Mayor of Cincinnati,1993–1999
In 1993,Qualls became Mayor of the City of Cincinnati by achieving the highest number of votes of any council member. She subsequently won elections for the office in 1995 and in 1997 where she served until the end of her term limits.
As mayor,Qualls emphasized openness and accessibility,collaborative public-private partnerships,and community and economic development.
Upon taking the office of mayor in 1993,Qualls established "Mayor's Night In" where every Tuesday evening for two hours anyone could come and see her about any issue or concern;and she established the Mayor's Business Expansion and Retention Program and the Mayor's Business Breakfasts.
She introduced several partnerships with various private sector companies. The partnership with the Greater Cincinnati Home Builders Association resulted in Citirama,a center city home show. A partnership with the Board of Realtors produced the Ambassador Program that familiarized real estate agents with the assets of Cincinnati. The U.S. Conference of Mayors recognized this programs as a "Best Practice" in 2005. She established the Home Ownership Partnership,a coalition of over 32 lending institutions and community development organizations to improve Cincinnati's rate of home ownership.
Qualls also enacted multiple policies regarding crime. She developed the Zero Tolerance Initiative:A Campaign to Take Back Our Neighborhoods,to combat blight and neighborhood deterioration. It was recognized by the U.S. Conference of Mayors as a "Best Practice" in 1999. She initiated Cincinnati's suit against gun manufacturers for failing to incorporate safety features into guns and for facilitating the illegal distribution of guns. She supported the hiring of more police officers and the Community Oriented Policing (COP) program based around broken window policing. Also,she proposed the Permitting Drug Abuse ordinance to charge property owners for knowingly permitting drug trafficking on their property.
Additionally,Qualls introduced partnerships with different municipalities in the Greater Cincinnati area. As mayor and as a member of the Executive Committee,and later as President of the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments,she oversaw the Major Investment Study that resulted in the redesign and reconfiguration of Fort Washington Way. She also successfully lobbied for federal dollars to fund the region's light rail major investment study. With then-County Commissioner Bob Bedinghaus and members of City Council,she helped form the joint City-County Planning Committee to develop the Master Plan for Cincinnati's Central Riverfront and to determine the location of the two stadiums,Paul Brown Stadium and Great American Ballpark. In 1998,she funded the construction of the Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park.
Qualls also introduced programs and policies regarding the arts. She was one of three founders of Artworks,a youth employment program that produces public art. She supported the construction of the Contemporary Arts Center,the Aronoff Performing Arts Center,and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center,and supported funding of small arts organizations.
In 1998,Qualls was an unsuccessful candidate for Congress.
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