If City Hall has the guts, Cincinnati's pension fund can be dissolved | Opinion

Regarding the editorial, "Leaders must inform residents on Futures Commission report," (April 21): The Cincinnati Futures Commission with their recent report have their hands full. To make the city whole and get rid of an evolving $438 million deficit, they must figure how to raise taxes, impose a trash fee, sell golf courses, lease out Lunken Airport, spin off the Water Works department and try to make the city pension fund solvent. The hardest item might be the pension fund. If City Hall has the guts, the pension fund can be dissolved.

Cincinnati Futures Commission Read the full report

The first step would be to determine which current employees would be pension eligible or not. Next, raise the payroll tax to a level equal to what is put into the fund by the employees, plus the city's portion, because the employees won't be paying into the system. That extra payroll tax will gradually decrease as the 4,500, or so, retirees die off. When the last retiree dies, no more extra payroll tax and the pension fund is dissolved.

Harold Schuler, College Hill

City representing developers instead of residents

What has happened to Cincinnati city government since the 1950s and 60s when it was voted best governed city in the United States? Recently, the city came up with a plan called "Connected Communities" − whatever that means − to change the city’s zoning code and do away with single-family zoned districts without considering that the success of multi-racial, multi-cultural, economically diverse neighborhoods, such as North Avondale, College Hill, Kennedy Heights, Northside are the result of strict enforcement of the city’s current zoning code.

Now, the city is considering the sale of current city services and assets such as waste collection, parks, golf courses, the Health Department building, even its nationally renowned Cincinnati Water Works to address overspending in the city’s budget. It does not mention looking internally at the city’s budget line items to address overspending as most families do when expenses exceed income in their budgets.

Historically, cities developed when groups of people got together to address quality essential services such as safety, health, welfare, etc., that could best be provided by a city government rather than privately by individuals and paid for at the most reasonable cost by all citizens through a fair tax. Bottom line: City government represented the interests of its citizens. Economic development was never considered an essential city service, but a function of private enterprise in a capitalist society. Today, the city appears to be representing developers as its budget deficit appears to be coming partly, if not largely, from subsidizing developers through tax abatements and other economic incentives.

One easy way to increase the city’s income is to change the language in the charter. Currently, the city income tax just comes from "earnings" − money obtained in return for labor or services. It does not include income from stocks, bonds, annuities or other investment income, especially real estate. I personally know families who have incomes of $100,000 or more from such investments who pay zero city income tax legally. Including all income of citizens, I believe, would be a fairer way to finance current city spending.

Gerry Kraus, East Walnut Hills

If you didn't go regularly, you can't understand Coney Island outrage

Regarding the demolition of Sunlite Pool, when under attack about alleged misuse of his Labor Day Telethon funds, Jerry Lewis said, "For those that know me, no explanation is necessary. For those that don't, no explanation is good enough." I would say that to the people who can't understand the outrage we feel about Coney Island closing. If you weren't there every day watching swim lessons, old friends reuniting every season, and day campers having a day, you don't know the absolute heartache we feel. It meant friendship, comfort, and affordability. This year would have been my 25th. I saw the grins, and heard the laughter every day. That's what I will miss the most.

Mark Ingram, Deer Park

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati can dissolve pension fund to get rid of deficit | Opinion