Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

to that add $1,900,000.00

For those viewers seeking more of the indebtedness please add the following: The additional figures are still not all inclusive *please note the City of Pickerington?’s intended expansion to their current Sewer Treatment Plant is not yet determined.

Diley Road Improvements ?– 20% Local Match of $9.5 Million == $1,900,000.00

ARTICLE in the 4-16-02 Lancaster Eagle Gazette?—

The current Diley Road is a two-lane road going from U.S. 33 to Pickerington. The widening project has not been bid out, said Pickerington spokeswoman Susan Watiker.
In a news release, Watiker said MORPC has committed to funding $7.6 million for the widening project.
Robert Lawler, assistant director of transportation for MORPC, said the project was to be funded with a 20 percent local match, making the entire project cost approximately $9.5 million.

I need new batteries

Hey man slow down. I only got a 10 digit calculator. According to my number 2 pencil and the back of my pay envolope that adds $12,186,050 to our current debt load. Someone told me that they can increase the water and sewer fees to pay for this debt without voter approval. Is that true? ''Tell me it ain't true Joe''. I understand that was in the emergency ordinance they passed on July 16th (2002-79.

Lets see now 12 million and 18 million the sum equals we are getting swamped. Now lets look at the rate of increase from the May 2002 debt of 13 million. In baseball they would trade a hitter with a 240% average. We have 240%increase in our debt load. Isn't it time to trade someone?

Maybe if people would send a few more bucks into PATA they could have increased the size of the publication to 20 pages and included all of the debt.

By Home less Joe

We pay for this with what?

I just read the Times-Sun. the Finance director says we had a 6% increase in our revenues. How can you increase the debt load by 240% with only a 6% increase in revenues?

I guess I need to talk with our Pickerington Finance Director so I can be informed. Apparently this is well above my comprehension abilities. Maybe if she would release some of her ''INTERNAL DOCUMENTS'' I might have a better understanding.



By Really Home less Joe

ThisWeek or This is Weak!

ThisWeek Pickerington (a.k.a. This [is] Weak [reporting] In Pickerington)

Instead of investigatively reporting the financial disconnect between P.A.T.A.?’s evaluation of the city?’s financial position (which I believe has merit) and Linda Fresch?’s position, ThisWeek chose to ignore the controversy and take the easy stories once again. Doesn?’t Mark Claffey know how to perform investigative reporting? Or is Mark too encumbered to perform such duties? Maybe...

However, instead of reporting noise ordnances for V.T. and wish lists for the PLSD BOE, shouldn?’t we be reading how Pickerington is saddling their residents with even more and more debt?

Maybe a story on how the city?’s growth scheme is really going to balance the city's debits and credits, which appear to lean heavily on the debit side at this time.

How can a reporter ignore a story that includes tens of millions of dollars of potential city indebtedness? No clue here. Or just maybe the thought of more customers has clouded the editor?’s reason?

It kind of makes you wonder if Mark is taking Susan Whitaker?’s place.

Has the city manager so intimidated ThisWeek as to make the paper a political tool for itself?

I guess I can?’t complain, after all, it?’s free.