Fare-free streetcar still hangs in the balance

The city has seen a 50% uptick in shootings from this time last year, and that has some city leaders looking for any possible resource to increase law enforcement's ability to respond and prevent violent crime -- including Cincinnati's streetcar.

THE STREET CAR WILL RETURN TOSERVICE TOMORROW.

AND IT WILLCOST MONEY TO RIDE IT-- ATLEAST FOR NOW.

COUNCILAPPROVED A MEASURE TO HAVE A"FARE FREE" STREETCAR DURING ASPECIAL SESSION THISAFTERNOON.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER,THE MAYOR VETOED THAT.

HE'SCALLING FOR A DIFFERENT PLAN.THAT INCLUDES USING ANYREVENUE FROM TICKET FARE, TOPAY FOR MORE POLICE IN OVERTHE RHINE.

$$REPORTER MARIELCARBONE BREAKS DOWN THEDISCONNECT ON COUNCIL, ANDWHAT RIDERCAN EXPECT.MARIEL?WELL UP UNTIL AT LEAST 2PMTOMORROW, RIDERS ON THE STREETCAR WILL PAY FOR A TICKETBUTCOUNCIL, SAYS IT WILL OVERTURNTHE MAYOR'S VETO DURING FULLCOUNCIL.

MAKING IT FREE TORIDE AS SOON AS TOMORROWAFTERNOON.TODAY'SPECIAL SESSION,INCLUDED A LOT OF FINGERPOINTING.

WITH BOTH SIDES,ACCUSING THE OTHER OF USINGTHE STREETCAR AS A DISTRACTIONFROM THE WORK THAT REALLY NEEDTO BE DONE IN THE CITY.

THEMAYOR SAYS THE STREETCAR, ANDMAKING AT NO COST TO RIDERS,SHOULD NOT BE CITY COUNCIL'SPRIORITY, THAT FIGHTING CRIMESHOULD BE.COUNCIL MEMBERLANDSMAN, WHO ONE OF TWOMEMBERS WHO CALLED THE SPECIALSESSION, ACCUSED THE MAYOR OFPUTTING ON A POLITICAL "STUNT"TODAY.CG @:00 JOHN CRANLEY/MAYOR "Itwould be totally reasonable toask for a dollar which is allwe were asking to help withour city's budget and theseunprecedented challenges weare facing, It seems like theleast we could do."CG @ 12CHRIS SEELBACH/CITY COUNCIL "Ithink Mr. Landsman put itbest, if John Cranley had asuperpower it would befighting the streetcar.

Wewouldn't have to be here if hehadn't vetoed everything wewere doing sinceJuneA LITTLE MORE INTO THEMAYOR'S OPPOSING PROPOSALHE'D LIKE TO KEEP THE FARE,AND USE ANY REVENUE TO FUNDMORE POLICE OFFICERS IN GRANTPARK, WHICH HAS A HISTORY OFVIOLENT CRIME.

IT'S UNCLEAR IFTHERE WILL EVEN BE PROFIT FROMTHE FARETHIS PROPOSAL DIDNOT HAE ENOUGH SUPPORT TO MAKEIT OUT OF COMMITTEE THISMORNING.

HOWEVER, VICE MAYORSMITHERMAN USED HIS AUTHORITYTO MOVE IT AHEAD TO FULLCOUNCIL FOR A VOTE ANYWAY, SOTHAT'LL HAPPEN TOMORROW.COUNCIL MEETS AT 2PM ONWEDNESDAY.SO YOU CAN EXPECTTHE STREETCAR SAGA, TOCONTINUE THEN.

LIVE FROM CITYAHLL, MARIEL CARBONE, WCPONINE NEWS.