Speaker 1: My Billy Cunningham, the Great Amara, and of course the
Speaker 1: mayor after a year of all came out with his
Speaker 1: plan for the next fiscal year in the City of Cincinnati.
Speaker 1: It's about a five hundred and forty three million dollar
Speaker 1: annual city budget that includes the first fifty six million
Speaker 1: dollar payment from the railroad to sale voters approved in
Speaker 1: twenty twenty three. Here we are about a year and
Speaker 1: a half later. Time flies when you're having fun, and
Speaker 1: there's concerned by many that the infrastructure moneies that voted
Speaker 1: on by the taxpayers will go for reasons and purposes
Speaker 1: other than what was intended. A woman that knows where
Speaker 1: the bodies are buried all over Hamilton County is Amy Murray,
Speaker 1: who spent many years on the Cincinnati Southern Railway Board,
Speaker 1: who advocated for the sale of that property between here
Speaker 1: and I think Nashville. And now the chickens are coming
Speaker 1: home to roost. And Amy Murray, welcome again to the
Speaker 1: Bill Cunningham Show. And Amy, how are you?
Speaker 2: How are you? Willie?
Speaker 1: I'm living the American dream. Let's go back a little
Speaker 1: bit in time. What did the voters want.
Speaker 2: To tell you?
Speaker 1: All Right? It is It's Chattanooga, Chowndanouga Chanuga. I'm reading
Speaker 1: a story in the All right, that's good. Tell the
Speaker 1: American people in twenty twenty three, Well, what did we
Speaker 1: vote for at that point? To refresh individuals memories.
Speaker 2: Well, absolutely so.
Speaker 3: I've been on the Cincinnati Southern Railway Board for five
Speaker 3: years total. And you know, one hundred years ago, our
Speaker 3: four fathers, four mothers in the city of Cincinnati voted
Speaker 3: that we need to have a railway from here to
Speaker 3: the South so that we would have commerce in that area,
Speaker 3: and we were the only municipality that had a rail line.
Speaker 2: We leased the lne in Norfolk.
Speaker 3: Southern and they paid us approximately twenty three million dollars
Speaker 3: a year. That money went strictly to maintain infrastructure in
Speaker 3: the City of Cincinnati. We had a LEASA was com
Speaker 3: up with Norfolk Southern, and we talked to Norfolk Southern
Speaker 3: and looked at least negotiations and what we can do,
Speaker 3: and we felt we should get a lot more money
Speaker 3: than twenty three million, but based on the lease that
Speaker 3: had been made twenty five years earlier, we kind of
Speaker 3: kept losing out in all of the negotiations. Norfolk then
Speaker 3: started talking to us that they wanted to acquire the
Speaker 3: rail line, and we said, absolutely, no way, we don't
Speaker 3: want to do that. We need to keep this money
Speaker 3: in perfetuity. On the board of Southern Railway, we're all
Speaker 3: not paid. There's five members. It cannot be more than
Speaker 3: three people one political party, so you have a balance there.
Speaker 3: And we were looking at I think Norfolk Southern started
Speaker 3: with offering us maybe six hundred million, and then they
Speaker 3: went up to eight hundred million, and we all said
Speaker 3: absolutely not, we are not going to do this. We
Speaker 3: want to keep the money protected through this railroad. Then
Speaker 3: as we got into further negotiations a year or two
Speaker 3: years later, and we looked at a lot of information,
Speaker 3: all of a sudden, really it came to us, if
Speaker 3: we had one point six billion dollars of city money,
Speaker 3: would we invest that in one line of business and
Speaker 3: in one company?
Speaker 2: Would you ever? That'd be crazy, that would be crazy.
Speaker 3: And so as we started looking this, we thought, if
Speaker 3: something happens with Norfolk Southern, if they end up going
Speaker 3: out of business, if they sell off this line, then
Speaker 3: the city's going to end up with nothing, receiving no
Speaker 3: money and be responsible for the line that were on it.
Speaker 3: Also became apparent to us with our talks with them,
Speaker 3: is they had alternatives to get down to Tennessee then
Speaker 3: straight from Cincinnati, and so our roat was the easiest
Speaker 3: for them, but they had other ways to get their
Speaker 3: freight down there. So that's when we made a decision
Speaker 3: and said, you know what, you know, we should look
Speaker 3: at this seriously. And they ended up going up to
Speaker 3: one point six billion dollars, which you know, was double
Speaker 3: what they offered initially, and that's when we decided that
Speaker 3: this would be better for the city. But we did
Speaker 3: have state law changed, and we have the state law
Speaker 3: changed so that the city had to keep using it
Speaker 3: on infrastructure.
Speaker 2: It could not be used for anything else.
Speaker 1: Well, now there is concerns and the state law was changed,
Speaker 1: which gives you more of a backstop, but I have
Speaker 1: to have Pearavol says, this money is part of the
Speaker 1: almost six hundred million dollar budget. Do they have the power?
Speaker 1: What is infrastructure? What about human infrastructure? What about a
Speaker 1: homeless shelter, what about bike paths? What's included? Can you
Speaker 1: be specific as to how the money can be spent
Speaker 1: and what cannot be spent on?
Speaker 2: Yes, and let me back up here, Willie.
Speaker 3: When we sold it, we were giving the city about
Speaker 3: twenty three million dollars a year, and so we really
Speaker 3: separate what the CINCINNTI Southern Railway did, and then we
Speaker 3: would give it to the elected officials and they were
Speaker 3: responsible for spending the money in the proper way on infrastructure.
Speaker 3: Since we've sold it, Willy, it's gone from one point
Speaker 3: six billion dollars in our account to one point seven billion,
Speaker 3: so it's increased it's worth even with the market the
Speaker 3: way that it's been, and so we with UBS wisely
Speaker 3: invested it part in stocks, a part in bonds also
Speaker 3: so that we'd be able to you know, we wanted
Speaker 3: to be as conservative as we could be so that
Speaker 3: this would last for a long time for the citizens
Speaker 3: of Cincinnati. And through just the dim dems on bonds,
Speaker 3: we were able to bring out sixty million dollars, which
Speaker 3: is what we're using to give to the city. So
Speaker 3: in the past we've given the city twenty three million
Speaker 3: a year. This year, will it's up to fifty six
Speaker 3: million the very first year, more than the citizens of
Speaker 3: Cincinnati are getting double. And what I always saying, what
Speaker 3: I learned at Procter and gamble is you need and
Speaker 3: I know I agree with you.
Speaker 2: I don't trust a lot of what the city sometimes
Speaker 2: doesn't what they spend it on.
Speaker 3: But if you look at what's happened in the past,
Speaker 3: it's indification of what will happen in the future. And
Speaker 3: with this money from the railroad sale, the city has
Speaker 3: always used it on the proper infrastructure. They have done that,
Speaker 3: and so we are giving them double the amount. One
Speaker 3: of the things that I heard was coming through in
Speaker 3: the bill that a third of the money that will
Speaker 3: be giving them fifty six million is going to go
Speaker 3: to road infrastructure. I mean, that's amazing. That's what we
Speaker 3: need in the city of Cincinnati. And at least what
Speaker 3: I can tell everyone on council and the mayor, they're
Speaker 3: looking at things like roads, potholes, police stations. We have
Speaker 3: so much old infrastructure needs that you know this this
Speaker 3: will help it, but it's certainly not going to fix
Speaker 3: it all. So I have faith that this is what
Speaker 3: they're going to be using it for now. My only
Speaker 3: concern is we have some you know, actors out there
Speaker 3: that are trying to say we want to change a
Speaker 3: state law, or we want to use this to pay
Speaker 3: off everyone's property tax, or we want to use this
Speaker 3: for all these other things, that's not the.
Speaker 2: Purpose of it is.
Speaker 3: And I would encourage people if someone comes to you
Speaker 3: and that they have if they have.
Speaker 2: A petition they want you to sign. You know, it's
Speaker 2: a money grab for this money.
Speaker 3: And we tried to lock it up as best as
Speaker 3: we could so that it's just to be used for
Speaker 3: infrastructure of the city for years and decades and decades
Speaker 3: to come.
Speaker 1: Our friend Robin Reagan said, trust but verify, So if
Speaker 1: this money is going to be spent for homeless shelters
Speaker 1: or for a human capital, whatever the hell that is,
Speaker 1: that the Chris Finney's of the world would be out
Speaker 1: there to sue to make sure that the handcuffs are
Speaker 1: in a lock box on city council not to spend
Speaker 1: this money for contrary to state law. Is that correct?
Speaker 3: Well? Absolutely, And what the Southern Railway has done as
Speaker 3: well is they are putting together it's coming out in
Speaker 3: the next week. They'll be having a website that you
Speaker 3: can go to. It's the CSRT dot org. So it's
Speaker 3: the Cincinnati Southern Railway Trustee dot org. And the city
Speaker 3: is now at every one of the board meetings, given
Speaker 3: a presentation on where the money is going to, and
Speaker 3: that will be put up on the Cincinnati Southern Railway
Speaker 3: Trustees for website every month and so you'll be able
Speaker 3: to see what the money is being used for. So
Speaker 3: we are trying to be as transparent as possible because,
Speaker 3: you know, those of us that worked with Norfolk Southern
Speaker 3: and brought this vote to the voters, we feel very responsible.
Speaker 3: So we want to make sure that it's as transparent
Speaker 3: as possible. You know, right now we're giving the city
Speaker 3: double the money that they've gotten before.
Speaker 2: And you know what, word me Willie, as.
Speaker 3: We could have ended up giving them nothing if something
Speaker 3: happened with the rail line or if they took another
Speaker 3: rout to Tennessee, we would be left with nothing.
Speaker 2: So, you know, I think we're in a really, really
Speaker 2: good situation. This should be celebrated.
Speaker 1: This is a success story. Plus the the corpus the
Speaker 1: body went from one point five to one point seven,
Speaker 1: which is about a two hundred million dollar increase, and
Speaker 1: the debonads so to speak, one point six. I'm sorry,
Speaker 1: one point six to one point seven, that's one hundred appreciate.
Speaker 3: I'd rather yeah, I'd rather have it be, you know,
Speaker 3: one point five. But you know, and that's during this
Speaker 3: difficult economic time that we have still managed to get
Speaker 3: to one point seven. So I think you know the
Speaker 3: way that this board has been run, the way that
Speaker 3: it's a bipartisan board, it's really looking at what's best
Speaker 3: for long term fiscal strength of the City of Cincinnati
Speaker 3: and to keep our infrastructure running. You know, this should
Speaker 3: be heralded as a really good example of both sides
Speaker 3: working together and coming out with a good plan for
Speaker 3: the city.
Speaker 2: Could you imagine if.
Speaker 3: Norfolk Southern ended up leaving this line and all of
Speaker 3: a sudden we had none of this. My people would say, like,
Speaker 3: where are council members on this? Where was Cincinnati Southern Railway?
Speaker 3: You know, that's why we were active with this, to
Speaker 3: make sure that we protect this asset for the city.
Speaker 1: And in fact, many said at the time, let's not
Speaker 1: do it. You're going to give the politicians' ability to
Speaker 1: spend the money, et cetera. Plus, it's a great asset.
Speaker 1: It's worth a lot more than that. And what would
Speaker 1: you say to those who criticized it in the.
Speaker 3: Beginning, Well, that was very frustrating to me. My biggest
Speaker 3: frustration with those that did criticize it. None of them
Speaker 3: had come to any of our meetings. The people that
Speaker 3: were thellowedest saying this shouldn't happen had not attended one meeting.
Speaker 3: They weren't aware of all the facts, they hadn't been involved.
Speaker 3: I really think in a lot of cases willing as
Speaker 3: you know, as people that just wanted to get on
Speaker 3: the radio or they were running for a different office
Speaker 3: and wanted to have something to run about. I feel
Speaker 3: like if they were really concerned about it, they.
Speaker 2: Could have gone to one of any of us on
Speaker 2: the board.
Speaker 3: To say, help me understand us and talk to us
Speaker 3: about it and you know, maybe provide us with what
Speaker 3: they were thinking. But I don't think that was ever
Speaker 3: the intent. So it was frustrating for me that that happened.
Speaker 3: But you know, we have always had open board meetings.
Speaker 3: Anyone is welcome to come. It's a public board, and
Speaker 3: I think we're in a good, good direction. And you know,
Speaker 3: especially with the economy having had difficulties in the stock
Speaker 3: market the last two months, that we were still able
Speaker 3: to increase it to one point seven billion, I think
Speaker 3: speaks volumes, and you know, we were very careful when
Speaker 3: we picked our broker and who would be managing this money,
Speaker 3: then we had their right mix so that if the
Speaker 3: stock market did go down, you know, we won't be
Speaker 3: losing the money of the citizens in Cincinnati.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's a key thing to keep our city as
Speaker 1: great as it is despite our criticisms, and I have many,
Speaker 1: there's so many write things about our town and the
Speaker 1: city despite the pre elections. Of money is the heart
Speaker 1: that beats the tri State. And you can't have a
Speaker 1: situation like in Dayton that's sinking Montgomery County or Detroit
Speaker 1: that is sinking Wayne County. At least Cincinnati because of
Speaker 1: the Bengals and the Reds and the banks and the
Speaker 1: Procter and god and Fifth Third Bank and the Joseph
Speaker 1: Automotive Group and Sentas and all the rest. You see
Speaker 1: pill Hill. There's a core in this city that is
Speaker 1: unfamiliar to many other cities. And the corps to make
Speaker 1: sure there are potholes, bridges, the basic infrastructure. And by
Speaker 1: doing this you've enhanced the body of the trust up
Speaker 1: one hundred million. You're doubling more than doubling the money
Speaker 1: to the city, and you've got the Chris Finnings of
Speaker 1: the world out there looking over everybody's shoulder, ready to
Speaker 1: sue in a moment's notice if they start using these
Speaker 1: things for a human capital instead of infrastructure. Well, Amy Murray,
Speaker 1: you're a great go ahead.
Speaker 3: Please please, No, you're absolutely right, And there's always these
Speaker 3: guards on it. And you know, we on the sim
Speaker 3: Space Other and Railway board. We were not elected, but the.
Speaker 2: Money that we send to the city is spent by
Speaker 2: the electeds.
Speaker 3: So there are recalls, there are meetings that people can
Speaker 3: go to. But as a board in when I was
Speaker 3: on the board, that's why we've put up this website
Speaker 3: so that it's even more responsive and more transparent. So
Speaker 3: we want to make sure we're doing everything we can
Speaker 3: to hold the city to make sure it's being spent
Speaker 3: on the right things.
Speaker 1: Amy, Mary, if you thought about getting back into politics,
Speaker 1: if we thought about going door to door, pounding on
Speaker 1: door knobs, have you thought about that ruining your life again?
Speaker 1: Have you thought about that?
Speaker 2: You know what, I've been really good to this right now.
Speaker 2: I'm enjoying what I'm doing, so I appreciate.
Speaker 3: I enjoy being a volunteer and helping with nonprofits and
Speaker 3: things in the city.
Speaker 2: But I'm out of politics for a while.
Speaker 1: Willie and Amy Murray, Yeah, I like you, and I
Speaker 1: like Charlie Lucan. I like Lucan. I went Lucan and
Speaker 1: maybe his chief of staff to seize power once again
Speaker 1: in rule for a thousand years, and we had a
Speaker 1: pretty functional counsel. I'm not so sure about that anymore.
Speaker 1: It's all one way.
Speaker 3: My favorite no, you're right, My favorite thing on the
Speaker 3: board is that I was on it with Charlie Luken
Speaker 3: and Mark Mallory, two previous mayors, as well as Paul
Speaker 3: Sylvester and Paul Musen. And Willie have to tell you,
Speaker 3: this is probably the most functional board I've ever been on.
Speaker 3: Charlie Luken Mark Mallory were very different politically, but we
Speaker 3: all have the city's viewpoint and what we wanted to
Speaker 3: do the city right there.
Speaker 2: And to do it the right way.
Speaker 3: And what's amazing, Willy is you'll know no one leaked
Speaker 3: what was going on. You know, often if you're making
Speaker 3: a big deal, someone's going to leak something and then
Speaker 3: it's going to wreck the deal or make it more challenging.
Speaker 2: And everyone just had the focus on what's best for
Speaker 2: the city and it was so great to work for them.
Speaker 2: So I agree with you. They have done so much
Speaker 2: for the city.
Speaker 1: I like it.
Speaker 2: Charlie work with them.
Speaker 1: You got Charlie Luken, you got Brendan call, you got
Speaker 1: the chief of staff. You've got running things with an
Speaker 1: iron grip. You got Charlie doing inspections late at night
Speaker 1: in Coreyville. I loved it all. But Amy Murray, thank you.
Speaker 1: I wish you. I wish more people like you were
Speaker 1: in public life, like Liz Keating kicked out of office
Speaker 1: by liberal Democrats and now everybody thinks one way. But
Speaker 1: I'm glad the money's in a lock box and hopefully
Speaker 1: Chris Fitting others will keep an eye on it. And
Speaker 1: Amy Murray, thanks again for checking in. But the money's
Speaker 1: about fifty six million, more than double anticipated. Plus the
Speaker 1: body of the corpus of the of the money's going
Speaker 1: up one hundred million dollars in a tough market. Good job,
Speaker 1: congratulations and have a great Memorial Day weekend. Thank you, Amy, great.
Speaker 2: You too, Willik take care.
Speaker 1: God bless America. Let's continue with more if line becomes available.
Speaker 1: Five one, three, seven, four nine seven thousand. Bill Cunningham,
Speaker 1: the Great American live at your home of the Reds
Speaker 1: playing today at five point forty a kickoff six forty
Speaker 1: first pitch with Hunter Green on the mound. Almost sold out,
Speaker 1: plus the Taste, all on news radio seven hundred ww