11/7/2007 9:20:29 AM | MJ |
Congratulation to the winners of the election. Unfortunately look for this Council to try and tax its way out of the current mess. Payroll taxes will be at 2.0% by March and they will go for 2.25% by August of this year. You can not tax your way out of the current situation, but council will try.
Within 3-5 years the State will step in and take over Middletown as the current plan will fail. |
11/7/2007 10:21:56 AM | taz |
gotta love some of the citizens of this city! Make a negative assumption/comment instead of getting involved to improve it.
I'm optimistic that the changes are a step in the right direction. With everyone's help and optimistism, the city would be much better off. Instead of whining, ask how you can help--otherwise, get out of the way. |
11/7/2007 11:48:18 AM | MJ |
Taz that was not a negative comment but fact. The current council has already entertained the notion of adding a .25% tax increase for the next 2 or 3 levy rounds. So pay attention. Becker and Mulligan add nothing new to current Council mix except more of the same old "Good Old Boy System".
Becker got himself caught between two factions on Council and he came down on the side that is no longer on Council so I would not look for Schiavone, Armbruster or Marconi to welcome him with open arms.
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11/7/2007 12:34:39 PM | Concerned Citizen |
Thank god for our city and the 22 police and fire that stay on to protect our city. |
11/7/2007 3:09:30 PM | Taxman |
Unfortunately MJ is right. In the last couple of months the current Temp. City Manager put forth the idea of .25% income tax increase over 3 ballots, which is probably what will happen. MJ is also right that you can not tax away the problems of Middletown, if economic growth doesn't start happening soon and I mean real soon.
We can not afford to lose projects lke the Mall Re-modeling, people want to move to a City that at least has the bare minimum of amenities. Middletown is losing what few amenities that it has. |
11/8/2007 8:38:13 AM | Taxman |
It is funny that as stated in one of the meetings that a year ago if the .75% income tax had passed that both the Police Dept and Fire dept were slated to get $250,000.00 each. If that was the case a year ago why does the current increase put 6 times that amount or $3,000,000.00 a year into Public Safety? What has changed in a year that Public Safety expenses have gone up 600%? I hope we don't see a little Ohio Lottery hocus pocus where they reduced the Public Safety budget in the Geberal Fund and then make up for it with Money out of the newly created Public Safety fund, but I have a feeling that is coming. After all if they do that all of the money in the Public Safety fund will be going to PUBLIC SAFETY, won't it? |
11/17/2007 9:13:09 AM | PJ |
Personally, I live in Hamilton and work in Middletown. I welcome paying the higher rate in Middletown. With the sharing of income taxes among cities, I still have to pay Hamilton its 2%, making up the difference that Middletown does not collect.
I think the city can get more of its fair share, as there are so many Middletown workers, who actually live in other communities. Maybe your council needs to look at those figures when coming to the voters. |