It\u2019s tax time in Pataskala, Ohio: a town \u201c15000 strong\u201d 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 \u201crural\u201d 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\u2019s. Now the McDonalds is next to Subway, down the street from Wendy\u2019s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Tim Horton\u2019s and the inevitable Taco Bell. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But as far as food is concerned, it\u2019s pizza that drives Pataskala \u2013 all the pizza joints in the world. There are at least a dozen within five miles of \u201cdowntown\u201d Pataskala: Mama Linda\u2019s, Pizza Hut, Donato\u2019s, Dominos, Capuano\u2019s, Massey\u2019s, Little Caesar\u2019s, Flyer\u2019s, Pizzaroni\u2019s, Creno\u2019s, Jnb\u2019s, and LuLu Mack\u2019s. This town may have issues, be we can sure eat pizza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What used to be farm fields in this community are now taken up with housing developments.\u00a0\u00a0And with the greater expansion of the Central Ohio area, more houses, apartments, and schools are needed to cover the burgeoning population.\u00a0\u00a0We ain\u2019t gonna be farmers anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pataskala is what social scientists would call an \u201cexurb\u201d. We are far enough away from the \u201cbig city,\u201d Columbus is twenty miles, that we aren\u2019t quite a \u201csuburb\u201d. But twenty miles is still close enough for most folks to commute to work, and Pataskala is a \u201cbedroom\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A lot of folks moved here to enjoy \u201ccountry life\u201d. But they want \u201ccountry life\u201d with a Kroger\u2019s supermarket five minutes away. And, obviously, they need a pizza shop at every corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pataskala is the twelfth largest city in Ohio (out of 260 some) \u2013 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 \u201cvillage\u201d police department where everybody \u201cknew your name,\u201d 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With more people they need more officers, and to do that, they need more money. And they\u2019re asking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are two different school districts in the city of Pataskala. One district, Licking Heights, is entirely contained in the \u201ccity\u201d. 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\u2019ve 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s the only tax they can turn down, and they do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My mother would say, \u201c\u2026They\u2019re cutting off their nose to spite their face\u201d. When someone needs policemen, they don\u2019t want them to be 8.4 miles away. And we should all want kids to go to \u201cgood\u201d schools, both because it\u2019s good for them, and because it makes property values go up. But taxes are frustrating, particularly in February and March when they\u2019re actually due. It\u2019s easy to \u201ctake it out\u201d on the nearest \u201ctaxer\u201d that can be found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in doing so, local voters hurt their own community.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pataskala has already transitioned to the \u201cexurbs\u201d. But many people in town still wish it was \u201ccountry\u201d, and \u201ccountry\u201d seems to be synonymous with not paying taxes. But, unlike pizza shops, having good schools and good police protection doesn\u2019t automatically happen here in Pataskala. They need support, and they cost money. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We can argue politics in Pataskala too.\u00a0\u00a0Whether it\u2019s allowing more housing developments, or discussing where \u201copen shooting\u201d areas can be in the city, we are struggling over our transition to \u201csuburb\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0What we shouldn\u2019t do is ignore the real needs of the City we have now: needs that can only be addressed with the support of the voters.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So Pataskala voters, support the Police income tax \u2013 it\u2019s just \u00bd of one percent. It\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s good for you, and better for our community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"