Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Even the Pick Times Sun can only mask the mess with the two front pages articles on the festival and sports..... pealing the layers of onions back - right Supt. --- the rest is a mess! Community Authority a bust. Pay to Play resolves nothing. Road issues a joke. No commercial -- -- just more houses.

Other Papers...

Columbus Dispatch ?– Metro/State ?– July 23, 2003?…

?“District takes stand on housing growth?”..IT?”S ABOUT TIME!!

Don?’t know how many of you might have seen another recent article in the same paper that had an analysis of how politicians voting records matched the interests of those who funded their campaigns. It was ?“stunning?” how, regardless of their political affiliation or philosophy, they always seemed to find a way to support those who paid to help put them in office.

Our council, at least the majority of them, had their assentions to public office funded by developers, contractors, and their lawyers. As long as they have any ?“wiggle room?”, they will act to support their benefactors, even if they know a huge majority of citizens oppose them.

Politicians only abandon the interests of their benefactors when they have no choice. In Pickerington, you can ignore the citizens (they?’ve got a fairly refined process for dismissing any citizens input). It?’s harder however to ignore the schools and the citizens, if they speak with a common voice?…especially in Pickerington where the school system is such an important part of the community.

I am not a fan of several members of our school board. I understand that there is a political element to their announcement, and that it is primarily intended to further the chances of their levy passing. Despite those facts, this change in position further cuts into that ?“wiggle room?” that the council has been using to avoid what the citizens have said they want?…slower growth.

I?’ve seen lots of folks in this website critical of Dr Rigelman?’s efforts on the school board. I had an opportunity to meet him briefly when he and I spoke to council on the same day, and I am not surprised that he is credited with pushing the district to this action.

This was never going to get better until either we replace our council, or they ran completely out of options that would allow them to continue to support those who have supported them. We?’re not there yet, but we got a step closer today?…and you can bet Tom Hart tried everything to keep the school board from putting this in the Dispatch. I assume it will be the front page headline on all of the local papers next week, and it will provide additional ammunition for those critical of council?’s actions.

I know that there are those out there who will focus on the fact that the school board hasn't exercized suffecient financial responsibility (I agree) or on the fact that they are only doing this to get the money they want (I agree) but in Pickerington, it's a good day for you when the school board officially lines up behind you. (regardless of the reason)
Gary Johnson


By gary johnxon

How does the Dispatch know?

Gary

Just posted the ''expected'' results from a special Pickerington School Board meeting that was held at 7:30 AM (7/23) this morning. The Pickerington school WEB site says the next scheduled board meeting is June 9th.

It is wonderful that our school board addressed an issue that they should have addressed last year or the year before. Yet they address it in a special meeting in the Super's office with no chance for public input. Yet the Dispatch gets the story leaked to them for publication prior to any vote. This makes my blood boil when they say they are for controlled growth but form a policy in the back room. They had a chance to have done this in full public view. Yet they choose the sneaky way once more.

Don't get me wrong I happy to see the board finally address the issue, but how can we believe them when they don't want to let the public see and hear their comments and they spin the issue to the newspaper without the public being able to point out that the Pickerington School Board did the very same thing in 1997 to get the middle schools bond issue passed once the issue passed they never returned to it. How do they answer that question? Why did they wait so long? Where were they in 2000 and 2001? If the operating levy passes on August 5th that will be the last time you will hear about controlling residential growth from this school board.

By William

Re elect Larry

Of course Larry will work behind the scenes with government officials to stem the residential growth just like he has all along. Please re elect Larry Sigman to ensure the path of the last ten years stays the same.