From page 15 of 116 of the workbook:

 

“Income tax revenue will increase 2% in 2012 ‐ was 1%, but Cincinnati State, Greentree, and other economic development made 2% a reasonable assumption;”

 

This is a bold statement, and I certainly hope that it comes true.  This means that they are projecting that the TOTAL EARNED INCOME of EVERYONE who LIVES or WORKS in the City of Middletown, when taken as a whole, will increase by 1/50^th, and half of that increase will be due to Cincinnati State and Greentree Acadamy!!!  Perhaps Cinci State and Greentree are planning to bring in more highly-paid professors and adminstators than I dared to hope for!!!

Also from page 15 of 116 of the workbook:

“Street Light Assessment – could raise $750,000 for the general fund if council is willing to pass this cost along to the residents.”

Pass it along to the residents???  This just goes to show you how out of touch City Hall is with reality!!!  Who do they think pays for it now???  The Easter Bunny??? The Good Fairy???  The cost of every dollar and cent that they spend is already borne by the residents!!!

This is simply another way to raise taxes on all of the residents of Middletown without saying that they are raising taxes on the residents of Middletown.  Instead, they are calling it a “street light fassessment”.  Are they too stupid to understand that we are already paying for the street lights???  Or do they think that we are too stupid to realize that we are already paying for the street lights???

Mr. Corolus’s report begins on page 16 of 116 of the Workbook.  There was one report that I think was owed to the residents of Middletown that was missing.  Pendleton Art Center has now been open for over two quarters.  The Citizens of Middletown made a large donation to this venture.  The reasoning supplied by City Hall for this “investment” was that PAC would be a huge “economic engine” for the city.  By now, the City should have received two quarters of income tax receipts from the employees of,  and “artists” at, the PAC.  So, Mr. Corolus, exactly how much to date of this “investment” has the City recouped???

Next on my list is the minutes of the MASTER PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE.  This is a very important and interesting, but disturbing, read.  It constitutes pages 19 through 22 of the workbook.  I don’t know if any of council members will read it before they vote to “receive and file” it, but I urge every one of you to read it.  I will not comment further and leave you to draw your own conclusions and bring it up here for further discussion if you deem it worthy.  Here is the link to the workbook:  http://www.cityofmiddletown.org/docs/council/10182011_w.pdf - http://www.cityofmiddletown.org/docs/council/10182011_w.pdf

From the September 7, 2011 Meeting Minutes of the Airport Commission, page 50 of 116 of the Workbook:

“the City is planning on using their paving machine to pave the parking lot next to the large hanger to accommodate the volume of people coming to the airport. No timing has been set for this paving.”

I guess the City crews are too busy demolishing swimming pools and repairing bike paths to get to this quickly.  I also note that Council member/Airport Commission liaison Picard was again absent from this meeting, as usual.

On page 75 of 116 of the workbook, we have Resolution No. R2011-35,  appointing an Assessment Equalization Board to hear objections relative to the adding decorative street lighting on South Main Street.  This legislation supposedly appoints three “disinterested” freeholders of the City of Middletown to act as this board.  This sounds like a noble cause, but since this entire “olde tyme lighting” thingie smacked of special interests, I think it bears close watching to be certain that those who have objected get a fair shake, and I, for one, would like to know how these three “disinterested” parties were chosen.

And of course at the end, as usual, we have the Executive Session “for the PURCHASE...or SALE of public property!!!  Do ya think these folks will EVER figure out if they are BUYING or SELLING???

 

The Master Plan on page 19-22 should have been done in two months, not ongoing for years. I am not impressed with Marty's histogram, the silly graph showing 1870 to present, on Mtown's population, meaningless. The action actions are just tasks, and commonsense observations. Read more a Master's thesis than anything pertaining to southwestern Ohio. Could have skipped the part of the European comaprison, "okay, they restrict new housing development when existing stock is in under-demand." It is not an economic materpeice by any means.

 

Now, will all of southwestern Ohio not developing new real estate? That is his observation for elimination Mtown's excessive stock, with the wrecking ball of course, for older stock that will not be sold? Of course not. What he negates to mention is there are areas in recovery, Blue Ash, West Chester, et al. The hypothetical textbook analysis doesn't work in the real world planning, this is not a plan by the way. Grade F, useless material.

 

Further, contradictions. If the key he advocates is reduction in hosuing stock, why the xpansion in the renaissance at lower price point? Okay, we know the residents wanted something to fill up Fenwick, and if it meant a house, who cares about its price pt being $150,000 below what was established and competitive with the west side stock, driving property values down further. sj and I discussed this issue when it occurred.

 

Finally, for the "connectors", the 5 possibilities put on the plate, but only the Atrium discussion was discussed. Many probably think there is merit up at the Manchester/ Henderson Road area, a beltline, but the cash won't be there for that. So, in conclusuion, no plan, F for quality, no vision, strictly observations, and doing exactly opposite what is needed to elevate property valuation. Emphasis on jobs, but they aren't coming.

 

What have I missed?