|
|
Yosemite Pam,
You have had 9 days now since your posting once again futile-ly attempting to unite the community. Ted Hackworth conducted an unscientific legwork intensive survey in less time. His results fit what can be considered the norm for unscientific surveys with the respondents. Additionally, he was remarkably accurate with the support percentage his respondents indicated for the city voters that supported the school levy. Wasn?’t it within .6% (POINT SIX PERCENT)? That is incredible.
Are you prepared, based on what you have heard so far, to conduct your own survey of the community to see if a broader based group than the PATA posters will support you in your efforts to establish some sort of oversight organization? Maybe you can seek the strategies of Mr. Hackworth for assistance if he believes your ideas have merit.
My only concern is that like Community 1st, PATA, the NW Republican club, CARE and all the others that came before, you can meet and talk and cross your arms and pout but unless you have a vote in local government, you have nothing. Right now Jeffry Fix and Gary Wetlich ?“own?” the local governments, lock, stock and barrel. This includes the school board. They have enough control over enough board members that they keep their mouths shut about the potential damage to the community as a whole and the negative effect they will see in the long term. Perhaps Thiede was the only one to see the future and bailed in time to save his reputation or protect his integrity.
The ball is in your court Pam. I know you claim to be old and busy but let?’s see some follow up. You need to get outside PATA to talk to rational people to see if they want to listen to you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The results
1. Does The Pickerington City Road Crew meet your expectations in keeping the snow removed in the winter? (please circle one)
Yes (53) No (11)
2. Does the quality of life in Pickerington meet your expectations?
Yes (51) No (10)
3. Do you or your family use the Pickerington Park system more than three times a year?
Yes (38) No (29)
4. In the last two years have you had to call the Pickerington Police or the Violet Township Fire department because of an emergency?
Yes (13) No (53)
5. Do you work in a city outside of Pickerington that charge income tax? If so what is its tax rate? ____________________
Yes (41) No (26)
6. Are you satisfied in the time it takes you to get to either I-70 in the mornings or US 33? How long in minutes on average:___________________
Yes (16) No (49)
7. Would you support an increase in City income tax from 1 % to 2% if the proposal gave you a larger tax credit on income earned in another city resulting in a modest tax decrease on your total Pickerington City Income Tax?
Yes (23) No (41)
8. Would you support the City of Pickerington creating its own Fire department that provided the same level of service as the current department and if we could lower the property taxes ?
Yes (50) No (15)
9. Do you have children attending Pickerington Schools?
Yes (22) No (46)
10. Are you retired or live on a fixed income?
Yes (20) No (42)
11. If you could set the priorities for the City what would be your highest priority? Please circle one.
a. control growth (30)
b. control debt (5)
c. improve traffic flow (9)
d. develop more commercial (16)
e. develop more parks or other facilities (1)
f. enter into an economic agreement with the Township (2)
12. Do you plan to vote for the Pickerington School Bond issue on the November 2006 ballot?
Yes (39) No (22)
13. Do you feel Pickerington should continue to annex land outside our borders if there is an commercial development opportunity?
Yes (56) No (10)
14. Do you feel Pickerington should annex outside it current borders for land to be developed as residential homes?
Yes (13) No (55)
15. Do you trust the current Pickerington City Council to implement policies and projects in the Citizen?’s best interest?
Yes (21) no (39)
|
|
|
Thanks Anonymous, but....
It seemed to only be mentioned that Mr. Hackworth did a survey. Are you correlating it to the posting directed at Yosemite Pam? I don't quite understand the relevance.
We are anxiously awaiting Pam's response to see if she is still in the market for a great board of unity or a re-creation of the PATA of old or whatever.
|
|
|
What will the survey say?
I think the results of Mr. Hackworth's survey are important in that they do show what many in the City are thinking and how they are going to vote. The majority still believe that growth is the top priority for the city. At the bottom, of the priorities is an agreement with the township. That is a bad sign for those proposing a merger. I believe the survey also showed that the city voters would give up the Violet Township fire department in a heart beat if they could lower their property taxes. As the first poster indicated those in the city planning on voting for the school levy did vote as indicated on the survey. I also doubt they if any of the responders are regulars of the PATA web site.
The point is that the trustees a few years ago in response to a suggestion by former Mayor Randy Hughes that they merge sent out their surrey and the questions in a lot of ways were very biased. If a random sampling of the citizens in the city and township were polled I believe you would get a true reading of the citizens.
Maybe Mr. Hackworth has just taken the first step to that merger. He said in the paper that he had sent out 1,000 survey cards and he had received 68 back. If we work with the idea that there are 10,773 registered voters in the city and there are around 14,800 in the township then circulating 1,000 cards in the city and 1,400 cards in the township would get a balanced sampling.
It should be noted that Yosemite Pam did post today but apparently is refusing to answer the first posters question. It is nice to make suggestions but something else to step forward with actions.
|
