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Mayor and Commissioner float shared services plan again

Tana Weingartner
/
WVXU

It's been tried before, but Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley and Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune say this time will be different. They're talking about finding areas where the two governments overlap and could save money by sharing services. 

Portune explains why he thinks things will work out this time.

"What's very different today," says Portune, "(is) you've got a commissioner, you've got the mayor of the city, that are both putting their arms around a specific structure - a specific approach - and saying, 'This is what we agree we should do. This is what we are proposing that we will do. And we're not just taking a flyer at this, we actually have very good reason to believe this will work.'"

Portune says that "very good reason" is the successful joint effort to renovate the riverfront with business, retail and parks.

Portune and Cranley are set to introduce resolutions Wednesday setting up a standing committee on Shared Services. The proposed group would meet quarterly.

So far, Commission President Chris Monzel indicates he generally supports the idea.

Senior Editor and reporter at WVXU with more than 20 years experience in public radio; formerly news and public affairs producer with WMUB. Would really like to meet your dog.