Don't ask us Citizens for a Tax Increase

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   Don't ask the citizens of Middletown for a tax increase if this gets past.

"The council also will be considering an emergency ordinance for the approval of an enterprise zone for the proposed $350 million SunCoke Energy cokemaking and electric generation plant. If approved, the enterprise zone, which will allow a 10-year, 75 percent abatement on real and personal property taxes." Journal- 7-01-08.

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Pacman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pacman Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Don't ask us Citizens for a Tax Increase Posted: Jul 08 2008 at 6:56am
	*Don't ask the citizens of Middletown for a tax increase if this gets past.* "The council also will be considering an emergency ordinance for the approval of an enterprise zone for the proposed $350 million SunCoke Energy cokemaking and electric generation plant. If approved, the enterprise zone, which will allow a 10-year, 75 percent abatement on real and personal property taxes." Journal- 7-01-08.

VietVet Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008	Post Options Post Reply Quote VietVet Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul 08 2008 at 7:33am
	OK- SunCoke gets 75% of their taxes knocked off for 10 years, then must pay their full share. Middletown gets additional decent paying jobs and the taxes from those paychecks immediately but must wait for the 10 year period to start collecting the full amount from this employer. What happens if the employer leaves at the 10 year mark? Middletown never realizes the full potential of this employer as a revenue supplier and the decent paying jobs are lost. Wonder if, in the negotiation process,to protect Middletown, Middletown officials considered this happening and insisted that SunCoke agree that if they pulled out at ten years they would have to reinburse the city the 75%/ 10 year abatement amount that they would have normally paid? OR, would SunCoke have located to another site if the city insisted on this? Just wondering how the negotiation process works with potential employers as there is probably a trend for employers to leave just as they must start paying taxes.Must be a way for cities to protect themselves from this happening.

Pacman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pacman Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul 08 2008 at 8:21am
	Vet why does Middletown need to even consider this. SunCoke's only customer is AK Steel with a 20 year contract. The land gets re-zoned and SunCoke, I know threatened to go to Kentucky if they didn't get this tax abatement. Let me give SunCoke a little help here, "before you get to the overpass on 122 turn Right". Once the land is re-zoned there is no reason to give this concession. Give me one valid reason to pass this EMERGENCY Ordinance, "because we did it the last time"....so what. I would have no problem voting "NO" on this deal as it is bad for Middletown. Of course this could all be academic as I am sure lawsuits will once again be filed after this round of "lets play Charades." The job situation is already a wash with AK Steel announcing the moving of 75 jobs the day after the last re-zoning, convienent wasn't it. So no gain there. This should be a slam dunk for Council to vote "NO", any bets they muck it up.

Middletown News Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Apr 29 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1100	Post Options Post Reply Quote Middletown News Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Feb 09 2009 at 4:02pm
	This is a very bad time to be asking for a tax increase.
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