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that's the probem
Our commercial tax base is the problem. We have no commercial tax base and we're loaded to the gills with TIFs and other debt. Let's face it, the public is much more educated than previous years when it comes to passing school tax increases. We're paying exuberant interest rates on bonds; money we could be using on the ''nut & bolts'' (operating expenses) of education! We were warned of this many, many years ago but unable to get our arms around it. I think the light has come on. We're in trouble. We've got to reduce debt and begin ''pay as we go''... How do we do that? Anyone??
By john b.
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Paying for past sins
PLSD residents are still paying for the sins of the past administrations who allowed the builders to run wild with no consequences.
Two of the trustees are up for re-election this fall, I believe. Perhaps someone will run against these fellows and make a strong case for what they would do differently. City residents finally put the council's feet to the fire on the building issue, and we had a change in administration. That's a start.
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Bill Wright running the show
I understand that Bill Wright took full credit for finally getting the Violet Township to Cooperate with the City. He apparently was the sponsor of a couple of ordinances last night that forms a committee to work toward putting together a JEDD. I guess he even invoked the name of Randy Hughes as the pioneer in trying to get this cooperation started.
That will fire some of us up.
Funny thing nothing happened until David Shaver became Mayor with a new council.
My illustration above about Bill Wright is why WE all must look very carefully into the numbers and where our community is heading. There are indications our leadership in the community has made some changes. Most of those changes have not become a reality yet. Some are still in the works.
The point is the School district must march on. I believe there is some real bad blood with some in the school district of the past sins of the PLSD board.
I believe the mistakes with the North Facility are very apparent to many in this community. The problem is that the district taxpayers must continue to support that facility at the expense of the rest of our district.
Clearly the city administration in 2002 stocked the cabinet for the builders with over 2200 approved building lots. In addition they further complicated our future with two pre-annexation agreements with huge giveaways in tap fees and other incentives. These incentives have occupied the current city council in trying to dig themselves out from under these issues. Now Bill Wright wants to take credit for being the cooperative force in the community.
The township trustees have escaped much of the blame in recent years because they looked so good when compared to the Pickerington City Hall. In past years, the Township has made some real boners in their zoning efforts to build some kind of low income housing around Pickerington as a buffer to keep the blame away from them. The original zoning for Sycamore Creek and Spring Creek we all done in the Township.
Now with that said the COMMUNITY must move forward. Our tax base is in need of repair and it must be addressed very soon. Building homes on half acre lots ONLY is not going to get us to where we are wanting to get. Clearly as a community we must consider where we are going and face that future with some amount of reality. We must raise that tax base dollars to pupil ratio and soon. That can be done by raising the average value of new homes built. It can be done by slowing the residential growth rate to allow some of the students to leave home (mature neighborhoods have fewer school age children per home). We must make a huge effort in commercial development.
None of this is going to happen over night.
By Not Looking so Good
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Just a start is right
In addition to the two you mention on the board of trustees, there are three councilmen who must be defeated. Wright, Sabatino and Parker are hold overs from the administration you state is the root of many of the troubles we (collectively) currently have. While they are just a minority of council, they still cause derision, division, and quite frankly, lie continuously to the press.
Progress being made by the majority caould faster be realized if these three were sent packing. Great srtides are being made in cooperation between the city, township and Canal. While these three in no way supported these cooperation efforts, they now are taking credit for it.
The city can continue to make strides towards healing the wounds of the past and planning properly for the future. The city needs your help in electing new council members who share the prosperous vision of the current majority.
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