Matt Wahlert

Matt Wahlert is an assistant professor of political science, a North College Hill city councilman, a board member of both the OKI Council of Regional Governments and No More Stadium Taxes.

While the FC Cincinnati fans entered the Hamilton County Commissioner's meeting last week "marching to the percussions of drums with flags in tow" and petitioning taxpayer assistance for a new stadium, another group of Hamilton County residents missed out on the festivities. That is the Hamilton County where I live – the other Hamilton County.

In this other Hamilton County, residents wonder how long the Western Hills Viaduct and its $330 million price tag will be overlooked. We wonder about the estimated $266 million county maintenance backlog. We know our courthouse is dated and the building housing Jobs and Family Services aged.

The other Hamilton County recognizes we must earmark approximately $200 million over the next 10 years for improvements to Paul Brown Stadium and Great American Ball Park – all while solving the issue of overcrowding in our county jail. We also worry whether we have the resources to address an opioid problem that seemingly has no end. In the other Hamilton County, we recently discovered that Water Works customers with homes constructed before 1930 (with original water lines) can look forward to a bill in the thousands of dollars to replace lead-contaminated pipes.

In this other Hamilton County, we have many people who are on fixed incomes or struggling to enjoy our own slice of the American Dream. But we face major impediments – increased earnings taxes, sales taxes, additional tax levies and more. We have a Metro system so woefully underfunded that thousands of people cannot access good jobs. And for good measure, the Brent Spence Bridge stands as a daily reminder to our crumbling infrastructure.

The other Hamilton County recognizes the false siren song of it will not raise your taxes. Public funds come from tax dollars and the hardworking folks of Hamilton County. Many of those same taxpayers live in this other Hamilton County – we cannot afford more taxes, we do not believe a central function of government is subsidizing a soccer arena and would like to pursue real economic development. And, quite frankly, the FC Cincinnati Club appears to be doing well. On the other hand, my community of North College Hill alone has an estimated 500 homes that need aged water lines made of lead replaced – and many people will simply not be able to afford it.

In my other Hamilton County, I am thrilled that you have drums and flags and a sea of blue and orange. But, as a taxpayer and a resident of the other Hamilton County, I really cannot afford to subsidize yet another stadium. The concept that an existing tax can just be "transferred" to yet another new stadium project does nothing to address the very basic issues and problems facing the other Hamilton County. Carl H. Lindner III and FC Cincinnati, I hope you can understand that the people I represent in North College Hill do not really list a new stadium as a priority. The other Hamilton County has basic needs that must be met, first.