This past Friday at Listermann's Brewery in Norwood, Ohio, City Council candidate Larry Moreno made the official announcement about his intent to run for City Council. In front of a large crowd, Moreno detailed his future plans for Cincinnati if elected to the position.
Prior to Moreno speaking, an endorsement was given to Moreno form Alliance. Alliance, which is an organization for the betterment of people within the LBGTQ community, believes that Larry is the perfect candidate to support. The organization stated how proud they are of Larry's dedication to the LGTBQ community, as Larry plans to broaden the scope of LTGBQ programs in Cincinnati. This endorsement can be noted as huge for the Moreno campaign.
At the beginning of Moreno's press conference, he gave a brief overview of himself and how he got into the position he is in today. He described how he became a successful businessman within the community, as well as to how he has been able to give back to the community. With the strong connections that Moreno already has, he plans to attack the main issues of Opioids, Homelessness, and Infrastructure. Moreno believes that these three issues are the most pressing in Cincinnati at this current moment.
In regards to opioids, Moreno believes that setting up more programs like Safe Places Cincy and treatment centers will begin to curb the epidemic Cincinnati is experiencing. Using large statistics about deaths and overdoses, Moreno attempted display just how large this problem really is. The candidate also touched upon how first responders to opioid overdoses need treatment too, as they are dealing with huge stress in these situations. Simply put, Moreno is pushing to add additional help and services to the programs that are already in place.
His next platform item was the problem of homelessness in the city. Similar to opioids, Moreno detailed the severity of the situation with statistics and a story. In attempts to improve this situation, Moreno plans to use his connections to Policies to End Homelessness and Lighthouse Youth Services. He believes his connections, as well as the policy he will create if elected, will improve homelessness within Cincinnati.
His final critical issue was the infrastructure of Cincinnati. Moreno believes that the city would need an estimated of $1 Billion dollars in order to fix roads, bridges, and other vital parts of the city's infrastructure. Additionally, he noted that the city needs to begin installing more safer crosswalks for students and pedestrians. This will likely be looped into his plan for infrastructure funding. When asked where this money will come from, however, he was unsure of it. He did not specify whether or not he would raise taxes, and he did not lay out an exact plan of action he plans to take.
Overall, the audience saw a very well-versed candidate in Larry Moreno at his first press conference. He is quite knowledgeable in Cincinnati policy, as he knew almost every problem when asked about it. Moreno, however, never fully committed to changes he wants to make. He floated a lot of strong ideas, but did not want to be entirely committed. Regardless, Moreno's first appearance and press conference was an overall success.
Larry Moreno plans to keep the momentum going in his next press appearance on Wednesday, as he will be featured in an interview on Meet The Press.
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