Time to do it
The township is simply trying to extort tax revenues from the city and label them ''SERVICE PAYMENTS''. In the case of an annexation the owner or owners of the property has the right to annex to the city of Pickerington. If this property is located contiguous to the City of Pickerington then there is NOTHING the township could do to stop that annexation under current law. The only way the city can be restricted is by volunteering to give up those rights. I think the initiative that was sent to the BOE this week will allow the citizens of Pickerington to protect the city's rights from politicians giving these rights away in the name of cooperation.
It appears that there have been some Mafia style negotiating on the part of the township trustees. They come into the meeting looking menacing and with their bald head to strictly intimidate the City staff and the Mayor or Mayor's representative. Then they demand a cut in the city's future revenue and the only reason they give is they won't sue the city. They will not invest in any project with the city, they will not reimburse the city for any project the city has already invested into and they will not perform any services after the annexation in exchange for ''THEIR'' cut in the City's income tax revenue.
If one of these commercial developments goes in and that project requires a lot of police protection then tough. Get the additional funds from the current city residents and taxpayers who are also taxpayer's to the trustee's general fund.
I see no reason for the city tax payers to continue to send their hard earn money to the trustees so they can abuse and extort money from the city government and its taxpayers. I think this is good enough reason to form our own paper township and keep those needed dollars here within the city limits.
The township is simply trying to extort tax revenues from the city and label them ''SERVICE PAYMENTS''. In the case of an annexation the owner or owners of the property has the right to annex to the city of Pickerington. If this property is located contiguous to the City of Pickerington then there is NOTHING the township could do to stop that annexation under current law. The only way the city can be restricted is by volunteering to give up those rights. I think the initiative that was sent to the BOE this week will allow the citizens of Pickerington to protect the city's rights from politicians giving these rights away in the name of cooperation.
It appears that there have been some Mafia style negotiating on the part of the township trustees. They come into the meeting looking menacing and with their bald head to strictly intimidate the City staff and the Mayor or Mayor's representative. Then they demand a cut in the city's future revenue and the only reason they give is they won't sue the city. They will not invest in any project with the city, they will not reimburse the city for any project the city has already invested into and they will not perform any services after the annexation in exchange for ''THEIR'' cut in the City's income tax revenue.
If one of these commercial developments goes in and that project requires a lot of police protection then tough. Get the additional funds from the current city residents and taxpayers who are also taxpayer's to the trustee's general fund.
I see no reason for the city tax payers to continue to send their hard earn money to the trustees so they can abuse and extort money from the city government and its taxpayers. I think this is good enough reason to form our own paper township and keep those needed dollars here within the city limits.
