Efforts to bolster support for a countywide sales tax levy in Hamilton County, Ohio, are pushing the city to fire SORTA as the manager of the troubled Cincinnati Bell Connector.

"Cincinnati City Council began to divorce the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority from oversight of the Cincinnati Bell Connector streetcar on Wednesday, passing an ordinance that allows the city to hire a safety officer," reports Chris Wetterich.
According to Wetterich, the Cincinnati City Council will have to take several legislative steps to complete the divorce and place control in the city's hands. The move is underway in part to better ensure the approval of a countywide SORTA sales tax levy likely to go to the ballot in 2020. Supporters of the levy believe it "will come under political attack by streetcar opponents critical of the transit agency’s management oversight role in the streetcar project," according to Wetterich.
FULL STORY: City Council begins streetcar 'divorce' process

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie