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0000017a-3b40-d913-abfe-bf44a4f90000Howard Wilkinson joined the WVXU news team as the politics reporter and columnist in April 2012 , after 30 years of covering local, state and national politics for The Cincinnati Enquirer. On this page, you will find his weekly column, Politically Speaking; the Monday morning political chats with News Director Maryanne Zeleznik and other news coverage by Wilkinson. A native of Dayton, Ohio, Wilkinson has covered every Ohio gubernatorial race since 1974, as well as 16 presidential nominating conventions. Along with politics, Wilkinson also covered the 2001 Cincinnati race riots, the Lucasville prison riot in 1993, the Air Canada plane crash at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in 1983, and the 1997 Ohio River flooding. And, given his passion for baseball, you might even find some stories about the Cincinnati Reds here from time to time.

Both Sides Of Issue 22: The City Of Cincinnati Parks Levy

Update:  

During this program, anti-Issue 22 advocate Donald J. Mooney Jr. was critical of the Cincinnati Park Board for taking a $200,000 donation from the private Meyer Fund and giving it to Great Parks, Great Neighborhoods Inc., a committee that is campaigning to pass the charter amendment. Mooney questioned the legality of giving the money to Great Parks, Great Neighborhoods. Attorney Tim Burke, a supporter of Issue 22 and a former park board member, argued that it was perfectly legal and that no public funds were given to the pro-Issue 22 campaign.

Thursday morning, former mayor Charlie Luken, a spokesman for Great Parks, Great Neighborhoods Inc., released a statement saying the $200,000 was being returned to the Meyer Fund. Luken said that although the committee believes strongly the donation was "above board, it has no doubt become a distraction to our goal of supporting the parks and passing Issue 22." 

Most people would agree, the City of Cincinnati has a first-rate park system. But a charter amendment, appearing on the November 3 ballot as Issue 22, that would place a permanent one mill tax in the city charter for park improvements, has generated a lot of disagreement among residents and organizations.

Joining us to discuss the Cincinnati Parks levy is Manley & Burke attorney Tim Burke, who supports the levy. Tim Burke is also chairman of the Hamilton County Democratic Party and Hamilton County Board of Elections. Attorney and Partner with Ulmer & Berne, Donald J. Mooney, Jr., who, along with Tim Mara, organized Save Our Parks, an anti-levy effort; and, WVXU political reporter Howard Wilkinson.