Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Financial Backers of Levy revisited

Dominion Homes -- 5501 Franz Road, Dublin
$1,000.00 donation date -- 9/5/02

Just for you referendum petition carriers & signers of last fall, wasn?’t it Dominion Homes that were pushing for multiple plat approvals (including the high density apartment section) just 12 days later for their rush to build out the Village of Sycamore Creek sub-division?

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Rockford Homes -- 999 Polaris Parkway, Columbus
$1,500.00 donation dated -- 9/11/02

Rockford pushed through their last section of the Windmiller sub-division just 6 days after the donation.

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Centex Homes -- 2550 Corp Exchange Dr., Columbus
$2,000.00 donation dated -- 10/16/02

Provider of the Condo project (Fairfield Square) on Rt 256 at the former driving range. Receiver of the soon-to-be activated light from TIF?’d funds. Additional phases of Preston Trails subdivision also followed.

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Homewood Corp. -- 750 Northlawn Dr., Columbus
$1,000.00 donation dated -- 10/16/02

Just for you referendum petition carriers & signers of last fall, wasn?’t it Homewood Corp. that pushed for multiple plat approvals for the Reserve at Pickerington Ponds sub-division just 1 day later.

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Trinity Homebuilders, Inc. -- 750 Northlawn Dr., Columbus
$1,000.00 donation dated -- 10/16/02

Cute - - Different name, same parent corporation.


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Homewood Corp. -- 750 Northlawn Dr., Columbus
$2,000.00 donation dated -- 10/21/02

Maybe those nasty referendum petition carriers & signers of last fall will quit the fight against our push for multiple plat approvals for the Reserve at Pickerington Ponds sub-division now 4 days after they filed them to go to the voter?’s ballot.


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M/I Schotenstein Homes -- 3 Easton Oval, Columbus
$500.00 donation date -- 10/28/02

Maybe those nasty referendum petition carriers & signers of last fall will quit the fight against our push for multiple plat approvals for the Fox Reserve sub-division 11 days after they filed them to go to the voter?’s ballot.


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Donley Homes -- 7600 Farmsbury Dr., Reynoldsburg
$1,500.00 donation dated -- 8/29/02

Although this followed the $100,000.00 donation to establish a ?“Needy Foundation?” for area residents by some 20 months it also followed the $310,000.00+ water tap fee ?“deal?” to make connecting lands in the 316 acre Southern annexation noted on ?“Our Pages?”. This annexation is currently the subject of Fairfield County Court cases over the potential violation of a Court ordered injunction as to the proceeding of the annexation over a Court ordered stay.

Financial Benefactors of Levy


Bob Harding,

You forgot to tell the rest of the story again. Where did all the builders' donations go? The vast majority of the builders' donations to the levy campaign went into Gail Oakes' pocket.

$4700.00 on 10/21/02 Levy Check #644
Paid to Capitol Citicom, Inc.
2238 South Hamilton Rd., Columbus 43232
Owned by Gail Oakes
2500 Levy Signs

$1985.00 on 4/24/03 Levy Check #655
Paid to Capitol Citicom Owned by Gail Oakes
1000 Levy Signs

Why didn't Oakes donate the levy signs like she said she would instead of taking the money?

Remember the brilliant scheme. Monhollen decides 2500 signs to help Oakes' business. Oakes gets the benefit of instant cash to help her business' cash flow, gets all the money and profits. And, Rigelman is assigned the task to cover their tracks and complains about the sign blight.

Interesting record of the 'taxpayers' advocate' on the board. Oakes votes three times against accepting three corporate donations to the school district, but gladly pockets corporate donations to the levy campaign. Yes, Oakes, can be bought for a price. Her integrity can be bought for a mere $6685 as long as the donations go directly into her pocket.

Bob, don't you think it is as important how the money was spent as where it came from?

Answer

I bet Bob will have a more insightful and well supported answer to Mr Pep Rally's question, but here's mine...NO!

Whether Gail Oakes company made any money off printing those signs is not relevant to me. It does not impact my family's bottom line at all. It doesn't impact my kids education, or whether or not they will have sports or other activities. She just insulted your huge ego, which isn't hard to do. I am sorry she objected to the way you tried to make your donation...that must have been very embarrassing for you (and in front of the kids too)

What is relevant is the fact that it is clear that these huge development companies are ''buying'' folks like you. They fund these levy campaigns ''behind the scenes'' so that the citizens won't know when to stand up take action for our children's long term good.

Since your happiness is predicated on hanging around high school athletes, you'll go along with anyone or anything that allows you to continue to do that.

Bob publishes that information because it's shocking to ''regular folks'' like me to hear that it's those same companies paying for the campaigns to pass levies that they benefit from more than anyone else. Their motives are clear, they'll do anything, fund anything, that will allow their huge profits to continue.

What are you afraid of Mark? Why would you not want this information made public?

I'm right back to where I was before...we need serious people to address a serious problem. Let's have the pep rally, and get Mr Uher focused on something more suited to his vision and ability, and let the serious folks get on with helping this community.


By Longer Term

$5000 Impact Fees - Long Term!


Dear Longer Term -

Let's get serious and stop the 'small-town blame game.'

I have advocated builder impact fees of $5000 per home ... it was on the front page of a Dispatch Sunday section. I was quoted, ''Uher is urging local officials to lobby the Ohio legislature for school-district authority to assess impact fees on each new house build in the district. ... if there ever is a time school district impact fee might be seriously considered, it's now.''

And, then the Dispatch reporter, Lee Stratton, wrote, ''You can bet that builders will take any such proposal seriously, especially when they hear that Uher considers $5,000 a house a starting point.''

While I am advocating impact fees, Oakes and Rigelman are still caught up in 'small potato' crap from years ago. What is their record on our school board? What have they accomplished? Rigelman cannot even get basic board minutes posted on the PLSD website let along meaningful financial information. And, Oakes scares anyone who wants to made a donation to our schools and kids education.

I actually loved Oakes vote on my donation. Hundreds and hundreds in the auditorium and thousands throughout Ohio saw Oakes in action and what the community thought of her ... it was priceless. Mrs. G-O-N-E Oakes. She was on TV being massively booed. It brings a smile to my face everything I think of her and her integrity! Next time, I know that it only takes $6685 to buy Oakes and make sure it goes directly into her pocket.

Do you want to join me next week when I take up impact fees up with a member of the Ohio General Assembly?