Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Stick it to the cops & Teachers

It sounds like the biggest work force in the city will get their taxes increased. They don't get to vote so the city's plan is to stick it to them.

Geez

Yes, the city's plan is to increase the income tax to 2%, just like the City of Columbus did to their massive majority of people who commute into the city, or the City of Dublin does to all their commuters or ....

And yet the person who lives here/works here or just works here will still pay LESS in local income taxes than the person who lives here and works in Columbus/Dublin/Canal Winchester/etc.

Need answers

Instead of trying to figure out who is posting and what their motives may be shouldn?’t those proponents of this tax increase be answering the questions being asked? The proponents have such a weak argument that they have resorted to character assassination and intimidation.

The only two proponent arguments have been:

?“This doesn?’t affect me so I will vote for it?”

?“ We need the money?”

The city claims that 80% of the VOTERS will not be affected. I assume they mean that they will get the chance to vote on it but they will not pay more in income taxes to the city if it passes. I work in Columbus. If I vote for it I will not have to pay more for city income taxes. My wife works here in Pickerington. So am I part of the 80% and will I vote to raise my wife?’s city income taxes?

How did the city reach the figure of 80%? Did they invade the city tax payer returns and allow the politicians to do the math? Is that why they plan to outsource this city function?

Then the ''we need the money'' argument. They claim they want to reduce the debt. Exactly what is this $30 million in debt for? Is it just like a revolving credit at a bank and we are simply going to increase our debt payments? Or is it made up of municipal bonds and other instruments? I suspect the latter.

I have read in a couple of locations that originally we needed $1 million to balance the budget. Why is the city now asking for $3 million?

What roads does the city plan to repair and is it necessary considering the that growth is slowing.

Same question for the Police Department.

The parks and recreation department will get an infusion of money also. What are we spending now and what will it be in the future. What kind of programs will this new revenues address? What happens if a JOINT PARKS BOARD IS FOUNDED? I understand that the city spends over $650,000 per year on the parks and we can?’t find a swing set in any of them. Where is all of that money going now? Will it take another $650,000 and a JPB to at least have a swing and some playground equipment?

Finally when the council voted to place this on the ballot it was a 5-2 vote. If this was so important and vital why didn?’t it get unanimous support or is this just the Fix effect?

Don?’t expect any kind of an answer on the above questions. The responder to this posting will avoid the questions and attack the messenger. The fact is that more than one person in this city that votes has questions about this income tax increase. Obviously we have come full circle here in our community politics. I can?’t use my name because it would affect my wife. Isn?’t that why we created this site to have a discussion about local issues and it has turned back the clock to what it was in the beginning.

Letter to the Editor

Here's part of your question answered from the letter to the editor.

To the Editor:

We, the Fraternal Order of Police, represent over 4,100 active and retired law enforcement officers in Central Ohio.

The members of the Pickerington Police Department are among the 28 agencies Capital City Lodge No. 9 represents. The Pickerington Police Department is one of the best trained and properly equipped law enforcement agencies in the state of Ohio. Pickerington has one of the lowest crime ratings in the state of Ohio! In order to maintain that, along with adequately keeping officers trained and equipped, funding needs to be in place to keep the citizens of Pickerington safe.

Here are just a few facts about the Pickerington Police Department that should be shared with the citizens:

* By federal guidelines established by the Department of Justice, the department is already eight officers short for its officer-to-citizen population ratio.

* The department hasn't added a new officer position in the last two years.

* The response time of an officer to a dispatched call recently has gone from four minutes to six minutes due to an increase in calls for service, and that will only get up to a possible eight to 10 minutes if officers are laid off.

* The department serves over 17,000 residents living in homes or apartment complexes.

* In 2007, 13 patrol officers and three sergeants answered over 23,000 calls for service and took over 2,200 offense reports.

City leaders have already stated that if Issue 14 does not pass, the city would almost certainly have to reduce the size of the police department.

The Fraternal Order of Police is asking for your support in voting ''yes'' on Issue 14. The members of the Pickerington Police Department desperately need to continue to serve and protect the residents of Pickerington by maintaining the same high level of training and equipment they need in fighting crime!

Jim Gilbert

president, FOP Lodge #9