League of Women Voters of Ohio
Hamilton County, OH November 4, 2003 Election
	Damon Lynch, III Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Cincinnati

The questions were prepared by the LWV Cincinnati Area and asked of all candidates for this office.

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. How would you implement your top priority?

By funding implementation of community approved and updated neighborhood development plans starting with the nine empowerment zone communities by leveraging the Anthem fund windfall with private investments. Increasing neighborhood safety by emphasizing successful implementation of the Collaborative Agreement. Increasing small businesses and home and property ownership using creative lending programs, tax-abatements, lease-to-purchase programs, subsidy programs and sweat equity programs. Increasing knowledge of residents and the development community about these products/programs.

2. Numerous important issues including transportation, land use planning, housing and economic development for the Greater Hamilton County regions are being deliberated by OKI's Land Use Commission and Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission and Planning Partnership COMPASS; how engaged should local government be in these planning activities? If elected, how would you participate in these planning activities?

The entities currently deliberating on these most important issues must be transparent and inclusive. All of our citizens must have the same opportunity not only to give their input, i.e., COMPASS, city and county meetings, but also to have access to decent housing, economic development and all the benefits that accrue to the more affluent among us. I will work with the various boards and commissions, starting with Sustainable Cincinnati, to effect positive change.

3. Ohio Department of Natural Resources in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Recycling Coalition conducted a state-specific study and found recycling businesses in Ohio generated $650.6 million dollars in state government revenue. If elected how would you promote recycling and support recycling programs currently in place in your community to reduce solid waste generation?

I will promote recycling education in schools, homes and businesses, understanding that natural resources are limited and we must be good stewards of those resources. I will support efforts to educate the public on the advantages of recycling and the ominous future we build for ourselves if we fail to recycle. I have authored a recycling project for glass and beverage containers that I will work to implement. Recycling is profitable and saves lives.