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For and against Cincinnati's Issue 4

Cincinnati voters will decide next month if they want city council members to serve a four-year term in office instead of the current two. 

One group is urging a “no” vote on Issue Four. 

Former Council Member Chris Bortz dismissed the notion the group can’t get an serious work done in two-years.

“You need four year terms to get things done that are unpopular,” Bortz said.  “With this current Council’s record, I think you can guarantee that an additional two year insulation from the voting public would give this Council an opportunity to raise taxes, which they’ve already signaled they intend to do.”

Bortz also said other cities with a four-year term have a different Council structure with a districts or a recall provision for members. 

Council Member Laure Quinlivan worked to get the longer term issue on the ballot.  She said it will allow the body to be more production on longer term questions.

“That typically are avoided now because of the short election cycle,” Quinlivan said.  “For example, consolidation and mergers with governments around us.  Those types of things require a lot of relationship building and time, and people avoid them because it can’t be completed quickly.”

Even with a longer term, Council Members would still be limited to eight years on the job.

Jay Hanselman brings more than 10 years experience as a news anchor and reporter to 91.7 WVXU. He came to WVXU from WNKU, where he hosted the local broadcast of All Things Considered. Hanselman has been recognized for his reporting by the Kentucky AP Broadcasters Association, the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, and the Ohio AP Broadcasters.