There is something you must understand about this
year’s election. It is totally about
money. Forget all the rest of the lies
and fabrications you have been hearing, it’s the money, the city budget. It’s about pay increases for the City of New
Philadelphia employees, maintenance workers, police and firemen, elected
officials like the mayor, auditor, treasurer, city council, city council
president, even appointed administrative members like the service director,
water superintendent, all of them with the exception of the park director and
the law director who have declined such raises.
But there is more. The New Philadelphia school department wants
more money, this time admitting it is for salary raises. When I say more money, I mean lots more
money.
Interestingly enough, there is a
common thread that runs through this whole scenario, and that is John Zucal,
Ward Two City Councilman, a position he has held for the past four years. Zucal not only sits on city council, he is
also principal of the New Philadelphia Central Middle School. He is the brother of Jim Zucal, New
Philadelphia service director, and husband of Wendy Zucal, the Director of
Schoenbrunn Village and the Dennison Railroad Museum. These connections give me cause for concern.
Where does his interest and
loyalty reside, with his personal priorities or with his constituents? As Dr. Phil has often said, the best
indicator of future performance is past performance. So how does that apply in this case? The Times-Reporter, on October 18, ran an article of what Zucal
considers to be his goals. It is an
interesting recital.
He has, according to the article,
worked with city, state, and local people to develop a strategic plan to
improve the quality of life in New Philadelphia. His plan, he reported, would be paid for from income that would
not come from New Philadelphia residents.
Interesting thought. Could this
be the three percent bed tax that was hotly debated in city council? If that is the case, how is Zucal’s demand
that the bed tax be used to help finance Schoenbrunn Village, a state run
operation, or the Tuscarawas County Visitors and Convention Bureau, a
Tuscarawas County operation in which the city has no obligation nor financial
interest. He wants to use bed tax money
for grants to businesses outside the city.
His proposals give 80-plus percent of bed tax revenues to businesses
totally outside New Philadelphia.
Mr. Zucal wants
budget reform. That sounds good but
what has he done in the past. He is
pushing for pay raises for administration officials which amount to
2.75-percent this year and made retroactive to January 1, 2013. A previous retroactive pay raise was made
for the year 2012. If passed, it will
be the second time that retroactive pay raises have been granted with the
blessings of Zucal during his tenure.
The list goes on. He takes credit for bringing natural gas
companies to New Philadelphia. I am
aware of one company, Piedmont, which has been distributing gas since 1988, but
am not aware of any gas or oil company drilling or pumping within the New
Philadelphia city limits. Am I missing
something?
He does say that we need budget
reform in New Philadelphia. We all
agree with that. But his reform seems
to be a reform that will continue to force New Philadelphia finances into
bankruptcy. His current proposals
include a new fire station, pay increases for members of city council to
$10,000 a year, promises of pay raises for all department heads. The list goes on.
He just doesn’t get it. There is no money. The mayor doesn’t get it.
Most of the city council doesn’t get it. The city is on the verge of going broke and he wants to increase
salaries, grant more benefits to city employees who are making more money from
city employment than the citizens of the city who are paying the taxes City revenues are down. Last year’s ending of the death tax cut the
budget for 2013 by two million dollars.
But Zucal doesn’t get it. He
still proposes spending that we just can’t afford.
Why this interest in Zucal? Because he is one of the four city
councilpersons up for election this year.
If reelected he will continue his current, and past, spending agendas. The way city council is made up now, the
other ward councilmen seem to be under the thumb of Mr. Zucal. Councilmen from wards three and four, who
generally follow Zucal’s lead on legislation, are coming back for another four
years as they are running unopposed.
This almost guarantees three votes Zucal on issues he proposes.
The councilperson from Ward One is an
unknown factor, but if Zucal is reelected, there will be a sure three votes on
spending, Zucal, Maurer, and Lautenschleger, with another possible vote coming
from the new councilperson from Ward One..
That will lock in the votes on legislation with those who lack the
understanding of being good stewards of taxpayer money and continue the
spending of tax dollars which has driven New Philadelphia to the edge of
bankruptcy.
If you don’t think that we are in
a financial crisis, then explain the issue on the ballot that is requesting a
3/4-percent increase in your New Philadelphia income tax, a proposal supportred
by Mr. Zucal, who by the way, has offered no suggestions on how to cut back on
city expenses. Oh, yeah. Zucal also backs the 7.2 mill increase in
the New Philadelphia school tax.
Get involved.
Tell ‘em “No” to increased spending.
Tell ‘em “No” to increases taxation.
Tell ‘em “No” to more money for city officials. Tell ‘em “No” to Zucal
No comments:
Post a Comment