page_title: Christopher Smitherman
section_title: 2003 - 2005
hierarchical_section_title: Christopher Smitherman / Political career / Cincinnati City Council / 2003 - 2005
caption_attribution_description: English: Cincinnati Vice Mayor Christopher Smitherman speaking at Elder High School in Cincinnati, Ohio.
context_page_description: Christopher E.C. Smitherman is an American politician and businessman serving as the Vice Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio. An Independent, Smitherman is currently a member of the Cincinnati City Council and the Cincinnati Planning Commission. Smitherman is the former president of the Cincinnati NAACP, serving from April 2007 to January 2014. Since 2013, Smitherman has chaired the Law and Public Safety Committee, giving him jurisdiction to oversee all city issues related to Police; Fire; Safety Policies; Citizen Complaint Authority; Liquor Licenses; and Public Services.
context_section_description: Smitherman was elected to Cincinnati City Council on November 4, 2003, as a member of the Charter Committee. Smitherman ran on a platform of fiscal responsibility, racial reconciliation, improved community-police relations, and improved transportation and employment opportunities. During his first term on council, Smitherman served as the vice-chair of the Arts & Culture Committee. He also served on the Law and Public Safety Committee, Neighborhood and Public Services Committee, the Community Development Committee, and the Education & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. During his term, Smitherman focused on neighborhood improvements including authoring a motion to allow part of drug-related dollars seized by police to be returned to the affected community. He introduced motions to pioneer regional economic cooperation via Joint Economic Development Districts (JEDD) and Cooperative Economic Development Agreements (CEDA). Smitherman worked to firm up the city's working capital fund and also played a leading role in ending Fire Department brownouts. Smitherman did not win reelection in 2005.
caption: Smitherman speaking at Elder High School in March 2018
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