August 1, 2019 at 3:40 p.m.
Abatements are the latest problem
Letters to the Editor
To the editor:
I’ve recently noticed what appears to be a new fad developing in the neighborhood.
It seems to be a prank wherein the pranksters put replicas of flamingos in someone’s yard along with a sign that reads “You’ve Been Flocked.” I really don’t get it, but it seems harmless enough.
Then while reading the July 18 edition of The Commercial Review, I realized all of us taxpayers have been “flocked.” The county council, under the advisement of the county’s tax abatement advisory committee, “flocked” all us taxpayers to the tune of a projected $298,125, supposedly creating six jobs. That’s $49,687.50 per job.
If these enterprises won’t sustain themselves without the rest of us having to carry the load, maybe they should reconsider building them in the first place. But we all know they will be built. We also know the jobs will be filled with or without the abatements. And the retained jobs wouldn’t mysteriously disappear. It’s likely they can use the gift toward purchasing more farmland or building another new home. At least, to my knowledge, there is no abatement for that.
Ironically, this all took place at the same meeting that the county auditor noted that money could be tight in the near future. Maybe they should have let her speak first.
In the interest of fairness, this feeling doesn’t only apply to these last two “flockings.” It applies to all the abatements they’ve been passing out. And all the other “flocking” that’s been going on.
I’m beginning to get used to being “flocked.” Our steering joints, our tires, our farm equipment all get “flocked” every time we have to drive on our fine roads. We have the major bumps and dips memorized, except for the new ones they installed while chip and sealing recently, but we’re still working on the globs of tar and stone plastered all over our farm machinery.
A few of my questions are:
When do the rest of us get our abatements?
When will we get our tire clean-up assistance?
And who wants us to give them the retirement center so they can turn it into something else and get a grant to do it? Or run it for us?
There are people living at the retirement center that have nowhere else to go, for which it was originally established. One of the commissioners started that there are people there that are not Jay County residents. I ask, if they are staying there and getting their mail there, where exactly are they a resident of?
He also said they wouldn’t be doing their due diligence if they didn’t investigate its feasibility. Well, I don’t consider giving $133,000 of our money to the fair board to replace a building that only needed minor maintenance due diligence. Or committing $50,000 of our money to a walking trail as due diligence.
I was told by another commissioner that it was wind farm money and could only be used for economic development. I couldn’t keep him cornered long enough to find out whose stipulation that was. Nor can I understand how those will develop the county economy. Seems like they apply due diligence selectively.
It’s a shame that space won’t permit venting about all the “flocking” that’s been going on for a long time. But XPLEX, Geesaman Industries, TIF districts, deserve mentioning.
Nevertheless, sans flamingos, all of us who have to pay our taxes have been “flocked.” The council “flocked” us. The commissioners “flock” us. Others would like to “flock” us. And they will as soon as they figure out how and get the right people aligned with them.
Actually, I’m getting quite tired of getting “flocked,” and come election time I hope they all get “flocked.”
The backwaters of “The Swamp” that was mentioned in the last presidential campaign is more far-reaching than some realize. An old ditcher told me a long time ago: “When you only drain the wet spots, you’ll discover the ones you missed very soon.”
By the way, that was a great photo of the chicken with the article. Looks expensive.
With that, I’m going to go try to obtain some sheep silhouettes and a sign that says “You’ve Been Fleeced.”
Sincerely,
Ed Davidson
Portland
I’ve recently noticed what appears to be a new fad developing in the neighborhood.
It seems to be a prank wherein the pranksters put replicas of flamingos in someone’s yard along with a sign that reads “You’ve Been Flocked.” I really don’t get it, but it seems harmless enough.
Then while reading the July 18 edition of The Commercial Review, I realized all of us taxpayers have been “flocked.” The county council, under the advisement of the county’s tax abatement advisory committee, “flocked” all us taxpayers to the tune of a projected $298,125, supposedly creating six jobs. That’s $49,687.50 per job.
If these enterprises won’t sustain themselves without the rest of us having to carry the load, maybe they should reconsider building them in the first place. But we all know they will be built. We also know the jobs will be filled with or without the abatements. And the retained jobs wouldn’t mysteriously disappear. It’s likely they can use the gift toward purchasing more farmland or building another new home. At least, to my knowledge, there is no abatement for that.
Ironically, this all took place at the same meeting that the county auditor noted that money could be tight in the near future. Maybe they should have let her speak first.
In the interest of fairness, this feeling doesn’t only apply to these last two “flockings.” It applies to all the abatements they’ve been passing out. And all the other “flocking” that’s been going on.
I’m beginning to get used to being “flocked.” Our steering joints, our tires, our farm equipment all get “flocked” every time we have to drive on our fine roads. We have the major bumps and dips memorized, except for the new ones they installed while chip and sealing recently, but we’re still working on the globs of tar and stone plastered all over our farm machinery.
A few of my questions are:
When do the rest of us get our abatements?
When will we get our tire clean-up assistance?
And who wants us to give them the retirement center so they can turn it into something else and get a grant to do it? Or run it for us?
There are people living at the retirement center that have nowhere else to go, for which it was originally established. One of the commissioners started that there are people there that are not Jay County residents. I ask, if they are staying there and getting their mail there, where exactly are they a resident of?
He also said they wouldn’t be doing their due diligence if they didn’t investigate its feasibility. Well, I don’t consider giving $133,000 of our money to the fair board to replace a building that only needed minor maintenance due diligence. Or committing $50,000 of our money to a walking trail as due diligence.
I was told by another commissioner that it was wind farm money and could only be used for economic development. I couldn’t keep him cornered long enough to find out whose stipulation that was. Nor can I understand how those will develop the county economy. Seems like they apply due diligence selectively.
It’s a shame that space won’t permit venting about all the “flocking” that’s been going on for a long time. But XPLEX, Geesaman Industries, TIF districts, deserve mentioning.
Nevertheless, sans flamingos, all of us who have to pay our taxes have been “flocked.” The council “flocked” us. The commissioners “flock” us. Others would like to “flock” us. And they will as soon as they figure out how and get the right people aligned with them.
Actually, I’m getting quite tired of getting “flocked,” and come election time I hope they all get “flocked.”
The backwaters of “The Swamp” that was mentioned in the last presidential campaign is more far-reaching than some realize. An old ditcher told me a long time ago: “When you only drain the wet spots, you’ll discover the ones you missed very soon.”
By the way, that was a great photo of the chicken with the article. Looks expensive.
With that, I’m going to go try to obtain some sheep silhouettes and a sign that says “You’ve Been Fleeced.”
Sincerely,
Ed Davidson
Portland
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