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PODCAST

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser

Joe Strecker Productions

The city of Cincinnati and Hamilton County are run by the same party. There is no overight or dissenting voice....this is where Todd Zinser comes in. Todd bio is belowhttps://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP19/20150225/102984/HHRG-114-AP19-Bio-ZinserT-20150225.pdfHe will keep an eye out on all the shenanigans in Hamilton County and the City of Cincinnati. Nothing gets by Todd Zinser...the Citizen Watchdog

government

All Episodes

25:06

Sarah Heringer's Demands

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/07/28

Patrick Heringer's murder shouldn't just be another statistic lost in Cincinnati's rising crime rates. We're demanding answers, accountability, and a commitment to change. Join Todd as he scrutinizes the city council's lackluster response and highlight Sarah Heringer's powerful calls for action. From her demand for a detailed timeline of failures to her push for a public safety audit, Sarah's voice echoes the frustrations of a community seeking justice. We dissect how systemic breakdowns allowed

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24:39

Cincinnati Financial Freedom Blueprint

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/07/23

This episode promises to guide you through the city's plan to boost financial stability, launched under the Cities for Financial Empowerment's City Start program. Unveiled in June 2023, this $2.125 million initiative tackles six pivotal areas, from managing delinquent debt to fostering job mobility, homeownership, and equity. We'll explore the city's commitment, reflected in a projected $11 million spend, and the urgent call for transparency in tracking these transformative interventions.Join Todd

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23:38

Charter Committee's Candidates

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/07/15

Reflecting on my early days in Cincinnati politics, I recall the challenges faced by non-Democratic candidates trying to make their mark in a predominantly one-party city. This episode brings those memories into sharp focus as we introduce the Charter Committee's latest slate of candidates for the 2025 City Council elections. With Laketa Cole, Steve Goodin, Don Driehaus, Dawn Johnson, and Aaron Weiner on board, there's palpable excitement about their potential to reshape the city's governance. We

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18:35

Gun Violence and ACT for Cincy

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/07/08

Gun violence is one of Cincinnati's gravest issues, but is the ACT for Cincy initiative truly making a difference, or is it another instance of big promises with little follow-through? Join Todd as he scrutinizes the allocation of $3 million towards community grants, dissecting components like Boots on the Ground, Safe and Clean, and the Human Services Violence Reduction Fund. Despite the fanfare, the mayor's silence on this topic during his recent Cincinnati Edition appearance speaks volumes about

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18:08

Cincinnati's Pension Liability

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/06/30

Cincinnati's pension crisis looms larger than ever, and ignoring it isn't an option. The city's current approach—with a $64 million surplus just sitting on the sidelines—is stagnating progress. Asset sales are a band-aid, not a cure, and the risks involved in regionalizing the waterworks make it a gamble we can't afford to lose. Our episode spotlights the city's hesitance to act on the straightforward advice from pension trust trustees: incrementally increase employer contributions. This simple yet

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18:26

Championing Transparency in Cincinnati

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/06/23

By exploring real incidents like the bridge fire and the mismanagement of the city's fleet, we promise you'll gain a deeper understanding of the critical need for open governance. Todd crafted a 12-point transparency agenda aimed at enhancing clarity and accountability, setting the stage for better oversight and informed citizenry. Our conversations address how these issues affect not just the current landscape but shape the future of governance in Cincinnati.Our episode also sheds light on the

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20:35

Where the Sidewalk Ends . . . - Cincinnati's Budget...

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/06/17

City budgets aren't just about numbers; they're arenas where power and transparency clash, especially when sidewalks are on the line. With the clock ticking towards a June 30 deadline, we're breaking down the complex labyrinth of Cincinnati’s budgeting process. We highlight the slippery slope of leveraged support and the arbitrary adjustments by the mayor and city council—adjustments that are ripe for corruption without clear criteria or conflict-of-interest safeguards. It's a dive into the murky

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16:50

The Great Cincinnati Train Robbery

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/06/02

I told you so. . . . Nearly $6 million has been funneled into the shadows, and the integrity of the city's campaign finance system hangs in the balance. Join us as we unravel the strings of alleged corruption surrounding the 2023 railway election, where Norfolk Southern, the city council, and Mayor Aftab's roles have sparked controversy. The lack of transparency and manipulation of campaign finance rules have raised serious questions, and our recent op-ed in the Inquirer zeroes in on the city's

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19:18

Look what we found! The Missing Audit. Response to...

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/05/28

Todd unlocks the secrets of effective city governance as we expose the tangled web of a missing audit report and the story behind it. Navigate with us through the perplexities of audit management, from the bombshell draft by Crowe LLP in December 2022 to the final report's emergence nearly two years later. Despite the clear and valuable recommendations from Crowe—like improving council member recusals and managing conflicts of interest—the city has remained stagnant, leaving crucial improvements

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17:22

Cincinnati's Fleet Audit - City's Fiscal Crisis:...

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/05/20

City leaders are failing their responsibilities, leaving essential services vulnerable and residents unprotected. With nearly half of the city's fleet, 685 vehicles, way past their prime, one might wonder if flashy goals like carbon neutrality are distracting from urgent needs. In this episode, we dissect the city's mounting $1.3 billion fiscal headache, including pension liabilities and neglected infrastructure, exacerbated by an ignored internal audit. The stark $82.7 million needed to replace

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15:56

Unpacking Cincinnati’s Funding Oversight:...

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/05/13

This week on “Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser,” is a discussion of Cincinnati’s 200 non-profit and other external grantees. Our examination is just beginning, but we have already found 2 potential conflicts of interest and over a million dollars paid to a private venture capitalist over the past several years. It is not common for a city to pay public funds to a venture capitalist.One important development is a recent report from the city’s Internal Audit Manager issued on April 27, 2025. She

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19:54

Cincinnati's Green Ambitions Part 2 - Financial...

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/05/06

Can Cincinnati truly afford to go green in the face of monumental fiscal challenges? We're putting the Green Cincinnati Plan under the microscope, scrutinizing its ambitious pursuit of carbon neutrality amid a staggering $824 million pension liability and $400 million in deferred maintenance. With public service vehicles, like fire trucks, in dire need of updates, we question whether the plan's focus on equity and carbon neutrality truly serves the city's most vulnerable populations—or merely adds

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17:06

Cincinnati's Green Ambitions: Sustainability...

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/04/23

Unlock the secrets of Cincinnati's ambitious journey towards sustainability with our latest episode on the Green Cincinnati Plan. Explore the intricate evolution of this environmental roadmap, beginning with the pioneering Climate Protection Plan of 2008, courtesy of Mark Mallory, and how it has morphed through the years into a complex, far-reaching strategy for 2023. From the target of 100% renewable energy for city operations by 2035 to encouraging a shift towards plant-based diets, we dissect the

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14:44

Cincinnati's Missing Audit

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/04/01

City corruption exposed: the forensic audit Cincinnati didn't want you to see. Our latest episode brings you inside the tangled web of local governance, examining the unfinished forensic audit that was meant to shed light on murky economic development projects between 2018 and 2020. We unravel the story behind the critical draft report by audit firm Crowe, which the city dismissed as unsatisfactory, likely due to its damning insights into current practices. The episode questions the city's

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12:30

Secrecy in Cincinnati Government

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/03/25

Greater Cincinnati is shrouded in political secrecy, but the truth can no longer stay hidden. This episode exposes the clandestine forces at play in the heart of local governance, where sales tax dollars intended for public landmarks are ominously repurposed by shadowy 501c4 groups. With insights from Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus, we peel back the layers of obfuscation surrounding a controversial new arena proposal. The discussion doesn't stop there; we draw parallels to Norfolk

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15:05

Cincinnati's Struggle Against Public Misconduct

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/03/21

Creating a more transparent and accountable city governance as we uncover the findings from our recent review of the city's Ethics Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline. Expect to learn about the critical privacy issues and transparency concerns that have emerged since the hotline's oversight shifted to the solicitor's office in 2022. With 176 complaints filed over the past three years, the hotline's potential to effectively tackle fraud and abuse remains significantly stunted due to a lack of a

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13:45

Should Cincinnati be pounding the table about DEI?

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/03/18

This episode sheds light on the city's own DEI efforts, highlighting the strides and struggles of the Department of Economic Inclusion in supporting minority and women-owned businesses. Despite the city's dedication, a 2023 Disparity Study Report has pointed out significant gaps, prompting a deeper examination of the city's financial commitments and grants to foster equity and inclusion within the community.

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14:18

High Stakes at Hyde Park: Unraveling the Turmoil and...

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/03/10

Hyde Park Square is on the brink of a transformation that could alter its very essence, and the stakes couldn't be higher. With three key planning commission members unexpectedly absent, suspicion looms over the legitimacy of the decision-making process. Join us as we confront the heated opposition from the community, whose voices have crescendoed into a powerful chorus against the proposed development. We explore the concerns regarding its impact on neighborhood character and pedestrian safety,

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13:11

Exposing Audit Oversight Failures in Cincinnati

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/03/05

Unlock the secrets of Cincinnati's audit oversight as we expose the challenges and gaps in the city's internal audit function. From the startling revelation of the internal audit manager's non-compliance with Municipal Code requirements to the alarming absence of comprehensive risk assessments since 2014, this episode promises a deep exploration of the systemic failures impacting city governance. We delve into the impact of insufficient resources on audit transparency and question the city's

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12:11

Unpacking Cincinnati's City Budget: Clientelism,...

Citizen Watchdog with Todd Zinser ·

2025/02/27

Discover the intricate world of Cincinnati City Council's budget decisions, where millions are strategically allocated to over 50 organizations, raising important questions about oversight and transparency. Todd promises you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of how the Achieving Change Together program aims to combat gun violence through financial support to nonprofits, all while navigating the delicate balance of political and financial alliances. Our discussion sheds light on the complexities

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45 results

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