Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Yes, I too read the Southwest Messenger article about Violet Township suing City of Pickerington. Or was it City of Pickerington suing Violet Township? Gee, it has happened so many times in the last twenty years that I have lived in this community that the lawsuits begin to blur together. Only the names of the politicians seem to change and the issue. I?’m sorry but what was the issue for this time?

It tells me that the campaign is over and teamwork and cooperation were only slogans to get politicians elected.

It bothers me to pick up an area newspaper anymore. One entity is using our tax dollars to sue its own citizens. The other spends $149,000 on an ?‘investment?’ to fight a law that benefits its own citizens. One entity shuts out citizens and approves-- it seems like -- every on an ?‘emergency?’ basis. The other entity stirs up the pot to cover up its failure to attract commercial development like Deerfield Township in southwest Ohio (www.deerfieldtwp.com/business). Both entities are hard at work blaming the other for the massive residential development within our school district. By the time, our politicians really roll up their sleeves and get to work (and, heaven forbid, maybe even talk with each other), our community will be full with homes. And, people like me, will have to quit our full time jobs and spend full time begging voters to approve more money for our schools and rebut constant personal attacks on this website for doing so.

Yes, all of our tax dollars seem to be hard at work in our community. And, the political establishment in Lancaster loves it. Keep Violet Township and City of Pickerington fighting so they can keep more of our tax dollars in Lancaster. Heaven help them, if we begin to cooperation and begin to demand together our fair share. And, the City of Columbus loves it too. Because the residents of Violet Township provide their coffers with the biggest source of tax revenue that they don?’t have to return one cent back to the community. And, of course, the newspapers love it. Lawsuits make better headlines than boring cooperative efforts. And, the residential developers love it too. Keep up the negative image of the community and we?’ll never be able to attract quality commercial development leaving, of course, more land for homes. Right?

I am thankful that, I believe, our members of our school board got the message from the voters last November. Too bad our elected officials in Violet Township and the City of Pickerington did not. I?’m sorry to ask once again ?– but who are the good guys and who are the bad guys this time?

Wise up Mark!

Mr. Uher there are times that I feel we might be able to agree on things, but I always have this problem reading or listening to you. The reason for that is you tend to wonder all over the landscape with your comments.

This posting suggests you now have second thoughts about those ?“Good Republicans?” that you supported in November. The ones that were on the Pickerington City Council certainly had a track record that would have tipped you off a long time ago about where they stand on commercial development. They (good republicans) can find all kinds of reasons not to develop anything other than homes. Your good friend and mentor Daryl Berry has been a leader in bringing more homes into our school district. You must speak out about this. I suspect you and your athletic boosters and all their troops will need to hit the streets again this fall to tell us voters and taxpayers that we are greedy and uncaring. You will probably add that we only are thinking about ourselves. You will try your best to find a villain, and like a good evangelist you will preach to the masses on how we must destroy this villain before they destroy our school system and our children?’s future. Then when it is all over you want to be friends with everyone. If you think the Hatfield?’s held a grudge then I?’ll make them look like flower children.

Oh by the way you have only lived in the school district 18 years!

Why did you and some of your favorite school board members support the Pickerington City Council when they wanted to hostilely annex properties in the Canal Winchester School District? What were you thinking? How could commercial property in another school district help PLSD? It was Daryl wasn?’t it? You didn?’t do your homework and you let him convince you that it was a real good idea right?

Has it ever occurred to you that Violet Township seems to get along just fine with the Village of Canal Winchester? Has it ever occurred to you that Canal Winchester and Fairfield County seem to have a very good working relationship? Have you any thoughts on the subject why Canal Winchester sued the City of Pickerington? Has it ever occurred to you why individuals have sued the City of Pickerington? Do you really believe that the Township is wasting taxpayer?’s dollars by suing Pickerington? Then maybe you should take a day off from work and read the documentation on this PATA web site. If the township lets Pickerington do what they want then you will see more tax dollars wasted than it would have cost for a hundred lawyers.

The people at 100 Lockville Road are simply Lairs and Cheats. They are the problem, not everybody else!

There are some very dedicated people within the PATA group that have called for controlled residential growth for over two years now. You have ignored that and you have tried in every way possible to get in our way. Like the honorable Randall Hughes says, get on the train or get run over.?” (Close enough)

I suspect you folks that go out every year and try to get these levies passed are beginning to come to the conclusion that no matter how hard you work, no matter how much money you raise, it will never be enough for the residential developer machine in Pickerington.


By Dr. Pepper

Fence Jumper?

Mark,

You need to decide which side of the fence you want to be on. You?’re getting as jumpy as Brian Fox. You both need to pick a side and stick with it. All this crossing back and forth is confusing. I never know if I want to shake your hand or slap it. (Please don?’t take ?“slap your hand?” as a physical threat. I?’ve heard enough about your lawyers.)

I?’m hoping you didn?’t put too much stock in the campaign flatulence you heard and read about cooperation. If you did, you must be very disappointed. If you read what your old pal Soapbox tried to tell you in the months preceding the election, you would see that he or she was right. The politicos were telling you what you wanted to hear after Watiker kept them out of the press for a while so you would forget all the bad things they did and said.

But it?’s all OK, Mark. You are just like us. You are human and you make mistakes. The important thing is to learn from them and don?’t repeat them. Remember who is the puppeteer and who are the puppets in Pickerington. Remember that the strings don?’t just run to City Hall. They run to all elected offices. Cut your strings. Read the information in this site and for once, try to be completely objective. Put the pieces of the puzzle together and see the picture.

Maybe then you will see why we will again become upset and very vocal the next time someone threatens us with split sessions and cuts to the sports program ?– AGAIN.

Candidates for City Council

Dr. Pepper

Yes, you are right. I don?’t support lawsuits. I believe that one of the few weaknesses in our American culture is a passion to sue each other, instead of sitting down and talking through our differences. In lawsuits, frequently only one side wins and the other side loses, further promoting bitterness among the parties. Despite what they say publicly, our Township Trustees need to sit down and talk with the City.

Secondly, you and others on this website would like to change public policy within the City of Pickerington. The best way to change public policy is to get involved in the political process (not to sit at your computers and take shots at me). You and people like Maverick should run for City Council in 2003. I cannot understand why if so many people here dislike public policy in Pickerington that only one candidate ran against the four incumbents (write in candidates are rarely elected).

PATA members need to get involved in the political process. If there is an issue you feel strongly about, then pack City Hall all wearing PATA nametags. If the issue is in the City of Pickerington, then have a City resident take the lead on the issue. Consider forming a political action committee to help recruit and fund candidates. Organize by precinct. Form alliances with other groups (teachers, academic/athletic/music boosters, PTO?’s are particularly well organized and influential in this community)?—and stop fighting with influential groups that may be also sympathetic to your cause.

And, finally, take advantage of this website. It is routinely monitored by media and most, if not all, elected officials. If you want those individuals to take your issue seriously, then sign you name (it helps your cause). Many don?’t take your issues seriously because of so many anonymous postings on this website.

A correction, Dr. Pepper. I have lived in this community for 3 months short of 23 years. I lived in the Tussing Road area prior moving into Summerfield in June, 1983.

Can we expect to see Dr. Pepper for City Council yard signs soon?