Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Many things to consider

It is interesting that we have a couple of discussions going on here and some of the posters are not connecting the dots. Here we have two corners of Milner and Refugee being rumored to have commercial development. One already has an application filed and is asking for a variance. For those in the township something is sneaking up on you and you all need to react before you are all buried in traffic. The second issue is the impact fees that the city impose on new commercial development and the exemptions be considered by city council.

If I recall correctly the purpose of the impact fees were to help pay for a portion of the cost of new development. One of the funds set up by the city was to collect for road improvements. I would expect that the city will apply most of their road funds to Diley and maybe 256. What about the township and the county? Clearly as the development occurs out on Refugee the traffic counts will increase. Last year I read some comments by the County Engineer that the counts on Refugee were higher than Diley Road a few years ago when the decision was made to widen Diley. The point is at what point will the county have the funds available to widen Refugee? The township could collect impact fees since they are now home rule what could that money be used for? Could they actually take the bull by the horns and widen Refugee on their own or is that road under the exclusive authority of the county? I have heard people in those condos complain that they can not get out onto Refugee most of the time because of the current traffic volume. I also heard that the Ricketts family had promised a 9 hole golf course in conjunction with the condos. Will that ever happen?

State funding is a long process. Most funds being applied for today will be considered in 2014. So where do you folks stand in the township? Will low taxes and all of the free services you currently receive be over ridden by grid lock in front of the North High School?

The second point is as the need for more police and safety services increase with this development and who will pay for it? I am sure the expectation of a gas station will be free police, fire and road services. I am hearing that two gas stations in Pickerington are about to be closed because of competition or other factors. Will there truly be a market for two gas stations in the township? What does an empty gas station look like to the residents?

Have the trustees got an ACE up their sleeve? IS this going to be one of the endless JEDD agreements that the Mayor and Fix talked about? Is this the beginning of the millions of dollars in revenues coming to the city? If it is you all better look out for the expenses and traffic headaches we will all incur as a result.

There is more to this story. The Big Box is not dead.


By Eyes opened real wide

gas stations are losers

unless they offer discounted gas like Kroger and Giant Eagle. When was the last time you filled up at a regular gas station if you had a choice or were not in a circumstance not to take advantage of a 30 or 40 cent discount per gallon.

Review the policy

I wanted to point out that a policy is coming to light in the township that we all need to be aware of. To provide infrastructure needs for good development you need debt capacity to pay for and construct that needed infrastructure. To make those debt payments the local government must have a certain level of revenue to not only made debt service payments but to provide the never ending services to a growing area which includes both residential and commercial developments.

Tax structures differ greatly between a city and a township. The city can provide revenues to these services from income tax, property tax and in Pickerington?’s case impact fees.

Basically the township only has property taxes and some revenue sharing with the county?’s state budget. Much of the township revenues are very dependant on the commissioners and how much money they have to share. A good example of being a small part of a large government is Gender road and it still remains two lanes. Despite years of development the road is becoming more and more difficult to drive on. I envision the township part of Refugee road looking similar to Gender Road soon. Those folks along Gender have very little pull with Columbus and we will have very little pull with the county engineer.

Yosemite Pam proposed a merger commission some time ago and since has given up on the idea. I think the trustees believe in their hearts that they will continue to be a township and that with the use of JEDDs they will generate enough revenues that it will put off or never require the township residents to merge with Pickerington. The policy that they are following will certainly prevent that from ever happening in most of our life times. JEDDs will prevent annexations of the commercial properties in the township and with the power of sub-divisions and with each property owner getting one or two votes for or against annexation then the revenues generated by the township will limit them severely in the future in providing the needed services. I know you all have your streets plowed in the winter and the sheriff is Johnny on the stop when needed. But I think you all will be very surprised in the dramatic rise in crime about to happen in the township. Since 2003 the city crime rates around the Kohl?’s and the other banks and businesses coming in have risen from the low 250 range to well over 800 serious crimes per year. I think it is still rising.

I think the Mayor of the township and one or more of the trustees need to address these issues and soon before we all reach the point of no return.

By It it too late?

Put em' in the CITY

Put those dirty, noisy gas stations within the city limits. We special township folk will drive into the seedier side of town when we need gas.

You know, gas stations are better suited to be located in run down areas anyway. They draw a bad element, and the city is already trashy.

These dens of iniquity can not be located with sight of our precious TajMahal. The meer presence of these eye sores will surely tarnish the golden palace.

Heaven forbid, I bet these places even plan to sell those evil banned cigarettes and that DEMON BEER...!!!!

I bet those places will even sell FOREIGN oil. Hmmmmmmmmmph.






By Township NIMBY