By: Kevin Johnson
When I first went to work for a true fiscally conservative Republican in the United States Senate way back in the early 1970’s, one of the first pieces of (albeit crude) advice I received concerning the evaluation of legislation was: “If it (the legislation) comes out of a secret meeting, with no written report or documentation and a promise that it won’t cost the taxpayer anything more – protect yourself at all cost because you’re about to get screwed.” For those of you who know anything about Congress and how it works, this is how much legislation is initiated.
So I find myself opposing the Portsmouth Daily Times, Main Street Portsmouth, Portsmouth Area Arts Council, I.B.E.W., Shawnee Labor Council, Mayor Jim Kalb, City Auditor Trent Williams, City Solicitor Mike Jones, the Chamber of Commerce’s new “Progress Portsmouth,” Congressional candidate Victoria Wulsin, U.S. Senator George Voinovich and a host of other leaders and worthies… many of whom are responsible for what Portsmouth is today.
And this is difficult. For one, I truly like and consider myself friends with a number of those who support the “City Center / Justice Center” ballot initiative. To be not in their corner on this proposal is, quite honestly, a personal anguish. For another, I am generally known as one who, for the six plus years I have lived here, has always and consistently pushed and worked hard for progress. That I am now viewed by some as being “against” progress is, as well, a personal anguish. But I am not running in a popularity contest, I am not trying to join the local “good old boy” network and I am not attempting to seek personal gain or advantage. What I am trying to do, based upon my experience and knowledge, is make sense of our City Government and its actions. And I am failing miserably.
The fact remains that Mayor Jim Kalb did not like the recommendation of a publicly appointed City Building Committee that had conducted public meetings for six months, evaluated numerous sites, encouraged public input and participation and presented a detailed plan in December of 2006. Instead, he appointed his own committee comprised of elected City officials and other unknown persons who met in private, allowed no public input, kept no minutes and finally presented no report or documentation concerning their verbal recommendation to Council that the citizens of Portsmouth acquiesce to the Mayor’s obsession with getting $1.4 million from the Richard D. Marting Foundation.
The fact remains that, because there is not a plan, they are continuing to make it up as they go. Where now is the “business incubator” recently touted by the Portsmouth Daily Times? Where now is the public admission that the Machiavellian fire truck property tax increase was deviously and quickly passed in May so that the Chamber of Commerce/Progress Portsmouth could now claim that the $12 million “City Center / Justice Center” would not increase our taxes?
The fact remains that the recent State of Ohio audit of City finances would most probably have resulted in the firing of a private company’s chief financial officer. The fact remains that the City’s spending priorities are questionable. Witness the secret allocation of over $50,000 in May to repair the Marting’s Annex roof and the consequent inability of the City to find $50,000 to open McKinley Pool for the children of Portsmouth this past summer.
Much has been made by the Portsmouth Daily Times, Senator Voinovich’s staff and by the Chamber of Commerce/Progress Portsmouth about the “wide community support” this proposal has going for it. One incident tells me everything I need to know about this supposed support.
Last month a fundraiser was held for Congressional candidate Victoria Wulsin by supporters of the “City Center / Justice Center” initiative at The Lofts owned by Florida resident Terry Ockerman. Only those who supported the initiative were invited. A grand total of 15 people showed up; the most poorly attended fundraiser Dr. Wulsin has ever had in Scioto County.
Bottom line: If you trust our City Government by all means vote to increase your property taxes. As for me, I’ll continue to heed the advice I received long ago.
ODDz and ENDz
BUY A LOTTERY TICKET?
Twice now the Portsmouth Daily Times has run basically the same front-page article about the supposed financial support that Senator George Voinovich will somehow find for Portsmouth should we vote in November to increase our City property taxes by $12 million. Not only were there no specifics (even an example would have been of value) but it ignores the fact that our federal government is facing a major financial crisis as it increases our national debt by $1 TRILLION in order to bail out a deregulated, greedy and corrupt mortgage banking and securities system. In Ohio, Governor Strickland has ordered his departments to come up with two budgets: one with a 5% cut in spending, the other with a 10% cut. Why? Because our economy is in serious trouble. So where will Senator Voinovich find what Senator John McCain calls – and promises to end – pork barrel spending?
Perhaps Senator Voinovich does have a plan. At the March 20 meeting of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission in Columbus, the Senator stated: “We’re going to have to raise more money in this country. Did you hear me? We’re going to have to increase taxes in order to do the job,” Senator Voinovich said. “Anyone that tells you that’s not the case isn’t being truthful with you. They’re not being intellectually honest with you.”
And then the Portsmouth Daily Times announced that Senator Voinovich is sponsoring a $1.8 billion sewer system bill. How convenient, seeing that we have a major problem here in Portsmouth. It sounds nice and the timing is exquisite but how does it stack up to the problem?
Portsmouth is but one of 86 communities in Ohio and 772 communities in the nation with CSO (Combined Sewer Overflow) issues. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates it will cost $6.3 billion to address Ohio CSO problems alone. From a national perspective, the EPA estimated (in 2000) that it would cost $50.6 billion to capture 85% of CSO by volume and another $88.8 billion over the next 20 years.
How does the Senator’s $1.8 billion sewer system bill stack up? It represents 28.6% of what Ohio needs and just 1.29% of what the nation needs now and in the future. Portsmouth represents 1.2% of Ohio’s CSO needs and 0.13% of the nation’s. So, what do you think the odds are that Portsmouth will see a dime from this sewer system bill… if it passes muster?
I’ll buy a lottery ticket.
PROBLEM SOLVED?
Has the City of Portsmouth hit upon a way to eliminate the vandalism of trees along the sidewalks of our City? Perhaps it has.
New developments along Seventh Street are following a similar pattern: eliminate the grassy borders and trees. You’ll note, in the following pictures, that grass and two old and beautiful trees (pic at left) have been eliminated. Why should this matter? These green spaces capture runoff water — a major contributor to our CSO (Combined Sewer Overflow) problems. So, not only are esthetically pleasing aspects being eliminated by this new approach but our CSO problems are being exacerbated and the new buildings lose shade, thus contributing to their air conditioning costs and carbon footprint.
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This final picture is at the side of Desco… where the trees were eliminated and the spaces filled with concrete.
A NEW LOFT APARTMENT
Now this is a great development that should be considered in more downtown Portsmouth buildings. The space above Pampered Princess (613 Chillicothe Street) is being converted into a loft apartment. Shown here is the new deck and access. Let us hope we’ll see more of this space utilization in the future.
