Psychoanalysis: Forbes Article On City Leaders

Recently stumbled across City Manager Adkins article inviting Forbes Magazine back in a year or so to look back on Middletown, and having them take note (correction) of their crucial error in observation.

When reviewing the article again, written in December 2008, Forbes used the following factual criteria in choosing its list of the top 10 dying cities with population at or below 65,000.   As Forbes said, "the data come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s three-year American Community Survey, which gathered findings between 2005 and 2007 and ranks cities, towns and Census-designated places (CDPs) with populations between 20,000 and 65,000. We tracked four metrics: income growth, the rate of domestic in-migration, the change in poverty and the percentage of the population with a bachelor’s degree or higher."

There is nothing in the Forbes metrics which suggests they based their ranking on the numbers of paint coatings to be on a building, the cleanliness of a street, or the number of magnolia or maple trees planted around the city building. Since this article was released, the focus has been to alter the Forbes ranking, rallying the troops of hope Middletown is great, and bouncing back.

Although not a Ted Cruz fan, there is some amusement when he speaks of Donald Trump's attacks on facts, yelling 'liar, lair.'

Upon reviewing these metrics, approaching eight years after written, there is no dispute every metric used is still the same as it was in 2008. Middletown has not been growing income, Middletown is not growing domestic in-migration, population is declining, and the per cent of bachelor degree or higher residents hasn't changed.

At the end of the day, isn't it a fact the city of Middletown has spent something like $5 Mm in downtown revitalization, that has absolutely no association to the four metrics Forbes used in its criteria for a dying city? Trying to get the head around all this. Did city leadership not read the Forbes article or have they been using it to call to arms its residents as a rallying tipping spear for the purpose of propping Main Street. To beat it all, one city leader said be damned Forbes, Middletown graduates great students.

In conclusion, not one metric by Forbes has improved in 8 years in the city of Middletown but lots of money spent downtown doing revitalization having no association to the Forbes criteria for its poor rank of the city. Someone obviously, missed the memo.

      

Ms. Moon, the city did take action associated with the article. Probably the reduction in section 8 voucher efforts was one, with results which remain either slightly below or at levels they were previously, and we could argue Nicholas Place will help this effort if 400 and something professional families move in, but unless you work in Hamilton, if you are paying no tax in a city you work, most will move in the city offering no tax. an't think of anyone paying no local tax and then paying Middletown .175%.

Struggling to see any reference in this article with downtown revitalization. Forbes didn't indicate the downtown city was the basis for their conclusion. Was Cincinnati State efforts intended in raising the per cent having a college degree? Just can't find the link between the Forbes ranking and the money invested in downtown, and to my knowledge, that is what council members and city management have been using as justification. What is missing here.

Cooper the new economy jobs are down in Mason, West Chester, and Mason, where there are no local income taxes. I get your point though. The city is expanding the wine, upscale restaurant, microbrewery, and bike path foot print, thinking these are what young, educated, and professional individuals want. That includes yoga studios. The efforts exerted have been to invest in amenities that higher educated professionals desire, while neglecting to invest and properly plan on what is required to bring upscale residents within Middletown. That is what is missing. Its the jobs that are in an area that brings in a certain type of professional. It is not restaurants, yoga studios, or Irish beer pubs. You'll find many farmers out in Gratis and truck drivers, but not many computer engineers or innovation product developers working for Ideo. Middletown is missing the job lure, while building prime rib restaurants and organic coffee shops waiting for them to come....without jobs here to support their arrival.  

I am sorry but the point is not coming across.

When I read the Forbes article, and have read the years of responses from the city leadership, it is clear the Forbes article hit a raw nerve. My point is, what does revitalizing downtown have anything to do to the city of Middletown's anger towards Forbes.

How does having a community college, new restaurants, and upscale bars, improve income, improve numbers of residents possessing BA, BS, improve incoming residents growing population.

A little help here please. What is the link between downtown revitalization and the metrics city hall have been angry for many years from Forbes Magazine. Not seeing it. Are others? 

Dean

No logic…No connection…to downtown revitalization
City Hall is angry because the article clearly showed FAILED LEADERSHIP at all levels of City Hall in my humble opinion.

Well Dean, it seems that they have now come up with a new excuse for pouring millions of dollars more into their downtown revitalization plan called ”All American City 2020”.

Don’t any of these people remember what Middletown was like in 1956 when we were an All American City?
Good paying jobs were plentiful, schools were great, Middie Pride was off the charts and Jerry Lucas was king of the basketball courts. Every business and home radio in town were tuned into an away game so we wouldn’t miss the action. The streets of downtown were filled with owner operated businesses to meet your every want and need. Money was flowing through this town.

All American City 2020…I don’t think so. The only thing this plan does for me is make me depressed because I do remember the great Middletown of 1956.

Mr. VietVet, having a daughter that is a Partner at KPMG Federal Systems Group, I knew indeed Fairborn charges local tax. You pay or have with-held, 1.5%. You then pay Middletown the extra .25%. I believe that whole area with WPAFB has a credit tax structure. If not, you are paying 2.75% total local, which is astronomical.

If your point two married professionals working down at P & G data center in Mason making 130,000 annually, with no taxes for local, would move to Middletown to commute from the Nicholas Place, well.....I have some prime wetlands in Arizona I will sell you for 135,000 an acre.

    

Fairborn City Income Tax

The City of Fairborn began using the Regional Income Tax Collection Agency (RITA) to collect its municipal income tax in September 2007. RITA offers a full range of online filing and payment options for your convenience at www.ritaohio.com. When sending by mail, all forms and payments should be mailed directly to RITA at the address on the form. All other correspondence should be sent to:

R.I.T.A.
PO Box 47790
Broadview Heights, OH 44147-7900

For assistance, you may call RITA at 1-800-860-7482 FREE, or the City of Fairborn Income Tax Division at (937) 754-3006.

Individual Filing R.I.T.A. Click Here – Secure website to file and pay your individual Fairborn income tax online with the Regional Income Tax Agency.

Business Filing R.I.T.A. Click Here – Secure website for businesses to file and pay their Fairborn income tax online with the Regional Income Tax Agency.

The income tax rate for the City of Fairborn is 1.5%. The City of Fairborn levies a tax on salaries, wages, commissions and other compensation, as well as on net profits from business operations and rental activities.

Residents of Fairborn, who do not have taxable income, may file an exemption form with RITA.  Complete Form 37B and indicate on page 2 why you qualify for an exemption, i.e. retired, active duty military, etc. After filing the exemption form, qualified residents will no longer be required to file a City of Fairborn tax return until their status changes (return to work, purchase a rental property, etc).

Losses from business activities, including but not limited to rental property activity, self-employment, farm operations or farm rental activity, and partnership activity, may not be used to offset wage income. These business activities may be netted together to determine loss or gain, but any resulting loss may not reduce the tax liability on wage income.

A $25.00 penalty will be assessed for failing to file a required annual tax return by the due date of the return. This penalty is in addition to any other penalties that may apply.

The information presented is to be used as general information for the public to secure a better understanding of the City Income Tax Division’s jurisdiction and requirements of the appropriate city ordinances. The information so contained will be updated as necessary for the general good of the public. For those who wish specific information, please contact the Income Tax Department.

Riverside, Ohio has litigated twice WPFAB associated with the 1.5% local tax. I believe it is still in federal court or may have been settled, but the issue was the perceived unconstitutionality of federal non local taxes when the base sits within an Ohio city. Don't know how much you make sir, but of it was 100,000, would be down in a non tax area putting an extra 1750 net in my pocket each year. You have lost nearly 20,000 in cash in ten years.

So after all the finger pointing on this topic we all have to step back as citizens of this city and look at ourselves in a mirror and say what have I done today to make this town better. People this is a group effort but it starts with one person's idea. We need to roll up the selves and get started on real projects that will make a difference in the community trust me I am not a big fan of city hall but city hall did not make this town people did and it is still a proud town full of good people.