BY SAUNDRA AMRHEIN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Just when the Cincinnati Zoo thought it was in the clear after a year of problems, the organization was hit with yet another setback in Wednesday's fire.
But officials were optimistic they would overcome this hurdle, too.
"Any time you have a disaster like this, there will be a negative effect," said Robert Sibcy, zoo board president. "But the zoo will be fine."
Just two weeks before Wednesday's disaster, the zoo had won a victory at the polls with voter approval of a levy that will raise $6.2 million a year for five years for zoo operations.
The approval came six months after voters dealt the zoo a crushing defeat by rejecting a proposal that would have raised $10.3 million a year.
In November, officials announced they would need to raise ticket prices from $8 to as much as $10.50 for adults to make up for $5 million in lost tax revenue.
After this month's levy victory, they said they hoped to reduce the amount of increase.
Also, they said they would need to freeze hiring, take out a loan and cut other costs.
The zoo also is grappling with parking problems, which are likely to get worse as the zoo begins constructing five exhibits this summer.
