Councilwoman Liz Keating proposes 'resign to run' charter amendment; says 'Cincinnati isn't a stepping stone'
Cincinnati City Councilwoman Liz Keating is tired of politicians using Cincinnati as a stepping stone to "more power" and "greater glory," something she says has allowed corruption to seep into City Hall.
So she's aiming to stop it. Under her proposed charter amendment Cincinnati elected officials would have to "resign to run" if they intend to run for another salaried office.
Keating, a Republican appointed to council last December to replace Democrat P.G. Sittenfeld after he was arrested on corruption allegations, announced the proposed charter amendment Tuesday. She's running for re-election this fall.
Running for another office, she said, could allow for larger campaign donations than the $1,100 limit in Cincinnati races, could be a distraction from the person's current job and could bring undue influence to city votes.
So she's proposing a charter amendment that says any elected official must resign once they begin fundraising for another salaried elected office, with the resignation triggered by the first fundraising or designation of treasurer.
"For too long, City Hall has been a stepping stone to higher office, to more power, to greater glory," Keating told The Enquirer. "But, Cincinnati isn’t a stepping stone...It’s a major city facing real challenges like corruption, gun violence, and childhood poverty. And it needs dedicated leaders who are completely focused on the task at hand."
Keating said the idea isn't aimed at any one person. But had it been in effect now, Mayor John Cranley would have had to resign because he's running for Ohio governor in 2022.
Keating will introduce the idea at Cincinnati City Council's August meeting and needs six votes to put the matter on the November ballot. She said if she does not garner the needed votes she will bring the idea forward with a petition drive to put the charter amendment on next year's primary ballot. Keating would need roughly 4,600 signatures, 10 percent of the last municipal election.
Keating's proposal comes in the wake of three Cincinnati councilmembers being arrested in 2020 in pay-to-play schemes in which they are accused of selling council votes in exchange for cash or campaign contributions. Only one of the three, Sittenfeld, was seeking higher office.
Mayor John Cranley, at council's direction, appointed an anti-corruption task force in January. The group released an early draft of its proposals last week. Once the final report is released council will consider acting on the ideas.
Cincinnati voters in the May primary approved two anti-corruption measures, put forward by Republican Councilwoman Betsy Sundermann and Independent Christopher Smitherman. They make it easier to remove a council member in the event a council member is arrested. Those measures were also aimed at keeping corruption out of City Hall.
State Rep. Tom Brinkman, R-Mount Lookout, acting as a Cincinnati resident, is also seeking to insert anti-corruption measures in Cincinnati's charter via a signature-gathering initiative. His proposals, which he hopes to put on the November ballot, include allowing for the recall of the mayor and cutting council members' salaries.