Hello Bortz Supporterz-

We are proud to announce that thanks to your help Chris Bortz was re-elected to Cincinnati City Council!

A big thank you to Chris’s newborn son- Huck Andrew Bortz, and Chris’s wife- Susie Bortz, for providing the support, love and motivation for Chris to run.

Thank you as well to the Bortz and Green families, Jeff Cramerding, Tracy Schwetschenau, Brian MacDonald, Kari Toll, Kate Malone, our Xavier interns- Pau Palop, Annie Garnett, Nick Reinel and Keving Manning, and all of those who donated time, money or yard space to help win this election.

Thank you!

The Bortz Campaign (2005, 2007, 2009)

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Yardsigns and 4X8 removal

If you allowed us to put a yard sign or 4X8 Bortz sign on your property- THANK YOU!!

We really appreciate your support on this grassroots effort. We will be around within the next few days to remove the 4X8’s. If you have a yard sign, please help us by removing the sign. Feel free to store the sign for the next election in 2 years, recycle the plastic bag and use the metal frame in your garden for something, or shoot us an e-mail and we can come by and retrieve them.

We strive to be good neighbors and appreciate your help in removing this clutter.

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Election Stats

Chris placed 1st out of non-Democrats, 3rd out of 19 candidates and received over 31,000 votes, with 44% of voters choosing Chris,

Although the election results are not final, you will find a posting after this one with the election results. Go to page 22 of the .pdf file to view the results for Cincinnati City Council. Also, there is a link for canvass results.

Thank you again for making this possible.

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Donate to the campaign

We are still accepting donations to the campaign and would greatly appreciate your help in defraying the cost of our TV buy. Of all our efforts to get Chris’s message to the voters, TV buys are the most expensive but some would say, most effective in reaching the electorate. Please support Chris by making a donation, however large or small, to: http://chrisbortz.com/donate/ .

Traditionally, Cincinnati City Council has set the property tax, or millage, rate in October. However, City Council now has until November 13th to set the tax rate…After the election, but before newly elected councilmembers take office.

“I really do think what they’re going to do is pull a little November surprise and raise the millage to the maximum,” said Councilman Chris Bortz, chairman of council’s Economic Development Committee and a member of the council minority that wanted to set the rate before the election.

In the past, Cincinnati City Council has rolled back the millage to a rate that will bring in the same amount of revenue as the previous year. Bortz has proposed rolling back the rate in such a way.

Read the full article.

They join the Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police and Cincinnati Organized & Dedicated Employees as the third city union to endorse Bortz.

Read Chris’s responses to the CincyPAC survey.

The Enquirer identified nine candidates (three Democrats, three Republicans, and three Charterites) who are “strong, able, independent-minded thinkers who are secure enough to listen to other points of view, work together for the city’s best interests, forge creative solutions that work for everybody, and not give in to pressure or threats.”

Established in 2005, POWRPAC is a coalition of westside neighbors brought together to preserve and promote safe, middle-class neighborhoods—the backbone of Cincinnati. Visit POWR PAC’s website to learn more and view the full list of endorsements.

The 2009 local elections are here, and we have several state and national races … that could have major impact on the advancement of LGBT rights and equality for all. We need you to become part of the effort. Source.

The endorsements were announced in concert with the Fraternal Order of Police’s and the International Association of Fire Fighters’ endorsements.

Since the 1920’s the Charter Committee has been working to “improve the City’s economic development, civil service, public health, and many other matters to ensure that the City is well managed, responsive to its citizenry and a leader in municipal government”.

It’s actually probably one of the most important elections that we’ve seen…
- Kathy Harrell, FOP president

Chris Bortz has been endorsed by the Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police in the last two Cincinnati City Council elections as well (2005 and 2007).

To register and for more information go here: http://votecincinnati.com/

If you are a registered voter, request an absentee ballot today.

If you are not registered, there is still time. Fill out this voter registration form and send it in before October 5th.

Chris Bortz was one of only four candidates to receive a ‘thumbs up’ in “Innovative Development Agenda” while “Supports Government Collaboration” was granted to every candidate except one.

While the scorecard above is not an endorsement of any candidates, it does provide a good indicator for where candidates are viewed in terms of fiscal responsibility, leadership, having an innovative development agenda, support of business issues and government collaboration, in the eyes of the Cincinnati Chamber.

Download a PDF of the City Council Candidate Scorecard.

The Council debate that day was centered around peripheral issues. Nothing as earth shaking as proper Twitter etiquette, just filling a $20M budget hole that materialized magically in the middle of the year.  The budget correction passed after some limited discussion and creative interpretation of the Rules of Council.  Then came the mighty Tweet that roared as  as potently as any songbird in the height of spring.  The media were riveted.  Enthralled by the question: To Tweet or not To Tweet?  Councilmembers rolled up their sleeves and dug in to the public policy question with gusto.

Can I Tweet in Chambers?  Does the public have a right to my Tweets? Am I obligated to Tweet the substance of fleeting debates?  Should my Tweets be sweet?  What if my Tweets aren’t so sweet?  Will Council censure me as a Tweeting creep?  Age-old questions, all.  The debate rages on.

There was a front page follow-up warning of the physical dangers of tweeting…or twittering.  A motion was suggested to regulate Tweets. Just when it appeared all discussion would cease on everything but the Twitter Debate, another bomb dropped.

Like most of the best Council debates, this next one started with a little fantasy.  Some pretending.  Like pretending the city takes in more revenue than it does.  Like pretending we don’t have a massive budget deficit.  The King of Pop has passed.  So let’s pretend Council were in session, would we stand in silence to remember the King? After all, he was here once for a concert in the 80’s I think.  Could the King’s passing be effectively commemorated without the honor of a Council moment of silence?  Those moments are so rare.

And so, with the passing of the Pop Icon, the Twitter debate twittered out.  And now Council must find another way to serve and amuse the public.