Columbus resident uses budget press conference to confront Mayor Ginther on guns, crime
Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther had just finished announcing a proposed capital projects budget for next year that he said was heavily focused on crime-fighting and public safety when he asked if anyone had any questions.
"I've got one," said a quiet voice from the lobby outside the room, crowded with press and city officials. In slowly strode Dorethea Dudley, 57, a resident of the new Bretton Woods senior-living apartment complex in Northland that Ginther used as the backdrop for his announcements Wednesday morning. Dudley, moving past Ginther's staff using a cane, got right to the point.
Her concerns didn't involve the safety of the Short North, a hot topic at the presser following a mass shooting there in which 10 people were wounded last weekend, but of her own apartment complex parking lot, where teenage boys — some she fears may be armed — are breaking into cars routinely at night. Dudley stood at a window in April and videotaped two youths stealing her 2022 Kia, resulting in major engine damage.
"I live here, and I know this might not be one of the topics, but what are we doing about the kids situation?" Dudley said. "...They came up here and stole my car right here from the front door. I have video of it. I gave that to the police. They still don't do anything."
Dudley said the Kia had been broken into several times before she moved into Bretton Woods in January, when the youths finally drove off with it. Her son was cosigner for her to get another car, only to have the Kia returned after 16 days — but with major engine problems. She said she now has two car payments that she can't afford.
Dudley said she doesn't dare send one of her seven kids out to confront the teens because they might have a gun.
"I don't know what to do," Dudley said to Ginther. "What are we to do to protect ourselves?"
Ginther had highlighted how his proposed capital budget includes "$1.99 billion for crime-fighting tools, technologies and facilities; projects to expand the city’s affordable housing stock; new and renovated fire stations; new and improved parks, pools and community centers; resurfaced roadways; city utilities and more," according to a release from his office.
Included is $3.3 million to design the new Easton police substation and $150 million for the new Franklin County Municipal Court building Downtown. The proposal now goes to City Council.
But Ginther said Dudley's saga brought up many ongoing problems with the justice system, including judges letting suspects out of jail after being arrested for offenses like theft and robbery, oftentimes "beating our officers back to the streets in their neighborhoods."
"Gun crimes need to be treated differently — whether they're stealing Kias, whether they're committing robbery and other types of things," Ginther said. "We need to get those people off the streets, we need to get those guns off the streets."
"And keep them off for a minute," interjected Dudley. "Let 'em learn."
Before Dudley stepped into the press conference, Ginther had already been delivering tough criticism to the GOP-controlled state legislature, saying they are dangerously out of touch with the reality of gun crime that's happening.
"This state legislature has put in place some of the most reckless and dangerous gun policies in America," Ginther said.
Ohio lawmakers have opposed red-flag laws and background checks while enacting concealed carry, stand your ground, permitless carry, and "actually seriously contemplating right now not allowing local law enforcement from working with federal authorities on going after gun criminals and gun crimes, penalizing law-enforcement professionals from protecting the public," Ginther said.
While much of the discussion at the press announcement dealt with the recent Short North shootings, "all neighborhoods matter," Ginther said in response Dudley's concerns, adding that the issues with Kia cars being easily stolen is a national problem, and the company needs to be held accountable for its designs.
The fact that Dudley fears the teens are potentially armed goes right back to the Ohio "gun problem," in which its just too easy for them to get guns, Ginther said.
After the mayor and other officials had left the building, Dudley was still seated in the lobby, near the door. She recalled how the son of another Bretton Woods resident was recently sitting in his car in the parking lot, and a teenager tried to break into it while he was in it.
"They didn't even know that he was sitting in the car," she said. "They didn't even care. This violence and this theft has got to stop. It's got to stop. That's all I've got to say about it."
@ReporterBush
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Northland resident confronts Columbus Mayor Ginther on guns, crime
