For decades after a corrupt regime in City Hall, being mayor of Cincinnati was mostly a ceremonial affair. That all changed in 1999 when city voters approved an amendment to the city’s charter that allowed the mayor to be directly elected by voters and delegated a number of powers through the Cincinnati City Council to whoever won the seat.
But was that change a good thing? Some local political watchers say the mayor has too much power and it is time to return to the original spirit of Cincinnati’s 1920s charter reforms. However, others say the “stronger mayor” form of government now enables Cincinnati to have decisive leadership and growth under the council manager system.
Mayor John Cranley and Charter Committee President Matt Woods attend the Cincinnati Edition to discuss the proper role of the city’s mayor.
Hear the Cincinnati Edition live at 12:00 PM MF. Audio for this segment will be uploaded after 4 p.m. ET.
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The “Trust in Local Government: WVXU’s Public Integrity Project” examines Cincinnati politics and the people who shaped them. Read more here. Support for this project comes from the Murray and Agnes Seasongood Good Government Foundation.
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