Future if left to the powers that be

Pataskala and Etna are on their way to hided the beauty of their surroundings behind nasty, dirty, and ugly little strip malls, used car lots, Dollar Generals, Fast Cash Now, random car washes, storage buildings'a'plenty, fast food chains, etc, etc, that our city government allows to pop up every where. There is no continuity, just a hodge-podge of blights on the surrounding landscape and embarrassments to this community.

Lord for bid we actually PLAN and stick to our plan for growth that does not have tacky, dilapidated strip malls on almost every single corner because a developer promised taxes, jobs, and a fairytale ending to all our problems. We zone and rezone until the neighbors are taxed to death and left to traffic night mares. So the city council and townsmen can have some issues to run their re-election campaigns.

Money we will do anything for Money

Officials committed to improving Ohio 310
Pataskala, Etna Twp. want TIFS implemented by January
By CHAD KLIMACK Advocate Reporter


PATASKALA -- Pataskala and Etna Township want to have a novel taxing mechanism -- one aimed at relieving congestion on Ohio 310 -- in place by January.

"Our goal is to have the readings and legislation completed prior to the first of January," said Pataskala Mayor Steve Butcher.

Officials from Pataskala and Etna Township have spent months discussing what they refer to as TIFs -- Tax Increment Financing districts. Last week, Jerry Brems, director of the Licking County Planning Commission, explained the districts to a roomful of business leaders at a Pataskala Area Chamber of Commerce meeting. Not you or I, the voters

Chamber member Bart Weiler attended the meeting and was happy to hear officials remain committed to improving Ohio 310."This seems to be the only alternative we have -- to plan for the growth before it comes," Weiler said. We don't have to let it come. You can manage your growth. They want you to believe that to get you to do what they want. You don't have to change zoning you don't have to lay down and take it. But these are the people who will make the money from it. They don't want you to think you have choices.

Brems told Weiler and the rest of the chamber TIFs "make sense" for Pataskala and nearby Etna Township because they would fund improvements to Ohio 310. It make sense for the city to steal the money from the school. You get extra tax dollars for the city without a vote from the people.

Once a property is placed in a TIF, any new investment on that property is exempt from taxes, Brems explained. However, that does not mean the property owner -- more than likely a businesses, corporation or company -- would not pay taxes. One of the above mentioned owners would pay the same amount in taxes, but the money would go into a TIF fund, which the city and township would then use to fund improvements to Ohio 310. TIFs would not increase people's taxes. Instead, the process works by "redirecting taxes," he said. Redirecting the taxes where voters intended the money to go to.

The only limitations regarding TIFs pertain to the time frame -- a 10-year limit without approval from a local school district, in this case Southwest Licking Local Schools -- and the total dollar amount exempted -- only 75 percent without approval from a local school district. Butcher said the city has no intention of asking the school district for a longer time frame or higher percentage. key words. "without approval from a local school district" of course we won't do more we don't want to deal with them saying no.

Pataskala is considering designating two TIF districts on Ohio 310. Both would cover about 300 acres.

Likewise, Etna Township has started the process of designating TIF districts. Hundreds of acres along Ohio 310 are primed for large-scale commercial and retail development -- Wal-Mart intends to build a supercenter on the east side of Ohio 310, just north of U.S. 40.

Etna officials are considering forming three TIF districts. All three would cover around 300 acres, Etna Township Trustee Paul George said. Two would stand along Ohio 310 -- one near the Wal-Mart site and one near Interstate 70 -- and the third would encompass an area on U.S. 40 across from Etna Corporate Park, George said.

Both the trustees and city council need to vote to formally designate the districts, and the officials are scrambling to take action by January in order to capture more tax dollars.

"What we're trying to do is be ahead of any new (tax) increases if property is sold on Ohio 310," Butcher said. We know the school going to be asking for more money and we want to get the tax dollars away from them so they can ask for more.

As for future uses of the TIF money, Butcher said Pataskala needs to wait for the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission to complete a study of the entire Ohio 310 corridor before committing to a project. The study likely will identify needed upgrades to the corridor, and the upgrades could include building an Ohio 310 bypass or adding lanes.


Weiler is willing to be patient because he knows the city and township have just one chance to get Ohio 310 right. You can only steal from the school once cause once people find out what we are really doing. You won't get away with it again.

"Obviously, the Ohio 310 corridor is the gateway to the whole Pataskala area, and you can only do that right once," he said.

Southwest Licking Local Schools wants new school

PATASKALA -- Southwest Licking Local Schools wants to head off overcrowding issues by building a new school.

On Thursday, the school board instructed Superintendent Forest Yocum to form a committee that will be given the task of helping determine the grade organization of a yet-to-be-built school. Notice it not a committee to see if the building is needed or can be afforded just which are we going to build.

The board did not discuss funding for the school, Don't want to go there. but school board member Roger Zeune said he hopes Southwest Licking does not have to revisit the 1990s -- a time when students needed to be housed in closet-like spaces -- before voters approve some sort of funding issue. That one way to keep the student to kid ratio small.

"I just hope we don't have to be (as) bad off as we were before," said Zeune, pointing out voters in the 1990s eventually approved a bond issue that allowed the district to build Etna Elementary School and expand other school buildings. Recent and projected enrollment increases prompted Zeune's concern and the school board's directive to Yocum. Yea, we have all those new developments. Never mind that half are filled with forclosesure and stand empty.

From 2004 to 2005, student enrollment increased by 61, from 3,481 to 3,542. Those figures could have been higher, but the district was mired in a financial crisis during that span, school board member Donald Huber said. "People stayed away," said Huber, pointing out the district made numerous cutbacks to avoid deficit spending. "Now we're healthy again." So your saying you don’t need money? I’m not going to hear how we need money to run the schools or their will be cutbacks?

Residents approved an emergency operating levy in 2005, and statistics show parents have started moving into the district at a greater rate. From 2005 to 2006, enrollment increased by 164 students, and school officials expect more increases in the coming years. Expect more students but we won’t fight a TIF that will steal any increase money from commercial property. We learned how to press parents with school bussing and rumors of split sessions.

The increases have forced the district to scramble for space to house students, school officials said Thursday. Southwest Licking has turned a teacher's lounge at the kindergarten center and a hallway at the high school into classrooms. In addition, the high school is so pressed for space that there is not enough room to add additional courses, Yocum said. "We're hurting," he said. My wallet is hurting already just thinking about it.

Enrollment increases also have forced the district's three elementary schools to scramble for space. Southwest Licking buses some students miles away from their home schools to lessen overcrowding. In fact, the three elementary schools are filling up so fast the district needs to find another strategy other than busing, Huber said. "We are approaching the limits of that strategy," he said.

Huber suggested the district consider building a new intermediate school, but he and his elected peers later decided to let Yocum's committee have some input on the selection. Gee wonder what they will come up with?

"I think we need to let the community come to us with some advice," school board member David Engel said. Keep it simple! How that for advice. Don't put in grand stairways and glass fronts. Build a damn pole barn; call it being in touch with our farming roots.

To that end, the committee will consist of parents, staff and two board members, among others. Yocum will select the members. I hope you find some NO people or at least some that will play devil's advocate.

No timetable was set Thursday for the selection, but Huber said the district needs to move fast if it wants to secure land for a future school. If the district does not get options on sites, property in the district will either get "gobbled up" or become too expensive, Yocum said. The property on 310 are going fast and if the school board don't move they won't be able to add School buses to the Wal-mart and Home-Depot traffic.

Originally published October 13, 2006 by By CHAD KLIMACK Advocate Reporter see article here

My opinions in red.

Lott of Power

INSURERS GET AN EARFUL FROM SENATOR. Joseph Treaster. The New York Times. 2006/10/12. Page C1. On October 11

Senator Trent Lott, the former majority leader and one of thousands of homeowners on the Gulf Coast involved in disputes with their insurers over coverage for damage from Hurricane Katrina, expressed anger about the many claims rejected by insurers. Lott characterized insurers as insensitive and said that he inserted a provision into a bill signed last week by President Bush directing the Department of Homeland Security to investigate potential fraud by the insurance industry. Lott also said that he told his staff to investigate the industry’s tax rates and was working on a bill that would challenge insurers’ exemption from antitrust laws.

State Farm rejected Lott’s claim for the loss of his $400,000 home in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Representatives of the insurance industry deny allegations of fraud and some suggest that Lott is improperly using his position in Congress. Robert Hartwig, chief economist for the Insurance Information Institute, expressed regret that the Department of Homeland Security was being directed to use part of its limited resources on an unjustified investigation. Insurers state that they have paid $13.6 billion in Katrina claims in Mississippi and have settled 95 percent of the state’s 355,000 homeowners claims. Lott said that he also planned to introduce legislation requiring insurance policies to prominently explain in plain English what is not covered.

Aparently "This policy does not cover anything not stated in the policy." Should be rewritten to plain English. "If we haven't said it is covered. It is not covered." Homeland Security doing Fraud investigation!!!! Give me a break.

Smoking related issues on November Ballot

This November 7th, there will be two smoking-related issues on the ballot. One is clear cut, the other is designed to confuse voters.

Issue 4 is sponsored by a coalition of pro-smoking groups including the Ohio Licensed Beverage Association and the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co. Their PAC goes by the name "Smoke Less Ohio." (This is a spin name. What the backers want is for there to be more smoking in Ohio).
They propose a constitutional amendment that would ban smoking in a very few places, and would specifically exempt bars, bowling alleys and bingo halls. It would mandate smoking sections in all restaurants. It would also repeal all current municipalities smoking restriction legislation and stop any further local choice in the matter. Every business and workplace would HAVE to have a smoking section. This is the BAD ONE!

Issue 5 is sponsored by the American Cancer Society, the Lung Association and a coalition of health groups called "Smoke Free Ohio", including the Association of Ohio Health Commissioners. It restricts smoking in indoor public working environments and is meant to ensure the safety of people who work in the hospitality industry and to
shield non-smokers from second-hand smoke. If passed, it would be a state law, not a constitutional amendment. Make no mistake about it, THIS IS THE GOOD ONE!!!

If people vote yes on both issues, Issue 4 will trump Issue 5, since it is a constitutional amendment that bans all smoking legislation. This is most likely what the Smoke Less Ohio folks want. That's why they tell you that the Smoke Free will never pass. It is imperative that you, your friends and neighbors know and understand the difference.

This is the most important Public Health Issue to come down the pike in Ohio in the past three
decades. It is important that you vote NO on Issue 4 and YES on Issue 5.

For more information, please visit www.smokefreeohio.org

Planned Development District

The Pataskala Planning and Zoning Commission voted Wednesday night to recommend the city council approve the rezoning of 94 acres on the northeast corner of Ohio 310 and Refugee Road. Newark-based Southgate Corp., the same company that developed Etna Corporate Park on U.S. 40, wants the property rezoned from agricultural uses to a Planned Development District.

Resident Heather Sharpe told the commission she and her husband recently moved near the farm field that is on the 94 acres Southgate wants to develop."We moved out to the country to be in the country and not see lights and additional traffic and noise," Sharpe said.

Nearby resident Sue Bowles also objected to the rezoning. Bowles cited increased traffic on Ohio 310 and added policing requirements as reasons for her opposition. "To allow this development to take place now is equivalent to running up a credit card and not knowing how you're going to pay for it," Bowles said.

That not true Ms. Bowles they are going to steal the money from your school system.

In addition, O'Neill said the development would "substantially increase the Pataskala-area tax base through non-residential development."

Not to help the schools.

TIF are Bad idea.

TIFs are Tax Increment Financing districts. They work by allowing townships or cities to lock in the taxable worth of real property. Payments derived from the increased assessed value of any improvement to the property beyond the locked-in amount are directed toward a separate fund to finance the construction of public infrastructure, such as roads. TIFs do not levy additional taxes onto residents.

The TIF districts will divert future property taxes from Southwest Licking Local Schools for road improvements.

If you pass the TIF then be prepared to pass another bond levy for your schools. Plus any other improvements not stated in the TIF. The TIF locks the funds. You don't have the ability to meet your needs if the arise elsewhere.