Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Is it me or is other people having misgivings with the .5% sales tax increase on this February 8th ballot?

There seems to be a real problem in the timing of this ''SPECIAL ELECTION'' for us to raise our own sales taxes.

They are trying to minimize the effort by saying 40% of the sales tax in this county are paid by people from outside the county.

This tax increase will only hurt the big ticket items but no one give us figure for those ''big ticket items.''

Now the scare tactics: If this sales tax increase fails then they will cut an unspecified number of county sheriff's deputies from the pay roll. We are talking about up to half the current deputies that are on patrol. With all do respect to the newly elected commissioners Judy Shupe and Jon Myers where in the hell was this information prior to your elections last November?

Jon Myers is quoted as saying that the county finances are in good shape in his state of the county speech.

Then Judy Shupe is quoted as saying in the Lancaster Eagle Gazette yesterday that the trouble with the county budget has been there for two years.

Guys which is it?

Then also quoted in the LEG is Judy Shupe saying they have decreased the county budget from $32 million to $28.7 Million. Now let's do some math. If we have $32 Million and we take away $28.7 Million that leaves a difference of $3.3 Million. This sale tax will raise $7 MIllion.

If they cut $3.3 Million why did they cut $2 million out of the sheriff's budget? Does that sound disproportional? On the surface this appears to be a crisis created by the county commissioners to pass a sale tax levy based on the current good reputation of our Sheriff. Jon and Judy you need to remember that this data stays on this site for ever even when you run again in 2008.

Now let's talk a little about the sales tax increase and the affects it will have on the Lancaster economy in regard to their income tax collection. Fortunately; Pickerington doesn't have much commercial property that sell big ticket items like cars. Lancaster it also wanting to raise their income taxes this spring. If this sales tax impacts the car dealers in Lancaster won't that also affect the income tax collection of the few car dealers located in Lancaster?

Then we get to why Lancaster must raise their income taxes. GROWTH GROWTH GROWTH. Where have all the builder gone?? Sounds like a song. They have gone to Lancaster to exploit their economy. Are these builders having an affect on the county budget? I think the answer is apparent.

When Mike Sabatino endorses this tax raise then we should all be suspicious.

By Mushroom

More information arrived

I'm sorry, but no sooner had I posted my last message I had new information delivered to my mail box post in the form of the Pickerington Times-Sun.

They ran an editorial endorsing that passage of this sales tax increase issue 1.

They also include some comments from our county commissioners. They claim that Judy Shupe and Jon Myers did mention the ''possibility'' of a sales tax increase during their recent campaigns. I vote regularly and I normally receive most of the available campaign literature. That possibility was NOT mentioned on any of this campaign material that I received. I still think they are blowing smoke.

Then the T-S talks about all of the increases coming to the sheriff's department budget. The amount to house these prisoners, the number of new officers and then the need for a new jail.

Then let me give the exact quote: ''Fairfield County is the Third fastest-growing county in Ohio.''

What did I tell you in the previous posting? GROWTH GROWTH GROWTH. When do I get through to the masses in government?

Then comes the letters to the editor and from our Democratic Township Trustee Terry Dunlap and the big fraud that has been he has put upon this community. For years the township trustees have enjoyed the reputation that the were such great money managers. Many in the township have refused to accept the idea of ever merging with Pickerington because of the 1% income tax that the city residents pay.

Now Terry Dunlap says if this sales tax increase fails the township will lose their police protection for all practical purposes. Since they now are a home rule township are they required to provide there own police force? They will ask the township voters to pass a 3 or 4 mill property levy to fund a Township Police Force. Now let's see how does the con game work. First the hook. How much is the cost to a $250,000 home owner going to be? About $350.00 per year. The fact is that 1% tax in the city is reduced if you work in another city that charges income taxes and you only pay the .5%. So that works out that everyone living in a $250,000 house will pay the same as a Pickerington resident earning $70,000. The city does have a police millage of effective rate of 5.5 mills. It is well below that level today after being renewed a few years ago. I think the city is about to launch an impact program to put some of these costs off to the new home buyers. Can you do that in the township?

At the same time the township has no parks or other programs and they still sponge off of the City's Parks and rec for classes and city services. Folks you may think you are getting a real deal in the township tax struture but with Lancaster growing so fast this area will become of less importance than the county seat city of Lancaster. The things we are getting free here in the township now are slowing going to melt away. You will see the first step of that movement on Feb. 8th.

So why should a income tax paying resident of Pickerington pay for the township police/sheriff force and also pay for the Pickerington PD? The city residents are paying double.

These the same trustees that claim to be controling growth. Are they?

By Mushroom

You're up early Bee Dubyah

Dear Mush,

Buddy, you?’ve gotta switch to decaf!! OK, here?’s my take on what you?’re saying. No, it?’s not you. Many people are having misgivings about the sales tax increase. I am a city resident and I have terrific police protection. But, the Sheriff is a great guy and he has made a difference. Is that sufficient reason to vote for a tax increase? Nope. He risks losing his Major Crimes Unit without funding. Is that reason enough? Well, it?’s getting there. His unit combines with Chief Taylor?’s efforts are at least holding major crimes at bay. Or are they?

The special election is pure politics. Plain and simple. How many voters turned out in the county for the general in November? Over 50,000? Over 60,000? How can you convince enough of the 60,000 to vote for your issue? Wait for a special and you might get 5,000 county-wide. Smaller turnout = more targetable audience. That?’s politics. It drives you efforts way down and let?’s you focus more.

You mentioned good ol?’ Judy and Jon. What about Mike Kiger. He called this a year ago and was tongue lashed within an inch of his life by the J?’s. Good call Mike. I don?’t like you much but you were right and they were wrong. Go ahead with your nah nah boo boos, you earned it.

GROWTH GROWTH GROWTH ?– Here?’s a fact, Daryl Berry has moved on to Lancaster. Research how many friggin condos he has put up there. Thank God he is on vacation from Pickerington.

And you are right on the money when you mention Sabatino. He is such a loser and proving it more every day in every paper that comes out. If he made an endorsement in a one-horse race, I?’d put my wallet back in my pocket. Did you receive the information in the mailer from PickInfo.org? Well Mike, let me tell you the rest of the story. What you did is called election fraud. You sent out a political flyer and endorsement without a disclaimer on it. Since I haven?’t heard that you have been charged in that incident, I will eagerly await what you do this fall. I?’ll be watching.

Good ol?’ Terry Dunlap. You got your boxers in a bunch now, don?’t you? The voters chose home rule. You are now required to provide police. I guess you got two options if the levy fails. Merge and go back to the farm. Or get a copy of Canal?’s contract with the Sheriff and calculate what it will cost you to do your job.

Keep plugging Mush. You?’re on the right track. Just remember that there is more to all this that what you mentioned. Most all of this is all tied together. Read up on what city council is dealing with now. Many many branches ?– all tied to one trunk.

Berry will be back

Since the BIA deal eliminates the 2 per acre rule on apartments, watch old Berry return with condo maina. He will start up by the new North High School.

I hoped you noticed in a recent PTS that the sheriff was giving a class to rental property owners on how to reduce crime...and he stated that crime in rental properties and apartments is generally higher than other residential. Well our city Council's deal with the BIA will allow them to attempt to fill all acreage with apartments, which return far greater $ per acre than single family homes....Question is will council let them?