Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

To All:

The Sunday, August 25th 2002, edition of ?‘The Advocate?’, a Newark newspaper, contained a story on page 3A, written by Chad Klimack and headlined as ?“School board hopes to use teamwork to address growth?”. Although I did access the Web page (NewarkAdvocate.Com), I was unable to locate this particular article ?– my apologies for that.

Here are some excerpts from Mr. Klimack?’s article:


?“ The Southwest Licking Local Board of Education hopes to work with local governmental officials to assure that the local school district is not overwhelmed by new students in the coming years.

The school board has reached an agreement to have its members serve as liaisons between the district and Pataskala, Etna Township, Harrison Township and Kirkersville. ?“



The article further states the Southwest Licking school district is trying to become proactive instead of reactive (like PLSD) in dealing with their growth problems.

Do we have anything like this in PLSD? No. Yet we hear our board members say they are in constant ?‘contact?’ with our local governments. The only thing constant with our school board is their ?“constantly asking for more money from property owners.?” This must stop.

The article further states the board members will attend regular meetings and planning and zoning meetings.

At this juncture, we can?’t get one school board member to attend any city council meetings to voice OUR concerns, let alone get all the board members to planning and zoning meetings for various local governments. Planning and zoning meetings decide how many homes are going to be approved that will adversely affect our schools and these committees are at the heart of the problem. The PLSD board is simply dancing around the issue, while not addressing the heart of our problems.

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PLSD Taxpayers (continued)...

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The SW Licking local schools superintendent stated in this article: ?“Growth has to occur in a manageable situation so we can address any needs district wide, so we don?’t have to put undue taxes on the citizenry.?”

Now who is this brilliant superintendent with these progressive thoughts? None other than Forrest Yocum, the ex-PLSD superintendent. Where was this kind of progressive leadership and concern for undue taxes upon Pickerington citizenry when he was at PLSD?

Pataskala city administrator, Reagan Parsons, said he looked forward to working with South-west Licking. Parsons also stated, medium-and-high-density residential development, whether it be in the form of apartments or starter homes, flood the district with school kids. It also does not pay ?– tax wise ?– for city services, such as road maintenance.



Why can?’t our city and township leaders see the truth that these city leaders see? The truth being residential development is detrimental to city and school district budgets. We have local government officials with ZERO vision and officials who don?’t care what burden they have placed upon the taxpayer. The Pickerington city council, city attorney, mayor and city manager represent residential developers - period. They are working against the citizens and our school district. We need to get them all (except Mr. Shaver) out of office and looking for other things to do with their time besides represent homebuilders.

Now, before we start writing more checks to our school district, they need do something similar to South-west school district. If they (Southwest) can get OUR old superintendent to change his philosophy, then our board certainly can change theirs. A reactive school board is not what we need. I once thought we elected progressive school board members, but that doesn?’t appear to be the case. If there ever was a blue print to follow PLSD board, this is it. Our and your problem is run-away residential growth. Address the problem or find another ways (besides property taxes) to fund schools.

I will not support ANY school levy until all the PLSD board implements a similar program and begins to speak out against the uncontrolled residential growth that adversely impacts our district. If South-west can do it, so can we. If our board can?’t, then it?’s time to get someone in there who can.

Article for all to read

Thank you Mr. Brinson for pointing out this information. It has been posted under the ?“Our Pages?” with a similar article ?– Schools & Growth articles links -- for all to have access to that information.

By webmaster