Friday, May 19, 2000
Cities defiant over annexation bill
Won't back off, as Ohio Senate president warned
By Kevin Aldridge
The Cincinnati Enquirer
DEERFIELD TWP. — City officials in Warren County say Ohio Senate President Richard Finan hit a sour note when he changed his tune on annexation reform last week.
But some township leaders say his remarks were music to their ears.
“He's on a high note right now,” said Deerfield Township Trustee Bill Morand. “I think annexation reform is way, way overdue ... and it's high time the state House and Senate came on board.”
A week ago, Mr. Finan sent a letter to cities fighting proposed limits on their powers to annex land, telling them to “back off.” The letter, mailed to a group of 75 Ohio cities called the Coalition for Equitable Annexation, called Senate Bill 289 “the best deal cities can get on annexation reform.”
“Many of you forget that about five years ago the Ohio House passed a township annexation bill far more obnoxious than the current one pending in the Ohio Senate,” Mr. Finan wrote. “I can assure you that if the current pending annexation bill dies, I am not standing in the way of any other township proposals, no matter how draconian they might be in their drafting.”
The tug of war over annexations has been a recurring battle as cities — primarily suburban ones — continue to grab undeveloped land for economic growth. Townships complain state law gives cities unfettered rights to gobble up their land. But the cities coalition says this proposed bill would give townships near-veto powers over annexations.
A crusader of annexation reform for the past 12 years, state Rep. George Terwilleger, R-Hamilton Township, acknowledges the current Senate bill needs work. But he said cities and townships may never agree on annexation reform.
“It's evident that we can't be all things to all people in Ohio through legislation,” Mr. Terwilleger said. “But we want to do as much as we can to afford the opportunity to county commissioners to be able to look at annexations and make a practical, realistic judgment as to what is best for the most.”
City and township officials in Warren County are following the bill's progression in the Senate with interest. Last year, Warren County commissioners considered nearly 200 annexation requests — thought to be among the most in the state.
That's why Mr. Finan's comments struck a chord with many city leaders in Southwestern Ohio. After all, the Evendale Republican had staunchly opposed all past annexation reform bills.
“In the past, (Mr. Finan) has been a senator that cities could rely on to have some common sense, but I think he's way off base in this case,” Mason Mayor John McCurley said. “This bill is not a compromise. It is an anti-incorporation movement plain and simple.”
Monroe Mayor Elbert Tannereuther said Mr. Finan's comments “almost sounded like blackmail.”
“I don't know where he's coming from but I don't support caving in on this issue,” Mr. Tannereuther said.
Neither does the Warren County Municipal League. The group sent a letter to Mr. Finan this week expressing shock and disappointment over his suggestion that cities should “give in and back off” on annexation reform.
“Sen. Finan has said he's tired of hearing from cities on this issue and wants this bill to move swiftly through the Senate,” said Carl Boltz, executive director of the municipal league. “I'm sympathetic to the amount of time and aggravation that the Senate has had to endure because of this issue over the past decade, but if he's tired of anyone it should be the Ohio Township Association for asking for more power and more control over development.”
City officials say they will continue to air their complaints before the Senate, despite Mr. Finan's remarks. The Senate continued to hear testimony for both proponents and opponents of the bill this week.
And while some city leaders tried to play down the impact of Mr. Finan's letter on their efforts to defeat Senate Bill 289, township officials are rallying behind it.
“I think possibly with the election and changes in Columbus showing a little more strength for townships have prompted a change of heart,” Clearcreek Township Trustee Ed Wade said. “It sounds to me like his comments and support of the bill will get it through the Senate pretty soon.”
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