A Place to Eat
It’s tax time in Pataskala, Ohio: a town “15000 strong” as the signs at the city limits say. When I moved here in 1978 Pataskala still had a rural flavor. There was Tractor Day at the local high school, and the grain elevator had only recently closed. But all of that is far behind us now. I mark the end of “rural” in our town as the day McDonalds opened with the high school marching band getting out of school to play. That was sometime in the early 1980’s. Now the McDonalds is next to Subway, down the street from Wendy’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Tim Horton’s and the inevitable Taco Bell.
But as far as food is concerned, it’s pizza that drives Pataskala – all the pizza joints in the world. There are at least a dozen within five miles of “downtown” Pataskala: Mama Linda’s, Pizza Hut, Donato’s, Dominos, Capuano’s, Massey’s, Little Caesar’s, Flyer’s, Pizzaroni’s, Creno’s, Jnb’s, and LuLu Mack’s. This town may have issues, be we can sure eat pizza.
Farms to Houses
What used to be farm fields in this community are now taken up with housing developments. And with the greater expansion of the Central Ohio area, more houses, apartments, and schools are needed to cover the burgeoning population. We ain’t gonna be farmers anymore.
Pataskala is what social scientists would call an “exurb”. We are far enough away from the “big city,” Columbus is twenty miles, that we aren’t quite a “suburb”. But twenty miles is still close enough for most folks to commute to work, and Pataskala is a “bedroom” community without much industry of our own. There are still a few farms, but the housing developments are getting ever closer. Facebook is filled with complaining about the smell of fertilizer in the spring, and the slow paced tractors and combines on the roads in the fall.
A lot of folks moved here to enjoy “country life”. But they want “country life” with a Kroger’s supermarket five minutes away. And, obviously, they need a pizza shop at every corner.
Big Little City
Pataskala is the twelfth largest city in Ohio (out of 260 some) – by area. We are only slightly smaller than Youngstown, and bigger than Middletown, Springfield, Canton or Newark. And with our increasing population comes the increased need for police. What used to be the “village” police department where everybody “knew your name,” now consists of 22 patrolmen, detectives and senior officers. They are spread out over almost thirty square miles, seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.
With more people they need more officers, and to do that, they need more money. And they’re asking.
There are two different school districts in the city of Pataskala. One district, Licking Heights, is entirely contained in the “city”. The other, Southwest Licking where I spent my career, is part in Pataskala, and parts in the village of Kirkersville, and Etna, Harrison, and Liberty Townships. Both districts are building new high schools to try to keep up with the student increases. They’ve both asked for tax renewals: Licking Heights approved theirs last year; Southwest Licking is on the ballot next month. Both schools are trying to get along with roughly the same money, even as they build and open new buildings.
Voting on Taxes
But police and school taxes are some of the few that people can actually vote on. The Federal and State governments don’t ask when they want more taxes. The legislatures simply raise the rates. But local agencies often have to go directly to the people to make their case for more money, and just as often, receive the backlash and frustration of voters. For some, if it’s the only tax they can turn down, and they do.
My mother would say, “…They’re cutting off their nose to spite their face”. When someone needs policemen, they don’t want them to be 8.4 miles away. And we should all want kids to go to “good” schools, both because it’s good for them, and because it makes property values go up. But taxes are frustrating, particularly in February and March when they’re actually due. It’s easy to “take it out” on the nearest “taxer” that can be found.
But in doing so, local voters hurt their own community.
Our Town
Pataskala has already transitioned to the “exurbs”. But many people in town still wish it was “country”, and “country” seems to be synonymous with not paying taxes. But, unlike pizza shops, having good schools and good police protection doesn’t automatically happen here in Pataskala. They need support, and they cost money.
We can argue politics in Pataskala too. Whether it’s allowing more housing developments, or discussing where “open shooting” areas can be in the city, we are struggling over our transition to “suburb”. What we shouldn’t do is ignore the real needs of the City we have now: needs that can only be addressed with the support of the voters.
So Pataskala voters, support the Police income tax – it’s just ½ of one percent. It’s five more officers to protect and serve of all us. And vote for the SWL School levy; it costs nothing more than what voters are paying now.
It’s good for you, and better for our community.
