Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

5 Ideas (continued)

5 Ideas (continued)...


4.) Begin a statewide referendum effort to overturn Ohio legislation that made impact fees illegal. I think P.A.T.A. could and should take the lead on this one. There are many communities in each Ohio County suffering from this ridiculous law. Ohio is one of the few states to pass such a thing. If we don't start charging homebuilders impact fees, the money is going to come out of our pockets in the form of state income tax increases or a sales tax increase. The Ohio Supreme Court has already ruled the method the state uses to fund schools is ILLEGAL, yet the state refuses to comply with the law. Lets change the law to let communities decide what and how much homebuilders should pay.

5.) Or... we could do nothing. Let our school district become one of mediocrity, which isn't a terribly awful thing. 24 out of 27... or 27 out of 27. What does this really mean anyway? It's all just a state standard. Does it really predict academic success at the collegiate level? Plus, putting PLSD under fiscal watch may pressure the state legislature to take a second look at their funding formula and the law that made impact fees illegal. And it may pressure the city to change their ways, although I doubt it.



One thing you'll notice that I didn't say is PASS the November levy. We need to hold these elected official's feet to the fire. The school board has had a hand in creating the mess we're in now.

Is that enough Mr./Ms. Hemmingway?

If you need more dialog, please email me at ghrei@netset.com. I look forward to hearing your ideas. You don't have to be afraid of me exposing your identity. And I am not one to lambaste or berate you for your ideas and information. I welcome your thoughts and any corrections to the things I have suggested.

As far as heading out of town, I don't think any resident in this community should remove anything from the table. One cannot predict the future. For all we know, you may strike it rich writing a book or two and some of us may hit the lottery. Or even better, the state legislature may be forced by the Supreme Court to stop building prisons faster than they build schools. I believe everything should be on the table, at least until Jan. 1, 2004.



Very Respectfully,

John Brinson

one correction John

John,

Thank you for sharing your ideas. But there is one problem with the income tax idea. By Ohio Law, school district income tax can only be collected from RESIDENTS of the particular school district IN WHICH THEY RESIDE. In other words, if you live in a different community and work in Pickerington, you would not pay the school district income tax just the city income tax. Maybe we should try to change this law.

The bottom line is... all the employees who may work here in some rosy future projection will not pay a cent to the schools unless they live here too and this means impact on the enrollment, which no amount of income tax will make up! The property valuation from industrial and commercial is the only thing that will lift the burden from the residents of the community in the current situation and under the current laws.

Many Thanks!

Thanks Lisa.

And please accept my apologies for the SUV tidbit earlier. We all mere humans in an imperfect world and I succumbed to way too much bad news at the time. Soon, we'll meet again and I'll apologize in person... I promise.

Regards,

John

Man the barricades



Here are several other things that we can do:

1. Show up in large numbers at council meetings. I am not talking about five or ten people, but 50-100 people all demanding to speak during the public comment section of the meeting and refusing to be shut up by an artifical time limit. It may not change the votes of this council since your opinion is not accompanied by unmarked bills, but it will get press attention and mobilize more angry people.

2. Show up in large numbers at school board meetings and demand that the school board take action. Tell Mr. Mollhollen, who is a genuinely good man, that his desire to keep the lines of communication open is only worthwhile if the other side actual cares. Unfortunately, unless Mr. M. has free motorcyles, secret land deals or shopping malls to talk about, this city council is not about to listen.

3. Write the attorney general and the state auditor and demand an investigation of Pickerington politics. If you don't think it is warranted, start asking some of the people who have been following these jokers for examples.


4. Use a boycott. Anyone of you who are still insured by Lou Postage, change agents. don't use Colonial Heating and Cooling, who has recently hired Craig Maxey as a ''consultant''. Find out the businesses of the other and boycott them too if they don't start voting for the citizens instead of the developers.


5. Start a petition to place on the ballot an ordinance to give the new Taj Mahal of a police tation to the school system. This is one less school we will have to build. Have the city by the school portables and use them for city adminsitration. We can then give 100 Lockville to the schools. We now have our two new elementary schools without a school levy.

7. Start a petition to amend the charter to eliminate the position of city manager or at the very least, to pass an ordiannce to fire Joyce Bushman.


8. Jeer and Boo the city developer council every time they have the nerve to ride the float in any parade.

The point is, don't just sit around-go do something. Don't keep expecting Gail Oakes, Bruce Rigelman, Bob Harding, David Shaver, Ted Hackworth, Rita Rickets and the other brave souls who are actually out ther punching away to do your fighting for you.

By robspierre