR BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES AND CONTRACTORS MORE QUICKLY SO THAT THEY'RE NOT PROVIDING THE CITY WITH AN INTEREST FREE LOAN.

MONKS: MR. MANN, YOU HAVE 90 SECONDS TO RESPOND TO THE QUESTION.

MANN: I THINK YOUR QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE MOTION THAT COUNCIL PASSED IN JUNE.

IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT INITIATIVE.

I SUPPORT IT AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COME OUT OF THIS TASK FORCE.

THE CITY, LIKE SO MANY COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY, FACES A CHALLENGING MOMENT IF WE'RE GOING TO RESPOND TO WHAT HAPPENED IN OUR SOCIETY LAST YEAR.

I THINK IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITIES LIKE OURS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO SAY, "TIME'S UP.

IT CAN NO LONGER BE THAT WE HAVE BLACK AND WHITE CITIZENS TREATED DIFFERENTLY."

I'M TIRED OF THAT.

WE SHOULD ALL BE TIRED OF IT.

AND ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THAT IS THROUGH DOING MORE TO EXTEND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINORITY CONTRACTORS TO HAVE CITY BUSINESS.

AND THERE ARE TWO PROVISIONS IN CITY LAW THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS.

ONE IS CALLED A PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT.

THE OTHER IS CALLED RESPONSIBLE BIDDER.

THESE TWO DEVICES MAKE SURE THAT THE PLAYING FIELD IS NOT LEVEL.

AND YOU TALK TO ALBERT SMITHERMAN, MEL GRAVELY, OR ANY OTHER ANY NUMBER OF OTHER BLACK CONTRACTORS, AND THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT WHAT THIS MEANS AS A PRACTICAL MATTER IS THAT THE BUSINESS THAT THEY CAN BID FOR IS LIMITED BECAUSE IT FAVORS UNIONS.

I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH UNIONS, BUT I WANT WHATEVER RULES WE ESTABLISH NOT TO DISADVANTAGE MINORITY CONTRACTORS, AND THESE RULES DO.

THAT HAS TO CHANGE, MONKS: AND WE HAVE 30 ADDITIONAL SECONDS FOR MR. PUREVAL.

PUREVAL: YEAH, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A VERY CLEAR AREA WHERE MR. MANN AND I DISAGREE.

I THINK WE ALL WANT BETTER JOBS WITH BETTER WAGES AND BETTER BENEFITS.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT RESPONSIBLE BIDDER AND PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS DO.

AND PITTING WORKING FAMILIES AGAINST OUR BLACK CONTRACTORS I JUST FIND OFFENSIVE.

IF WE WANT TO WALK THE WALK AND TALK THE TALK OF HIGHER WAGES, OF BETTER BENEFITS, OF APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, THEN ALL OF US SHOULD BE SUPPORTING THE RESPONSIBLE BIDDER ORDINANCE AND PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS.

AND THE REASON I KNOW THAT IS BECAUSE UP UNTIL THIS YEAR, WHEN MR MANN'S BEEN TRYING TO GET REPUBLICAN VOTERS, HE SUPPORTED IT.

MONKS: AND BECCA COSTELLO IS WVXU'S LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPORTER AND HAS OUR NEXT QUESTION.

AND WE'LL DIRECT THIS ONE TO MR. MANN TO START.

COSTELLO: RECENTLY CITY COUNCIL PASSED AN ORDINANCE ASKING THE CITY MANAGER TO DEVELOP A NEW COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT POLICY.

A SIMILAR MOTION WAS PASSED SIX YEARS AGO, BUT NEVER IMPLEMENTED.

HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE CITY'S CURRENT EFFORTS TO INVOLVE CINCINNATIANS IN IMPORTANT DECISIONS?

AND HOW WOULD YOU IMPROVE CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT?

MANN: WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT REALLY MEANS.

WHEN THE CITY DECIDES TO DO ANYTHING THAT IMPACTS A NEIGHBORHOOD OR AN INTEREST -- STAKEHOLDER INTEREST IN OUR CITY, FOR US TO MAKE GOOD POLICY, WE HAVE TO ENGAGE WITH THOSE THAT MIGHT BE CONCERNED.

I'VE SPENT MY CAREER AT CITY HALL DEVOTING MUCH TIME ENGAGING WITH NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY GROUPS, NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS, AND THE LIKE.

LAST TERM I WAS CHAIR OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE.

WE PUT MORE MONEY INTO SUPPORTING COMMUNITY COUNCILS THAN WE HAD IN A LONG TIME.

JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, WHEN FC CINCINNATI, JUST ACROSS THE STREET, WAS CONSTRUCTED, IT CAME WITH A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT THAT I REQUIRED BEFORE COUNCIL VOTED TO SUPPORT FC CINCINNATI.

THERE WAS A WEEKEND NEGOTIATION BETWEEN FC CINCINNATI AND THE WEST END COMMUNITY COUNCIL WITH AN ATTORNEY THAT I REQUIRED FC CINCINNATI TO PROVIDE.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THE WEST END GOT PARTICULAR VALUABLE BENEFITS FOR CITIZENS, FOR ITS YOUTH, AND FOR ITS BUSINESSES.

THAT'S REAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MONKS: MR. PUREVAL, WE HAVE 60 SECONDS FOR YOU.

PUREVAL: LET ME ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT FOR THE CITY TO ENGAGE IN MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

LOOK, THE PANDEMIC HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR ALL OF US TO ENGAGE IN PERSON, FOR ALL OF US TO CHAT AND TO CONNECT.

BUT IT'S ALSO USHERED IN A LOT OF INNOVATION, WHETHER IT'S FACETIME OR ZOOM.

THERE'S A LOT OF TOOLS NOW AT THE CITY'S DISPOSAL TO ENGAGE WITH CITIZENS, NO MATTER WHETHER -- NO MATTER WHETHER THEY CAN LEAVE THEIR HOMES OR NOT.

I WOULD MEAN TO PRIORITIZE THAT KIND OF INNOVATION AND USE THOSE FORMATS TO ENGAGE MORE WITH THE COMMUNITY, NOT LESS.

I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT MY TRACK RECORD AS THE CLERK OF COURTS SHOWS YOU THAT I'M REALLY COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

I'M PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WHEN I'M IN A NEIGHBORHOOD KNOCKING ON DOORS OR AT A CHURCH FESTIVAL OR AT AN EVENT AT A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION, IT'S RARELY THE FIRST TIME THAT I'M THERE.

BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE BEST WAY FOR OUR LEADERS TO UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES OF OUR CITIZENS, THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF OUR CITIZENS, IS TO GO OUT THERE AND MEET THEM.

CITY HALL IS A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE A FORTRESS.

YOU'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH METAL DETECTORS TO ACTUALLY TALK TO YOUR PUBLIC SERVANTS.

I WANT TO BE THE KIND OF MAYOR THAT IS OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY, NOT HIDING AWAY IN CITY HALL.

THAT'S THE KIND OF ENGAGEMENT THAT I'VE DONE AS CLERK OF COURTS, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT IF I'M ELECTED MAYOR MONKS: AND WE HAVE 30 SECONDS FOR REBUTTAL FROM MR. MANN.

MANN: THE LAST TIME I WENT TO THE COURTHOUSE, I HAD TO GO THROUGH THE METAL DETECTOR, SO IT SEEMS PREVALENT TO PROTECT OUR HARDWORKING CIVIL SERVANTS.

BUT BASICALLY, WE USED TO HAVE A DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, WHICH IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE CITY FAMILY OF DEPARTMENTS.

IT NOW IS, AND IT HAS BEEN FOR SOME MONTHS, THE DEPARTMENT OF CITY PLANNING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE OUR CITY MANAGER, LONG BEFORE THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU REFERENCED, IS DEVOTED TO MAKING SURE THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST FOR COMMUNITY DIRECTORS AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS INVOLVING NEIGHBORHOODS AND PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES.

MONKS: AND KATIE EAGAN IS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AT THE CINCINNATI CHAMBER AND HAS OUR NEXT QUESTION, WHICH WE WILL DIRECT TO MR. PUREVAL.

EAGAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

HAMILTON COUNTY VOTERS PASSED ISSUE 7 IN THE SPRING OF 2020.

AND WHEN ISSUE 7 PASSED, IT ENVISIONED BUS, EXCUSE ME, BUS RAPID TRANSIT IN AT LEAST ONE CORRIDOR OF OUR CITY.

AS MAYOR., HOW WILL YOU ENSURE THAT THIS HAPPENS AND WHAT WILL YOU DO TO ENSURE THAT THIS PROJECT IS SUCCESSFUL?

PUREVAL: I WAS PROUD TO SUPPORT ISSUE 7 BECAUSE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS NOT ONLY CRITICAL TO OUR CURRENT RESIDENTS, BUT IS ALSO CRITICAL FOR THE FUTURE GROWTH OF CINCINNATI.

COMMUNITIES AND CITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE CONNECTED THAT ARE 15 MINUTE CITIES, THAT YOU CAN GET IN AND AROUND THE CITY, TO YOUR PLACE OF WORK, TO YOUR PLACE OF WORSHIP, TO YOUR PLACE OF LIVING WITHIN 15 MINUTES, THOSE ARE THE CITIES THAT ARE GROWING.

THOSE ARE THE CITIES THAT ARE DESTINATIONS FOR YOUNG, DIVERSE FAMILIES.

AND ISSUE 7 HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE THAT KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE HERE IN CINCINNATI.

BUT IF I'M LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ELECTED MAYOR, IT WILL BE UP TO ME TO ENSURE THAT RACIAL EQUITY IS ALSO PRIORITIZED WHEN WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT THESE ROUTES.

I'VE HEARD HORROR STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE WORKING ON THE WEST SIDE, EXCUSE ME, LIVING ON THE WEST SIDE, TRYING TO GET TO MADISONVILLE AND TAKING ALL DAY IN ORDER TO GET TO THEIR JOB AND BACK.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR TO THEIR JOBS AND ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES INTERCONNECTED WITHIN OUR CITY.

MONKS: AND WE HAVE 90 SECONDS FOR YOU, MR. MANM.

EXCUSE ME, 60 -- 90 SECONDS, THAT'S CORRECT.

MANN: ISSUE 7 WAS A VERY IMPORTANT, VERY EXCITING EXAMPLE OF POSITIVE COLLABORATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT, POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

WITHOUT THAT COLLABORATION, WHICH CAME AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF STUDY, SEVERAL YEARS OF CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW CAN WE BEST ADDRESS THE LACK OF TRANSPORTATION THAT CONNECTS THIS COMMUNITY AS IT SHOULD.

THAT LED TO ISSUE 7, WHICH WOULDN'T HAVE PASSED WITHOUT THAT PROCESS OF COLLABORATION, WOULDN'T HAVE PASSED WITHOUT INVOLVEMENT OF ALL STAKEHOLDERS.

AND WHAT THIS COMMUNITY DID WAS TO, ON THE ONE HAND, APPROVE A REDUCTION IN THE EARNINGS TAX FROM 2.1% TO 1.8%.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THAT WAS THERE WAS AN IMPLICIT UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WOULD BE NO SUGGESTION OF INCREASING THE EARNINGS TAX FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

AND THE TRADE OFF WAS WE HAD AGREED TO INCREASE THE SALES TAX TO SUPPORT COUNTY WIDE TRANSPORTATION, A COMBINATION OF SUPPORT FOR TRANSPORTATION, MUCH IMPROVED, ON THE ONE HAND, AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN THE CITY, AND THE COUNTY ALONG THE TRANSPORTATION ROUTES.

AND WE'VE ALREADY SEEN SOME COMMITMENTS MADE ABOUT THE WESTERN HILLS VIADUCT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE CITY'S PRIORITIES.

BUT I WANT TO COME BACK TO THE EARNINGS TAX.

ONE OF THE CLEAR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MR. PUREVAL AND ME IS I AM COMMITTED TO OPPOSE ANY SUGGESTION THAT THE EARNINGS TAX BE INCREASED.

BECAUSE WE MADE A DEAL WITH THE VOTERS OF THIS COMMUNITY THAT IT WOULD NOT BE INCREASED FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

HE HAS NOT BEEN WILLING TO MAKE THAT PLEDGE.

MONKS: AND MR. PUREVAL, YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS.

PUREVAL: YEAH, THAT'S JUST SIMPLY NOT TRUE.

I THINK IT'S A BAD IDEA TO RAISE THE EARNINGS TAX IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC.

I THINK RAISING TAXES IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC IS A BAD IDEA.

FAMILIES RIGHT NOW ARE STRUGGLING, BUT PARTICULARLY OUR FAMILIES OF COLOR.

IF YOU'RE BLACK, YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO GET COVID.

IF YOU GET IT, YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO DIE FROM IT.

IF YOU HAVE A BLACK OWNED BUSINESS, IT'S MORE LIKELY TO SHUTTER.

RAISING TAXES RIGHT NOW IS A BAD IDEA DURING THIS PANDEMIC FOR OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, AND ALSO FOR OUR FUTURE COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO CREATE THE KIND OF ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT THAT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO MOVE HERE AND TO STAY HERE.

MONKS: OKAY, LET'S GO BACK TO RICKELL HOWARD SMITH OF THE CENTER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AT THE URBAN LEAGUE OF GREATER SOUTHWESTERN OHIO.

YOU HAVE THE NEXT QUESTION WHICH YOU CAN DIRECT TO MR. MANN.

SMITH: MR. MANN, HOW WOULD YOU DEPLOY TAX INCENTIVES TO ENSURE NEW DEVELOPMENT AND JOBS IN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE AVONDALE, EVANSTON, ROSELAND, AND BOND HILL?

MANN: THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF TAX INCENTIVES.

A NUMBER ONE, AND THIS IS THE ONE THAT GIVES THE MOST HEARTBURN TO FOLKS, IS THAT WE DO HAVE A PROGRAM FOR RESIDENTIAL RENOVATION OR RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION, 1-4 UNITS.

AND THERE ARE RULES THAT ALLOW YOU TO QUALIFY FOR TAX ABATEMENT.

IF YOU QUALIFY, IT'S GRANTED.

THE RULES WERE REVIEWED LAST YEAR AND WE CUT BACK QUITE A BIT ON THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF AN IMPROVEMENT THAT WAS SUBJECT TO BEING ABATED AND THE PERIOD THAT IT COULD BE ABATED.

SO THERE WAS THAT CHANGE.

AND WE ARE LOOKING NOW AT FUNDING A STUDY TO REVIEW THE POINTS THAT ARE BEING RAISED BY LITIGATION BROUGHT FORWARD BY BOB NEUMAN THAT POSES THE QUESTION: HAS THIS HAD A -- HAS OUR SYSTEM HAD AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL IMPACT RACIALLY BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOODS?

THAT'S ONE KIND OF ABATEMENT.

THE OTHER KIND OF ABATEMENT IS WE SUPPORT LARGER PROJECTS AND WE LOOK AT THEM VERY CAREFULLY, ONE BY ONE TO DECIDE WHETHER IT GIVES THE CITY SOMETHING IT WANTS.

IF IT DOES, WE PROVIDE INCENTIVES.

IF NOT, WE DON'T.

MONKS: AND MR. PUREVAL.

PUREVAL: LET ME ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY.

WE'RE NOT DOING NEARLY ENOUGH TO INCENTIVIZE DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH SPECIFICALLY IN OUR BLACK COMMUNITIES.

OUR TAX INCENTIVES, OUR TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM, PARTICULARLY ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, IT'S JUST COMPLETELY INEQUITABLE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE MY WORD FOR IT.

THE CITY OF CINCINNATI IS BEING SUED RIGHT NOW IN FEDERAL COURT BECAUSE A VAST MAJORITY OF OUR TAX INCENTIVES ARE CONCENTRATED IN OUR THREE WEALTHIEST NEIGHBORHOODS IN CINCINNATI.

THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME.

WE ARE GIVING TAX BREAKS TO THE WEALTHIEST CITIZENS IN CINCINNATI TO CREATE NEW HOMES IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ALREADY HAVE DENSITY.

WE SHOULD BE INCENTIVIZING GROWTH AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AND DENSITY IN PRICE HILL AND BOND HILL, IN COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

I THINK THE FACT THAT OUR TAX ABATEMENTS ARE TIED TO LEED CERTIFICATION IS A GOOD THING, BECAUSE LEED CERTIFIED HOMES ARE GOOD QUALITY AND THEY'RE ALSO ENVIRONMENTALLY EFFICIENT, WHICH IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AS WE FACE DOWN THE REALITIES OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

BUT RIGHT NOW, THE CITY DOESN'T CARE WHERE THE SUPPLY OF HOUSING GETS BUILT.

I CARE VERY DEEPLY WHERE IT GETS BUILT.

I WANT TO CATALYZE GROWTH IN UNDERSERVED AND OVERLOOKED COMMUNITIES, AND A SIMPLE WAY OF DOING THAT IS INCLUDING LOCATION IN THE DECISION MAKING MATRIX.

MONKS: MR. MANN, YOU'VE GOT 30 SECONDS FOR REBUTTAL.

MANN: AS I SAY, THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF ABATEMENTS.

ONE FOR 1-4 FAMILY UNITS, THE OTHER FOR MULTIFAMILY UNITS.

AND IT'S NOT TRUE WHAT MR. PUREVAL SAYS ABOUT MULTIFAMILY UNITS.

GO WITH ME TO MADISONVILLE AND LOOK AT THE NEW HOUSING THAT'S BEEN CONSTRUCTED IN THE MIDDLE OF MADISONVILLE.

GO WITH ME TO WALNUT HILLS.

GO WITH ME TO AVONDALE.

GO WITH ME TO COLLEGE HILL, IN COMMUNITY AFTER COMMUNITY, NORTHSIDE.

THESE ARE NOT HIGH INCOME, PARTICULARLY AFFLUENT COMMUNITIES.

BECAUSE OF CITY SUPPORT, WE HAVE NEW HOUSING, HOUSING THAT IS AFFORDABLE IN TODAY'S MARKET.

I'M PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO.

MONKS: WE'LL GO BACK TO KATIE EAGAN FROM THE CINCINNATI CHAMBER FOR OUR NEXT QUESTION, WHICH WILL BE ADDRESSED TO MR. PUREVAL.

EAGAN: MR. PUREVAL, THE CITY BUDGET HAS BEEN NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY BOTH THE PANDEMIC AND THE PHENOMENON OF REMOTE WORK.

THERE HAVE BEEN ORGANIZED EFFORTS IN THE PAST TO ENGAGE IN SHARED SERVICE CONVERSATIONS TO POTENTIALLY MAKE GOVERNMENT MORE EFFICIENT.

WOULD YOU SUPPORT A COMMISSION ON SHARED SERVICES AND WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS?

PUREVAL: YES, ABSOLUTELY.

LOOK, BEFORE I BECAME THE HAMILTON COUNTY CLERK OF COURTS, I WAS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AT PROCTER AND GAMBLE.

AND I WAS ABLE TO BRING THAT PRIVATE SECTOR MENTALITY TO GOVERNMENT.

I ACTUALLY -- I'M A DEMOCRAT, BUT I ACTUALLY MADE THE CLERK OF COURTS OFFICE SMALLER.

I MADE IT MORE EFFICIENT.

I ASKED MORE OF MY EMPLOYEES, BUT I TREATED THEM WITH DIGNITY, WITH COMPREHENSIVE PAID FAMILY LEAVE AND A LIVING WAGE.

TO MAKE THE OFFICE MORE EFFICIENT, WE LEANED IN TO EFFICIENCIES.

WE PARTNERED WITH OTHER COUNTYWIDE EXECUTIVES TO PROVIDE SHARED SERVICES.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP THAT THE CITY NEEDS RIGHT NOW.

LOOK, THE IMPACT ON THE EARNINGS TAX IS AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO OUR BUDGET.

IF TOO MANY PEOPLE CONTINUE TO WORK FROM HOME AND LIVE OUTSIDE THE CITY, THE POTENTIAL TAX REBATE WILL IMPACT OUR BASIC SERVICES, BECAUSE 70% OF OUR EARNINGS TAX REVENUE GOES TO FUNDING BASIC SERVICES.

THIS IS A REAL CHALLENGE THAT OUR CITY IS FACING, AND ALL IDEAS ON THE TABLE, INCLUDING SHARED SERVICES, SHOULD BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED.

MANN: MR. MANN, YOUR TURN, OF COURSE, SHARED SERVICES SHOULD BE REVIEWED, AND IF SOMETHING CAN BE -- SOME THINGS CAN BE IDENTIFIED WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE MORE EFFICIENT SERVICES, A BETTER SERVICES, YES, WE SHOULD DO THAT.

IN MY EXPERIENCE, IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS IT MAY SOUND.

FOR INSTANCE, AFTER THE KYLE PLUSH INCIDENT, WE HAD A COME TO JESUS MOMENT ABOUT OUR 911 CENTER, AND WE'RE TRYING VERY HARD TO RESPOND TO THE NEEDS THAT WERE REFLECTED IN THAT TRAGIC INCIDENT.

AND WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE COUNTY'S 911 CENTER AND WHETHER THE TWO CENTERS COULD BE JOINED TOGETHER.

AND THE DIFFERENCE IS DRAMATIC BETWEEN THE CULTURES, BETWEEN THE SYSTEMS, AND IT WOULD BE VERY COMPLICATED, AND THE CITY FELT LIKE IT WOULD BE GIVEN UP TOO MUCH IF WE WENT IN THAT DIRECTION.

WE HAVE A VERY UNFORTUNATE EXAMPLE OF SHARED SERVICES IN OUR COUNTY, SOMETHING CALLED MSD.

WHICH SINCE 1968 HAS BEEN OWNED BY THE COUNTY, OPERATED BY THE CITY UNDER AN AGREEMENT THAT WAS ENTERED INTO IN 1968.

AND IS IN LITIGATION BEFORE JUDGE BARRETT NOW AND CONTINUES WITH SOME EXTENSIONS OF THE AGREEMENT WITH OVERSIGHT FROM THE EPA.

AND ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH MAKING PROGRESS WITH SOLVING THE MSD PROBLEM IS THAT YOU'VE GOT THE CITY ON ONE HAND, THE COUNTY ON THE OTHER.

AND I SPENT, IT FELT LIKE MY WHOLE LIFETIME, MEETING EVERY TUESDAY IN JUDGE BARRETT'S COURTROOM WITH THE MAYOR AND THE THREE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING THAT WOULD RESPOND TO THE INTERESTS OF BOTH.

IT'S VERY, VERY CHALLENGING.

MONKS: THANK YOU, MR. MANN.

AND MR. PUREVAL, YOU'VE GOT 30 SECONDS.

PUREVAL: I AGREE THAT IT'S CHALLENGING.

I'M NOT IN ANY WAY SUGGESTING THAT IT'S EASY, BUT I ALSO AGREE THAT IT'S BEEN DYSFUNCTIONAL.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY HAS HAS NOT BEEN SMOOTH.

IT'S BIGGER THAN MSD.

OF COURSE, MSD IS A PRIORITY IN THAT RELATIONSHIP.

BUT BUT SO IS THE BANKS AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE NOW TWO MUSIC VENUES COMPETING AGAINST EACH OTHER BECAUSE THE CITY AND THE COUNTY COULDN'T GET ON THE SAME PAGE IS A REAL PROBLEM FOR OUR CITY.

I COME FROM THE COUNTY.

I KNOW THE COMMISSIONERS PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY.

I'M CONFIDENT THAT I CAN BRIDGE THAT DIVIDE.

MONKS: WVXU'S BECCA COSTELLO IS UP WITH THE NEXT QUESTION ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY, WHICH WE WILL DIRECT TO MR. MANN.

COSTELLO: EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE CITY BROKE GROUND ON A SOLAR ARRAY AS PART OF THE 2018 GREEN CINCINNATI PLAN, WHICH AIMS TO REDUCE THE CITY'S CARBON EMISSIONS BY 80% BY 2050.

WHAT LARGE SCALE PROJECT WOULD YOU CHAMPION TO INCLUDE IN THE NEXT ITERATION OF GREEN CINCINNATI.

MANN: I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, THE SOLAR PANEL PROJECT AND WHAT IT CAN ACHIEVE IS REALLY, REALLY EXCITING.

AND I'M SO PROUD OF THE FACT YOU REFERENCE THE CINCINNATI GREEN 2018 PLAN.

I WAS CHAIR OF THE GROUP THAT SPENT MONTHS AND MONTHS REVIEWING CITY POLICIES, UPDATING THE PLAN THAT WE HAD TO TRY TO FIND WAYS TO REDUCE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT.

SOLAR PANELS ARE ONE OF THE THINGS WE RECOMMENDED, AND MANY OTHERS.

THE REALITY IS THAT WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, AND WE'RE SEEING THIS WITH 100 YEAR STORMS AND FLOODS OCCURRING FAIRLY REGULARLY, THE IMPACT THAT HAS ON THINGS LIKE STORMWATER, RUNOFF, MSD PROBLEMS, HILLSIDE SLIPPAGE.

$50 MILLION TO BRING THE COLUMBIA PARKWAY BACK TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

WE FACE A REAL CHALLENGE.

I THINK THE MAJOR I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US EMPHASIZE IS MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT FOR THE CITY TO HAVE MORE VEHICLES THAT ARE CLEAN, THAT RELY ON ELECTRICITY, TO PROVIDE MORE REFUELING POINTS FOR VEHICLES OF THE CITY, OF CITIZENS.

THAT'S AN AREA WE CAN MAKE A REAL IMPACT, I BELIEVE.

MONKS: AND MR. PUREVAL, YOU'VE GOT 90 SECONDS.

PUREVAL: CLIMATE CHANGE ISA REAL CHALLENGE, NOT JUST HERE IN THE CITY OF CINCINNATI, BUT IN THE STATE, THE COUNTRY, AND THE ENTIRE WORLD.

THE WILDFIRES WE SEE ON THE WEST, THE DROUGHTS ON THE WEST, THE HURRICANES, THE FLOODING, THE FLOODING THAT WE SEE HERE IN CINCINNATI, IT'S ALL HAVING A MASSIVE IMPACT ON HOW WE WORK AND HOW WE LIVE AND HOW WE EXIST INTO THE FUTURE.

IT'S A PRIORITY FOR ME, SO MUCH SO THAT I'VE GOT A COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN.

AND IT STARTS WITH REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT.

THE GREEN CINCINNATI PLAN IS GREAT.

IT HAS AN AMBITIOUS GOAL OF BY 2030 HAVING THE CITY BE CARBON NEUTRAL.

WE'RE ON TRACK, BUT WE'VE REALLY GOT TO CATALYZE THAT DEVELOPMENT BY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BUILDING GREEN BUILDINGS, BECAUSE 40% OF EMISSIONS ACTUALLY COME FROM BUILDINGS.

AND THE SECOND STEP IS TO GREEN OUR CITY FLEET OF VEHICLES.

AND WE CAN DO THAT SPECIFICALLY BY INCREASING THE PERCENTAGE REQUIREMENT FROM 1% TO 5% FOR CHARGING STATIONS ANY TIME THE CITY IS PROVIDING TAX INCENTIVES FOR A GARAGE TO BE BUILT.

BUT WE CAN'T STOP THERE.

WE'VE GOT TO CONSERVE OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.

THE FRONT DOOR OF CINCINNATI, THE OHIO RIVER, WILL BECOME EVEN MORE INVALUABLE AS DROUGHTS INCREASE AND AS CLIMATE CHANGE CONTINUES TO THREATEN OUR GLOBE.

WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO PRESERVE IT AND PRIORITIZE IT AND GETTING MSD RIGHT SO WE PREVENT THAT STORMWATER RUNOFF THAT'S POLLUTING THE OHIO RIVER IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

AND THEN FINALLY, ANOTHER SPECIFIC FROM MY PLAN, IT'S A VERY DIRTY CITY.

WE'VE GOT TO PICK UP THE LITTER.

THE CITY HAS TO CRACK DOWN ON DUMPERS, HAS TO FULLY FUND LITTER OPERATIONS SO THAT WE CAN LIVE IN A BEAUTIFUL CITY.

MONKS: WE'VE GOT 30 SECONDS FOR MR. MANN.

MANN: I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU THAT WHEN I READ MR. PUREVAL'S PLAN ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, I WAS SO PROUD THAT THE PLAN IS SO COMPLIMENTARY OF THE GREEN CINCINNATI REVIEW THAT I WAS CHAIR OF AND PRAISES OUR CONCLUSIONS, MAKES SOME SUGGESTIONS OF HOW THEY CAN BE IMPROVED.

BUT I THINK THE GROUP DID A GOOD JOB.

IN 2022 WE WILL UPDATE THE PLAN.

WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND JUST WHAT CLIMATE CHANGE, INCREASED TEMPERATURES, AND ALL THE REST ARE GOING TO MEAN TO THE CITY OF CINCINNATI IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MIDWEST.

MONKS: RICKELL HOWARD SMITH HAS OUR NEXT QUESTION, WHICH WE CAN ADDRESS TO AFTAB PUREVAL.

SMITH: COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT OUR CITY ARE VERY, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE.

WHAT IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS UPTICK IN GUN VIOLENCE IN YOUR OPINION?

AND WHAT POLICIES WOULD YOU IMPLEMENT IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THOSE ROOT CAUSES, NOT THE SYMPTOMS?

PUREVAL: YEAH, THE ROOT CAUSE IS THE ECONOMIC DESPERATION THAT HAS BEEN EXACERBATED BY THE PANDEMIC.

THE ROOT CAUSE IS SO MANY OF THE IN-PERSON INTERVENTIONS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO TO MITIGATE THE VIOLENCE HAVE BEEN SHELVED BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

AND THE ROOT CAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY IS POVERTY.

IT'S POVERTY.

IT'S HEARTBREAKING HOW MANY VICTIMS OF GUN VIOLENCE THAT WE HAVE AND HOW MANY OF THEM ARE CHILDREN.

AND IT'S ALSO HEARTBREAKING HOW MANY OF THE PERPETRATORS THEMSELVES ARE CHILDREN.

THIS IS A CRISIS ACROSS NEIGHBORHOOD AND ACROSS OUR CITY.

AND AS THE FATHER OF A TWO YEAR OLD, MY HEART BREAKS FOR THE AMOUNT OF FAMILIES THAT HAVE HAD TO BURY THEIR CHILDREN.

CERTAINLY, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO PREVENT AND PROSECUTE VIOLENT CRIME AND VIOLENT CRIMINALS, TO MAKE SURE THAT ILLEGAL GUNS AND DRUGS ARE NOT FLOODING INTO OUR COMMUNITIES.

BUT LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL BE THE FIRST TO TELL YOU THAT THEY ALONE CANNOT FIX THIS PROBLEM.

WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF SO MUCH OF THIS POVERTY, AND THAT REQUIRES CREATING AN ECONOMY THAT WORKS FOR ALL OF US, AND NOT JUST SOME OF US.

MONKS: AND DAVID MANN, YOU'VE GOT TIME NEXT.

MANN: MONDAY NIGHT THE NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE HAD A MEETING IN EVANSTON RECREATION CENTER WITH MEMBERS OF THE EVANSTON COMMUNITY, THE COMMANDER OF DISTRICT TWO, CAPTAIN PETTIS, AND A NUMBER OF HER OFFICERS TO LISTEN TO, TALK ABOUT, AND RUMINATE ABOUT THE SET OF PROBLEMS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

AND TWO THINGS STUCK OUT TO ME.

ONE OF THE TESTIFIERS WAS A YOUNG MAN WHO SAID VERY SIMPLY, "IF YOU WANT TO GET RID OF VIOLENCE, GET RID OF POVERTY."

AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

AND THEN A YOUNG EPISCOPAL PRIEST, I THINK FROM ST. ANDREWS IN EVANSTON, SAID, "WHEN A CHILD CARRIES A GUN AND USES IT, THAT CHILD HAS NO HOPE."

AND THEN THERE WAS A THIRD COMMENT BY A COUNCIL CANDIDATE WHO CITED AN AFRICAN PROVERB THAT I WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH.

IT WAS TO THE EFFECT THAT A CHILD WHO IS DENIED LOVE WILL BURN A VILLAGE DOWN TO GET WARMTH.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF WISDOM IN THOSE COMMENTS.

WE HAVE TO SUPPORT OUR POLICE.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THERE'S ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN OUR POLICE AND COMMUNITY AND WORK ON A SERIOUS SET OF PROBLEMS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES, WHICH ARE VERY REAL, DEVASTATING.

SOME MORNINGS I DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO SCREAM OR CRY WHEN I WAKE UP AND HEAR WHAT'S HAPPENED OVERNIGHT.

MONKS: AND 30 MORE SECONDS FOR YOU, MR. PUREVAL.

PUREVAL: A FEW MORE SPECIFICS FROM MY PLAN.

IN ORDER TO INTERRUPT THE VIOLENCE, WE'VE GOT TO FUND ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE WORKING PRE-PANDEMIC, AND THAT AND THAT MEANS CIRV, FUNDING PEOPLE ON THE STREETS WHO UNDERSTAND THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE CHILDREN AND ACTORS AT PLAY TO INTERRUPT THAT VIOLENCE AND PROVIDE ANOTHER WAY, A NONVIOLENT WAY TO SQUASH DISAGREEMENTS.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO AGAIN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE FULLY FUNDED OUR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS, FULLY FUNDED OUR YOUTH MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THE YOUTH'S PARENTS HAVE JOBS AS WELL SO THAT THE FAMILY IS NOT LIVING IN DESPERATION.

MONKS: THANK YOU, MR. PUREVAL.

AND WE HAVE ONE FINAL QUESTION FROM OUR ESTEEMED GROUP OF PANELISTS, AND WE WILL GIVE THIS TO WVXU'S LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPORTER BECCA COSTELLO.

COSTELLO: ONE OF THE PROPOSED ANTI-CORRUPTION MEASURES CURRENTLY BEING CONSIDERED BY COUNCIL IS A BAN ON SOLICITING OR ACCEPTING CAMPAIGN DONATIONS FROM ANYONE WITH ACTIVE BUSINESS BEFORE COUNCIL.

SOME SAY THE BAN WOULD VIOLATE FREE SPEECH.

OTHERS CRITICIZE THE NARROW FOCUS THAT WOULD STILL ALLOW DEVELOPER CAMPAIGN DONATIONS WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OR EVEN DAYS OF A COUNCIL VOTE.

DO YOU BELIEVE DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD BE LIMITED, AND WHY OR WHY NOT?

MONKS: AND THIS QUESTION WILL GO TO MR. MANN.

MANN: AFTER THE PROBLEMS BROKE, THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE INDICTMENTS, I TOOK THE LEAD IN INTRODUCING LEGISLATION TO CREATE THE BLUE RIBBON REFORM PANEL, LED BY RETIRED JUDGE ANNE-MARIE TRACY, WHO ALSO WAS A FORMER CHAIR OF THE STATE ETHICS COMMISSION; VERNON WILLIAMS, THE DEAN OF THE U.S. COLLEGE OF LAW; GUY GUCKENBERGER, FORMER CITY COUNCILMAN AND FORMER COUNTY COMMISSIONER, FORMER JUDGE; AND A NUMBER OF OTHER FOLKS WHO SPENT MONTHS STUDYING HOW WE DID BUSINESS AND HOW OTHER CITIES DID BUSINESS AND CAME UP WITH A VERY, I THINK, COMPREHENSIVE, SOLID SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS.

WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THOSE IN THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.

I EXPECT THEM TO FINALIZE ACTIONS ON THE PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN MADE THIS COMING MONDAY.

AND ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS IS WHAT YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING DONATIONS BY DEVELOPERS AND WHAT THE RESTRICTIONS SHOULD BE, AND I'LL PICK THAT UP WHEN I HAVE THE LAST 30 SECONDS HERE.

PUREVAL: YEAH, I SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMMISSION.

BUT BUT THE CHALLENGE IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN THAN JUST THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

WE'VE GOT TO -- WE'VE GOT TO GET THIS ISSUE RIGHT.

SEVERAL INDICTMENTS ON CITY COUNCIL.

IT'S A PROBLEM.

IT'S A PROBLEM FOR OUR CURRENT RESIDENTS AND IT'S A PROBLEM FOR OUR FUTURE RESIDENTS.

BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MOVE TO CINCINNATI IF YOU DON'T TRUST THE CITY LEADERS THERE.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO OPEN UP A SMALL BUSINESS IF YOU DON'T TRUST CITY LEADERS.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO RAISE YOUR FAMILY HERE IF THERE'S NO TRUST.

SO WE'VE GOT TO GET THIS RIGHT.

IN ADDITION TO THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS, I THINK WE'VE GOT TO BE SKEPTICAL OF ANY POLITICIAN INVOLVING THEMSELVES IN THE NEGOTIATION OF SPECIFICS OF DEVELOPMENT DEALS.

THAT GOES FOR COUNCIL AND ALSO THE MAYOR.

IF I'M LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ELECTED, THERE WILL BE A BRIGHT LINE BETWEEN THE PROFESSIONALS AND THE POLITICIANS.

NOW I'M NOT SAYING WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO AGREE WITH THE PROFESSIONALS, BUT WHEN WE DISAGREE, THAT DISAGREEMENT SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT, IT SHOULD BE PUBLIC.

WE HAVE A BUILDING FULL OF PROFESSIONALS AT CITY HALL THAT ARE FUNDED BY TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

WE NEED TO BE EMPOWERING THEM TO DO THEIR JOBS AND NOT ALLOW FOR POLITICIANS TO BE MEDDLING INTO THOSE DEVELOPMENT DEALS, WHICH IS FERTILE GROUND FOR CORRUPTION, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY IS WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE NEAR PAST.

IF I'M ELECTED MAYOR, I'LL PUT AN END TO THESE BACKROOM DEALS AND WE'LL TURN THE PAGE ON THIS UGLY CHAPTER IN CINCINNATI'S HISTORY.

MONKS: THANK YOU, MR. PUREVAL.

A HARD 30 SECONDS, MR. MANN.

MANN: JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE BRIGHT LINE ALREADY EXISTS.

THE CITY MANAGER ACTED VERY QUICKLY EARLY THIS YEAR, AND THERE IS NO AVENUE FOR A MAYOR OR A MEMBER OF COUNCIL TO INVOLVE HIMSELF OR HERSELF IN THE DETAILS OF NEGOTIATIONS.

THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE UNDER THE RULES THAT SHE'S ESTABLISHED.

AND WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THE SAME THING WITH THE CODE OF CONDUCT THAT WE'RE GOING TO ADOPT THIS COMING WEEK FOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

AND THAT'S IN THE SUGGESTED CODE OF CONDUCT FOR THE MAYOR.

NOW TO YOUR POINT, WE ARE GOING TO SHARPLY LIMIT WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE DEVELOPER TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION.

MONKS: RIGHT THERE, MR. MANN.

AND THANK YOU TO BECCA, RICKELL, AND KATIE FOR YOUR QUESTIONS TONIGHT TO OUR CANDIDATES.

AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ON TO OUR FINAL QUESTION AND ANSWER PORTION FOR THE EVENING.

IN THIS PART, WE ARE ALLOWING EACH CANDIDATE TO ASK ONE QUESTION OF THEIR OPPONENT.

EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE 90 SECONDS TO ANSWER THE QUESTION AND THERE WILL BE NO REBUTTAL PERIOD.

MR. PUREVAL, YOU MAY ASK THE FIRST QUESTION.

PUREVAL: MR. MANN, IN 1994 YOU VOTED FOR THE CRIME BILL.

MANN: I DID.

PUREVAL: AND THE CRIME BILL, FROM OBJECTIVE VIEWERS, THE RESULTS OF THAT HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC, PARTICULARLY FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

IT HAS RESULTED IN MASS INCARCERATION OF BLACK MEN, RESULTING IN GENERATIONS OF BLACK CHILDREN TO BE BORN WITHOUT A FATHER FIGURE, AND HAS PERPETUATED THE CYCLE OF POVERTY, AND HAS UNFORTUNATELY BEEN A ROOT CAUSE OF THE SYSTEMIC RACISM IN OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM.

IT WAS THE WRONG VOTE IN 1994.

IT'S THE WRONG VOTE NOW.

DO YOU STAND BY THAT VOTE?

AND IF NOT, WHAT SPECIFIC THING WILL YOU DO TO ADDRESS THE CATASTROPHIC RESULTS THAT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THAT BY THAT VOTE?

MANN: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE VOTE.

THIS WAS AN INITIATIVE OF THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION.

IT WAS SUPPORTED BY SENATOR BIDEN, NOW PRESIDENT.

IT WAS SUPPORTED BY TWO THIRDS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS, INCLUDING JAMES CLYBURN, WHO IS THE HIGHEST RANKING AFRICAN-AMERICAN IN THE HOUSE.

IT WAS SUPPORTED BY NOW SENATOR SHERROD BROWN, WHO SUPPORT YOU, I THINK, IN THIS RACE.

SO A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON WHETHER IT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION.

IT HAD CONSEQUENCES THAT I DON'T THINK WE UNDERSTOOD AT THE TIME.

SO HAD I UNDERSTOOD THOSE CONSEQUENCES AT THE TIME, I WOULD HAVE VOTED DIFFERENTLY.

MONKS: THANK YOU, MR. MANN.

AND NOW YOU MAY OFFER A QUESTION TO YOUR OPPONENT, MR. PUREVAL.

MANN: SURE.

SO, MR. PUREVAL, I'VE HEARD YOU ASK -- BEEN ASKED SEVERAL TIMES, IF YOU'RE ELECTED MAYOR, WILL YOU PLEDGE TO FULFILL THE TERM?

AND I HAVEN'T UNDERSTOOD WHAT YOUR ANSWER IS.

SO THE QUESTION IS, IF YOU'RE ELECTED MAYOR, DO YOU PROMISE TONIGHT TO SERVE THE TERM, NOT TO SEEK ANOTHER OFFICE WHILE YOU'RE IN THE TERM, AND NOT TO RAISE MONEY FOR ANOTHER OFFICE WHILE YOU'RE IN THE TERM?

AND LET'S JUST REMEMBER, THE REALITY IS THAT YOU'VE PURSUED A LOT OF OFFICES IN A VERY SHORT TIME FRAME.

AND ALSO, AS YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE MONEY YOU'VE RAISED IN THE CURRENT CAMPAIGN COMES FROM OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE THAT DON'T SEEM TO -- OUT OF THE STATE WHO DON'T SEEM TO HAVE AN INTEREST THAT I UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE CITY OF CINCINNATI.

SO WHAT DO YOU COMMIT TO THE VOTERS OF CINCINNATI TONIGHT ABOUT YOUR FUTURE PLANS?

PUREVAL: YES, I'LL FULFILL MY TERM.

MANN: OKAY.

AND WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF IT, RAISING MONEY?

PUREVAL: HOW MANY QUESTIONS DID I GET?

MONKS: YOU DID GET YOUR ONE QUESTION IN, AND THAT IS YOUR ANSWER, IS THAT, YES, YOU WILL FULFILL YOUR TERM, MR. PUREVAL?

PUREVAL: YEP.

YES, ABSOLUTELY.

PROUDLY.

MONKS: NOW, HERE WE CAN MOVE IN TO OUR CLOSING STATEMENTS FROM OUR CANDIDATES THIS EVENING, AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH CITY COUNCILMAN DAVID MANN.

YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, MR. MANN.

MANN: THANK YOU.

THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ELECTION IN THE CITY OF CINCINNATI.

I THINK IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING THAT I CAN REMEMBER, AND LET ME TELL YOU WHY.

NUMBER ONE, FOR A LOT OF REASONS, WE HAVE A FIELD OF CANDIDATES THAT IS GOING TO ELECT WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE YOUNGEST AND LEAST EXPERIENCED GROUP OF CANDIDATES IN I THINK IN MEMORY.

SO THAT MEANS THAT THE NEW COUNCIL WILL NOT HAVE MUCH EXPERIENCE AT WHAT IT'S EXPECTED TO DO WHEN IT'S ELECTED.

AND IF MR. PUREVAL IS ELECTED MAYOR, HE WILL REPRESENT THE LEAST EXPERIENCE THAT I CAN REMEMBER IN TERMS OF A MAYOR, IN TERMS OF A MAYOR WHO HAS HAD NO LEGISLATIVE EXPERIENCE.

THERE'S A STARK DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS CHAIR OF THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, HIS RESPONSIBILITIES AS THE CLERK OF COUNCIL (SIC).

THE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL (SIC) UNDER THE STATUTE SIMPLY KEEPS STRAIGHT THE PAPERS OF THE COURTS.

IT SPENDS $16 MILLION A YEAR.

IT HAS 200 EMPLOYEES.

THE CITY OF CINCINNATI, UNDER THE AUSPICES AND DIRECTION OF THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, SPENDS $1.5 BILLION A YEAR, THAT'S WITH A B.

WE HAVE OVER 6000 EMPLOYEES PROVIDING A FULL RANGE OF SERVICES.

UNLIKE THE CLERK OF COURTS OFFICE, WE HAVE POLICE OFFICERS, WE HAVE FIREFIGHTERS, WE HAVE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WASTE COLLECTION.

WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAVING ROADS, SNOW REMOVAL, THE LIST JUST GOES ON AND ON AND ON.

I'VE TALKED TO A FRIEND OF MINE WHO WORKED FOR ME YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS MAYOR, WHO HAS SAID, "HOW CAN SOMEONE WHO'S NEVER SERVED IN CITY HALL BE MAYOR?"

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THE COMMUNITY HAS TO ASK.

SECONDLY, MY VISION IS THAT WE TAKE PRIDE IN THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS AND BUILD ON THAT.

I'VE LOVED WORKING WITH, SERVING WITH MAYOR CRANLEY.

I THINK HE'S DONE A GOOD JOB.

I HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSONALITY, BUT I'M GOING TO COLLABORATE, DEVELOP A TEAM WITH A NEW COUNCIL AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD AS THIS GREAT CITY DESERVES AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MONKS: THANK YOU, MR. MANN.

MR. PUREVAL, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.

PUREVAL: THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO PUT THIS EVENING TOGETHER, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE VIEWERS AT HOME.

JUST TO BE CLEAR, I'M THE CLERK OF COURTS, NOT THE CLERK OF COUNCIL.

I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF MY WORK IN THE CLERK OF COURTS OFFICE, ENDING THE CORRUPTION AND THE PATRONAGE THAT HAD DEFINED THAT OFFICE FOR SO MANY YEARS, HIRING A DIVERSE STAFF, CHALLENGING THEM TO IMPROVE OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE, TO EXCEL FOR THE TAXPAYERS, LEADING THE WAY ON JUSTICE REFORM AND INNOVATION.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, SAVING TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

IN FACT, EVERY YEAR OF MY ADMINISTRATION, I'VE GIVEN MONEY BACK TO THE COUNTY.

THAT'S THE KIND OF BOLD, PROGRESSIVE LEADERSHIP WE NEED RIGHT NOW IN THE CITY.

AND MR. MANN'S UNFORTUNATE CLOSING WAS REALLY EMBLEMATIC OF WHAT YOU HEARD TONIGHT.

HE HAS NO IDEAS.

HE'S PROUD OF THE FACT THAT HE HAS NO PLANS.

EVEN THOUGH SEVERAL OF HIS COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN INDICTED, HIS PITCH TO YOU IS TO TRUST HIM.

WELL, WE'RE OFFERING SOMETHING DIFFERENT: FOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLANS WITH SPECIFIC IDEAS ON HOW TO PUSH CINCINNATI FORWARD, AN ECONOMIC RECOVERY THAT WILL HAVE OUR CITY GROWING, BUT GROWING WITH RACIAL EQUITY IN THE CENTER OF THE FRAME, A PUBLIC SAFETY PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL 52 OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE SAFE, AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLAN TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF HOUSING AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO HAVE ACCESS TO GOOD QUALITY HOMES.

AND FINALLY, AN ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN THAT WILL MAKE SURE THAT CINCINNATI CONTINUES TO THRIVE TODAY AND FAR INTO THE FUTURE WHEN MY SON, WHO'S TWO YEARS OLD, GROWS UP.

IT'S A STARK DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT MR. MANN IS OFFERING AND WHAT WE'RE OFFERING.

I'M ASKING YOU TO CHOOSE CHANGE.

I'M ASKING YOU TO SUPPORT INNOVATION.

I'M ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE.

THANK YOU.

MONKS: THANK YOU, MR. PUREVAL.

THANK YOU, MR. MANN.

THAT CONCLUDES THE FINAL TELEVISED DEBATE OF THE 2021 CINCINNATI MAYORAL RACE.

MY THANKS THIS EVENING TO CITY COUNCILMAN DAVID MANN, HAMILTON COUNTY CLERK OF COURTS AFTAB PUREVAL.

YOU BOTH HAVE FANTASTIC HAIR.

IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU GUYS.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

MY BIG THANKS TO OUR ESTEEMED PANELISTS WITH THEIR FANTASTIC QUESTIONS TONIGHT: BECCA COSTELLO FROM WVXU, RICKELL HOWARD SMITH FROM THE CENTER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AT THE URBAN LEAGUE OF GREATER SOUTHWESTERN OHIO, AND KATIE EAGAN, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AT THE CINCINNATI CHAMBER.

AND OF COURSE, THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS AT THE WVXU, CET, THE CINCINNATI CHAMBER, AND THE URBAN LEAGUE OF GREATER SOUTHWESTERN OHIO.

EARLY VOTING IS ALREADY UNDERWAY.

IT CONTINUES UNTIL ELECTION DAY, WHICH IS NOVEMBER 2ND.

AND FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS, THE CANDIDATES, THE BALLOT INITIATIVES, VISIT WVXU.ORG OR CETCONNECT.ORG.

TO THE CANDIDATES AND YOU, THE VOTERS, WE WISH YOU ALL A VERY GOOD NIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.