P
The New uses for old schools See Education
Bill to ban JEDZs pending
RESS March 31, 2014
FREE
Eagle earned See Education
Serving i Th The E Eastern astern t Maumee M Bay Communities Since 1972
M
By Kelly J. Kaczala Press News Editor kkaczala@presspublications.com
Continued on page 4
Q
uote
of The Week o
We killed them, we drove the birds to extinction in decades. Joel Greenburg See page 3
The three painters
The painting class has begun at The East Toledo Senior Center on Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. There currently is no instructor, but Pat Sibbersen (top left), Sharon Towner (top right), and Carol Wilson (bottom left) help each other out with acrylics, oils, and watercolors. Anyone interested in being a volunteer instructor may call the center at 419-691-2254. (Press photos by Ken Grosjean)
Hard winter justifies more help By Larry Limpf News Editor news@presspublications.com If projections by the state hold up, area towns will realize an increase this year in their allocations of local government funds – but not by much. Probably not enough to satisfy the Lake Township trustees, who earlier this month approved a resolution asking for State Representative Tim Brown and State Senator Randy Gardner to push for restoring cuts to the funds, which are derived as a percentage from the state’s general revenues, including the sales and incomes taxes and others. After seeing the township’s road budget hit by overtime costs for snow removal and road repairs, the trustees approved the resolution that says local government funds to the township have been cut by 30 percent “…an amount which now could be used for infrastructure repairs.” The resolution notes the Ohio Budget Stabilization Fund – also known as the rainy day fund – is more than $1.4 billion. According to estimates by the Ohio Department of Taxation, the township will receive about $88,972 in 2014 in local gov-
Heartbeat Diamond Collection The Diamond Moves to the Beat of Her Heart
“
This positive trend is possible, in part, through Ohio’s growing economy...
“
Oregon City Administrator Mike Beazley said he expects changes to House Bill 289, which limits the creation and renewal of Joint Economic Development Zones (JEDZ). The Ohio House of Representatives passed the bill in February. If passed by the senate and signed into law, the bill would phase out the creation and renewal of JEDZs. Currently, municipalities can enter into JEDZ agreements with each other or with townships. Revenue collected from employees and businesses within a JEDZ is used for expanded growth for commercial or economic development within the zone. Oregon has three JEDZs – one with Toledo and two with Northwood, according to Beazley. Opponents consider JEDZ a “tax grab,” while supporters call it a valuable economic development tool. Beazley said he recently discussed the bill and its ramifications on the economy with State Rep. Kirk Schuring, who sponsored the bill in the House, as well as local legislators, including State Rep. Mike Sheehy, State Sen. Randy Gardner, State Rep. Barbara Sears, Toledo Mayor D. Mike Collins, and Lucas County Commissioner Carol Contrada. “This morning, we had a follow up session with just a couple of us who spoke with the sponsor and we made considerable progress in a way that serves Oregon’s interests,” Beazley said at a council meeting on Monday. “Oregon, because of our geography, deals with adjacent municipalities, and we think that the sponsor is going to work toward two changes in the legislation,” he said. One of those changes is an amendment to the bill that would grandfather in existing JEDZs. “The methods we use to achieve our objectives would remain in place for municipality to municipality, which is a prime concern to the city of Oregon,” said Beazley.
ernment funds. That is about $8,000 more than it received last year but still less than the $116,340 received in 2012. The Village of Pemberville, for example, will receive $11,737 this year – about $1,054 more than in 2013 but $3,610 less than in 2012. Rep. Brown and Sen. Gardner said last week the unusually harsh winter does justify additional assistance to local communities. “I agree that some state funds should be provided to local governments specifically to help with the unusual costs associated with this historic winter,” Gardner said. “Especially when there are safety issues at stake.” Brown also said he’d like to see fund-
ing restored to local entities “given how impactful this winter was to local budgets” and “some additional dollars are being directed to various community projects this spring through the state capital (improvement) bill.” The lawmakers said communities will realize another increase in funding for infrastructure projects if a ballot issue on the May primary ballot is approved. State Issue 1 would increase annual funding from $150 million to $175 million to repair roads, bridges and other projects if it passes, Brown said. Funding push Months before winter-related expenses set in, the directors of the Ohio Township Association, Ohio Municipal League, County Commissioners Association of Ohio and Ohio Parks & Recreation Association were pushing for restoration of local government funding. In a May 2013 letter to Sen. Bob Peterson, chairman of the newly-created finance subcommittee on general government and a member of the finance committee - when the legislature was putting the final touches on the operating budget for the fiscal year Continued on page 4