Voters Want Accountability On How Issue 1 Money Is Spent
Voters approved Issue 1. Now the question is: how will the city spend the revenue?
Published: August 5, 2009
Updated: August 6, 2009
COLUMBUS, Ohio—With the passage of Issue 1 Tuesday night, Columbus voters agreed to raise their income tax from 2 percent to 2.5 percent, but it was not a landslide vote. Issue 1 passed by a 52-48 margin. And now the question turns to how the city of Columbus will spend the more than $90 million in projected new income tax revenue.
“I hope they’ll be able to continue with fire, police protection, and trash,“ said Columbus resident Frank Coulson.
City leaders including Mayor Michael Coleman and City Council President Mike Mentel have pledged to honor their campaign commitments in how Issue 1 money is spent.
“We are going to be making sure that the money now entrusted to us to maintain our city services are going to go to those basic services,“ Mentel said. “That is, no police or firefighter layoffs, to make sure we maintain health service and health provisions that we have to the community.“
Trash collection and parks and recreation also will be spared further cuts and may see service restorations, including eight recreation centers closed earlier this year for budgetary reasons.
“I certainly hope they’re going to start to reopen them, the kids need it. There’s enough trouble on the streets without having a place to go and this may help a lot,“ said Alex Kushkin, Columbus resident.
The new revenue stream could very well lead to new police and fire recruit classes, as both departments prepare for nearly 200 retirements over the next two years. Additional monies are likely to fund the
purchase of 100 new police cruisers.
Mayor Coleman’s Spokesperson Dan Williamson, told NBC 4 the mayor was unavailable Wednesday to discuss whether his security detail of three full-time police officers would be down-sized. A public safety spokesperson says the staffing decision is being evaluated. Voters say they want accountability for how every dollar is spent.
“I just think we should have some oversight people to look over where the funding is going and make sure it’s going to the right direction,“ said Denise Carey, Columbus resident.
As of Wednesday afternoon, firefighters had yet to ask the city to reinstate the four percent raises they collectively gave up earlier this year. With new revenue coming in, such a move is considered likely by many observers.
NBC 4 placed several calls to local firefighters union president Jack Reall, but was unable to reach him Wednesday for comment.
WHAT DOES PASSAGE MEAN FOR THE CITY?
The half-percent hike should generate an estimated $90 million in annual revenue for the city.
The budget deficit for the city is $115 million, and it was expected the early collection of the income-tax increase would help close that gap.
Yard waste removal will be restored by next spring, when there is the highest demand, officials said.
During budget cuts, 11 city recreation centers were closed. Some of them will reopen. The decision on which centers will return will be determined by using the same process used to determine which ones closed. It is likely that not all centers will be reopened.
All non-uniformed city employees will still have to take five furlough days through the end of the year.
Firefighters can now ask to have their raises restored and the city will have to comply. But because they gave up the raises voluntarily, the request is not expected to happen anytime soon.
The mayor’s office is in the process of drafting the budget for 2010, which is due before council by November 15.
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Reader Reactions
Just as COTA passed its levy by crying and threatening then giving out 25% raises when it passed, Columbus will be pouring the new millions into generous raises and benefits. The rest of us will have to cut spending and watch 401ks evaporate. We’re turning into Chicago but will worse services. There’s talk of a repeal to allow more than 9% of the voters to approve a tax increase.
pwhited - yard waste pickup has already been cut. It started this year. If you want yard waste picked up by Rumke then you have to pay for it. I know, 4 of us on our street got together to pay the fee so we could have our yard waste picked up instead of filling the 300 gallon containers with it.
The city was discussing changing the garbage pick up to every other week. With the number of idiots in my neighborhood that cram furniture, yard waste, car parts, etc. into the big dumpsters (and all over the ground) every other week would not have been sufficient.
Once a week isn’t even sufficient because we also have a church, who is required to have a commercial dumpster, completely fill one of the 300 gallon containers within a day or two of the garbage being picked up. When they fill one dumpster, they either dump the rest of their garbage on the ground or go down the line and start filling more of the dumpsters put there for residents. I’ve reported the situation for all the good it did.
BTW, while driving on Broad St. last Wednesday, I saw a delightful sight at the corner of Front & Broad - 3 cops standing around watching some pavement being put down. 1 man driving a pickup towing the paving machine and 1 man with the paving machine. 4 other city workers, 3 men and 1 woman, were standing at the side smoking and jacking their jaws.
I voted no on the tax increase because sights like that are far too common.
Yard waste, people, not TRASH. There is a difference. Trash pickups are paid for by property taxes, the yard waste thing was the “scare tactic”. I can get rid of yard waste by simply stuffing into the large 300 gallon containers in the alley. You can put pretty much whatever you want in those beasts. But the trash itself, that is paid for by property taxes. NBC4 needs to fix this point in their reporting, it was yard waste pickup that was going to be cut, NOT trash.
BobjustBob babbled: “I live in a suburb and work in Columbus and have no problem helping out the city I work in daily. However I have to wonder when Columbus residents are going to pay for my trash pickup? “....Bob: Columbus residents pay for trash pick up via PROPERTY taxes, not income tax. Get your facts straight.
Hey jgb:
1. I wasn’t rude when I said “sheeps to slaughter” it’s the truth. You bought into his campaign to “save jobs” yet it was on the news this morning that he’ll be implementing layoffs regardless.
2. I have to pay for my own trash pick up; but now I also have to pay for Columbus resident’s trash pick up because I have to pay this tax increase even though I did NOT have the opportunity to vote—I live in a suburb but work in Columbus so Issue 1 was not even on our ballot.
3. Keep on thanking the Mayor and the yes voters when those layoffs start…
I doubt a police interceptor version of a Ford Crown Victoria would qualify for the clunkers program, due to gas mileage (you would be trading an old gas hog for a new gas hog).
No our mayor IS the problem. Not I, not that I wanted the trees to die, they did and FYI I called the city to ask about the trees and they blew me off!!!!!!
Wasting tax dollars, then your part of the problem.
FapFap—- You have to get it correct if you are going to make a statement like that.
Only libs (democrats)vote for and want more taxes!!!
Last summer the city came down my street and planted trees!!! Everyone that lived here didnt understand why we needed more when we imo too many of them now. So we ask the city worker who was planting them and he Said “Because the city LOVES to spend money”!!!!
So they planted the tree and he told us that we were the ones that had to take care of it!!! OMG really! Lets put it this way most of the trees are dead….
The same people who voted yes on Issue one are probably the same people who voted twice for George Bush. Go figure.
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