Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Monhollen, Oakes & Rigelman

I believe the anonymous postings that Monhollen, Oakes and Rigelman would like nothing more than to make sure they quiet me and exclude me from the community. It won't work.

However, I must give credit to all those postings on this website for the inspiration to speak out for justice. Thanks, Bob Harding, for your quote on March 29 on this website in which you wrote:

?“Laws can embody standards; governments can enforce the laws ?– but the final task is not a task for government. It is a task for each and every one of us. Every time we turn our heads the other way when we see the law flouted ?– when we tolerate what we know to be wrong ?– when we close our eyes and ears to the corruption because we are too busy, or too frightened ?– when we fail to speak up and speak out ?– we strike a blow against freedom and decency and justice.?”

Sorry, I cannot close my eyes and ears to the Monhollen, Oakes & Rigelman's disregard of the laws of the land. Thanks for encouragement to seek justice!!

Levy Supporter


Mr. Uher,

Please put aside your dislike for Mr. Rigelman, Mr. Monhollen & Mrs. Oakes. Your personal agenda with them is hurting the chances of getting levy's passed.

Some of us would like to see a levy pass for the schools - if you hurt our chances then you are part of what's hurting the kids. Is that what you want?

Past Events, which include your support of Forest, Carlier, Sanders & Sigman's frivolous spending habits, do not make you the most effective spokesperson we could have for additional funding needed. You may not like that, but it's reality - you need deal with it - sit back & let others step in to fix this.

If you don't like these officials find one you like & start campaigning - that's what elections are for.

By Sue

Bravo

Thanks for the great comments on this issue Sue.

Thursday, April 17, 2003

Originally published Thursday, April 17, 2003
By JESS ANDREWS, jandrews@nncogannett.com
The Eagle-Gazette Staff


School campaign committees generally avoid clashing with a board of education.
But that's not what Pickerington residents see happening.
Mark Uher stepped up to the microphone Monday night and offered his personal opinions about what the Pickerington Local Board of Education should do in order to pass a 7.9-mill, five-year operating levy May 6.
The problem is, many view his opinions as that of the Pickerington campaign committee. Uher and Hope Boren are co-chairpeople of fund-raising for the committee, and both of them spoke at the BOE meeting.
''One of the most important things we wanted to stress is the entire extracurricular activities budget -- and in particular the board's decision on Feb. 3 when they approved the budget to eliminate all funding of extracurricular activities ... in the event the levy fails,'' Uher said in a Wednesday interview.
Uher proposed alternatives, including a pay-to-participate plan, and suggested Wes Monhollen step down as board of education president in order to restore voter trust.
Messages were left with the co-chairpeople of the Pickerington campaign committee, Dr. Dennis Schone and Dr. Richard McClurg, seeking comment.
Five county school districts have an issue on the May 6 ballot. Canal Winchester Local Schools has a combination bond issue-income tax levy proposal, Lancaster City has a bond issue, and Fairfield Union Local, Walnut Township Local and Pickerington Local schools each have some form of operating levy on the ballot.
All of the chairpersons contacted said a campaign committee should not suggest BOE policy.
''That's not our role,'' said Bob Urig, co-chair of the Lancaster City campaign committee. ''You're here to do a specific job -- that's to pass that operating levy or bond issue. And if you sign on, you sign on because you believe the operating funds or the construction is needed.''
Liz Arnold, chairwoman of Walnut Local's campaign committee, agreed that a campaign committee should not suggest BOE policies.
''We can't go out there and make promises for the board,'' Arnold said. ''We have to take the direction they give us and go with it.''
The most important part of working a campaign committee is getting the word out about why the levy for operating funds or bond issue for construction is important to the community, said Bill Haase, co-chairman for the Lancaster City campaign committee.
It's also important not to argue with people strongly opposed to the election issues.
''You try to give them the facts and information, but you don't get in an argument over it,'' Urig said.
Campaign committee workers are volunteers. All funding for advertising, materials and other promotions is provided through donations.
So Lancaster City Schools has not paid for any of the large billboards around town saying, ''Vote Yes for Issue 6.'' Individual donations paid for those, as well as the 3,000 yard signs and brochures sent to every mailbox.
Arnold explained that it's against the law for a school district to provide funding or assistance to campaign committees. Superintendents, principals and other school administration officials also have restrictions on how much they're allowed to promote a bond issue or levy.
Arnold is familiar with these laws because she is the treasurer for Northern Local School District in Perry County.
''Nothing can come from the school district,'' Arnold said. ''We can't even utilize services from the school district. If we use their copiers, we have to pay for every copy.''

http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/news/stories/20030417/topstories/133378.html


By Gazette Reader