Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Odds of Cooperation

Although the one councilman who I thought strove for cooperation between Violet Township and the city is now retired (and I hope he enjoys the peace), who will lead the charge for cooperation? This retired councilman attended Twp. meetings and events actually demonstrating his efforts for cooperation rather then just making campaign rhetoric about it. Now who is left but rhetorical politicians?

Can the city and Twp. cooperate? Should they? What we see in these two entities is two apparently financially broke bodies with no clue how to or audacity to make some money. In order to make things happen they need money. How much? I don?’t know. How will they make it? I don?’t know. What would it take to make a decisive step towards cooperation in the form of a joint economic venture that will have the campaign promised benefit to the community as a whole and also the schools? Obviously money.

What are the ways to get money? Well, if you listen to the politicians, the only source of income is taxes. So should they raise taxes? Should the Township establish an income tax for unincorporated areas? Can they? Should the city raise income tax to 2 or 2 ?½% as mentioned in other postings? What are the limits of unvoted and voted taxes? Will the voters who are screaming for economic growth pay to play in that game? Will you, Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer shell out another 1 ?– 1 1/2 % of your income to support a joint economic venture that will benefit the schools? Is this fair to those on fixed incomes?

Should the schools, rather then keep floating the same old levy with the same old politics behind it instead look to also raise income tax one or more percent? People, this situation that the community is in has to have money thrown at it. In other words, WE have to pay. WE have to be the ones to invest in our future. We have to come up with creative solutions to dig us out. But will we? Can we? January 1 I will receive a 2.8% annual raise. To me that is pathetic. I worked too hard to have to settle for that paltry amount. We were told all year the things were getting better and we would reap the rewards in our raises. Now we?’re being told maybe next year.

Let me do some math. My raise is 2.8%&. My health insurance went up and it will consume 3% more of my salary this year. I am being told that my cost from Columbia Gas will go up 49% this winter. Now my electric company is wanting to get in on the pork and they are talking a potential 25% + increase in rates. Gasoline is up around 100%. My groceries are up between 5 and 10%. I can?’t believe that good old State Farm won?’t try to recoup some losses from down south over the last few years from those of us up north. Every time I turn around, PLSD sends home another note saying I have to pay for this or that. Cable goes up January 1. Forget the math, I am going backwards quickly. I want this community to prosper and I want it to be successful and I want to help but how can I? How can I give more to boost economic developments ideas and help the schools when I have less and less every day?


By Utterly Depressed

Pass me the Prozac

I don?’t have any answers but feel better venting my spleen. I think the people hired to manage this city are fiscally conservative but I also think they?’re somewhat backward, na?¯ve and in over their head. I think the politicians we elected know how to run campaigns but do not have the right stuff to solve the real problems. I think now that we have secured the same old business as usual in the township for another 4 years, hope there is lost. No one would stand up and run to try to make a difference on the school board. Folks, we have settled. We have settled for the business as usual, just treading water form of government. We chose to not move ahead and for that I am sad. We have gone full circle to what we were 5 years ago, and 10 years ago, and 15. Different faces, same game.

Who will lead us into an era of prosperity? Who will make the hard calls and tell us what we don?’t really want to hear that we need to know to help us move forward? Who will show the incompetents at the State House that their total lack of comprehension of the issues doesn?’t affect us? We can be successful in spite of them.

I guess we?’ll have to believe what the politicians tell us. Something like another Wal-Mart on Refugee is the answer to our prayers. One simple development will take us so far ahead that we will be thanking the politicians and worshiping them. Two new schools will be built thanks to the politicians and Sam Walton. Giant Eagle will throw their profit margins to the wind and work with Wal-Mart to make the road improvements because it?’s the right thing to do. Stay out of it county, township and city ?– we?’ll do what?’s right. UGH!!! Now I am getting cynical and I hate that in myself.

I?’ll sign off by saying that fixing things is our responsibility and will come from our pockets. The politicians we elected and the managers they hired have no clue as to what to do. They simply don?’t have the big brass ones to do any more then tell you what you want to hear. Eventually every single one of us will get so tired that we can?’t tread water anymore and we?’ll sink and drown. Brice Road and Independence Village will move east one more exit.


By Utterly Depressed