Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

THE UNOFFICAL ELECTION RESULTS

Issue 17 YES 2,683 77.05%
NO 799 22.95%


Issues 18 YES 2,412 72.13%
NO 932 27.87%


Issue 19 YES 2,940 85.42%
NO 502 14.58%


Issue 4 School Levy
for the levy 4,398 36%
Against the levy 7,817 64%


I think we all need to look at these results over the next few days and determine just what was said to the elected leaders of this community. I believe I can safely say they want a slower rate of residential growth. The want a expanded tax base for our schools which includes commercial properties. I think they also want these chnages written down in iron clad agreements. In plans that takes an act of god to change.

I want to thank all of the people that donated money and time to our efforts.

This is just the begining. We will all rest for a while and get back at this effort in the next few weeks.

MORE TO COME ON THIS SUBJECT.

The Voters SCREAMED Today!

Ted,

The voters screamed at the TOP of their voices today!

Was there a record set for any of the issues (17,18,19)? 70% plus is a HUGE margin for any issue.

I personally thank you for your continuous efforts in our community.

Your friend,

Tim Bryant

Expand Tax base without TIF

Thank you so much to everyone who had a part in the effort to put these issues on the ballot, litigate them, and support them with your words and donations.

I'd like to see the community push for an expanded tax base without any tax incentives being given which divert tax resources from our schools and fire department.I believe in careful use of economic development tools such as tax incentives. I do think they can be over used. In Pickerington's case, it appears that every new business will receive some type of tax incentive! Many of the businesses involved in the current TIF areas are businesses which have already been in the area and are relocating. (some of the businessesat Cross Creeks for example.) The city is simply using the tax diversion to pay for infrastructure that they PROMISE developers, or think they need to construct to attract business. Normally, these costs are borne by the developer or by the city general fund. If these businesses were major employers, light industrial or heavy office, I could see the incentive use. But most of these businesses are service oriented, or retail, which would normally locate here because of the market conditions our community now presents, the market of increasing population and higher than average income for Central Ohio. Viewed in this light, these incentives are giveaways to benefit developers only. The developers do not have to invest to fund infrastructure costs. There should be an opportunity cost to locate here in a lucurative market. That cost shoudlbe to pay for the needed infrastructure to build your development!

The bottom line is: Our schools and fire department need an infusion of tax money now not ten to twenty years from now! These TIFs ensure that nearly an entire generation of children will attend our schools without the benefit of cash infusion into the schools from a more balanced tax base. Additionally, the residential taxpayers will have to continue to pay the lions share of the burden to fund essential services in our community for at least ten years and even beyond as new TIFs appear.

The next time the city officials pat themselves on the back in public about creating so much commercial compared to other entities in the school district, challenge them to create commercial that yields substantial income to our schools and services, without the giveaways for those who would have come here anyhow. Then the real change will begin to occur in your tax burden and the quality of life in our community will improve.

Why TIFs?

It seems to me that the types of business Pickerington is attracting should not require TIFs. They are primarily retail/restaurant/hotel businesses. These businesses use demographics to determine new locations, and while financial incentives are always a consideration, the reality is that these corporations must answer to their stockholders and expansion seems to be their desire. So they will expand, and even if some company were to choose another community over Pickerington due to lack of TIFs or other incentives, chances are that company would soon come back to Pickerington as other areas for expansion are exhausted. We have great demographics in Pickerington, why should we pay companies to come here?