Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Park 'giveaway' roils levy
Symmes Twp. tax reduced, but some residents mad
By Sheila McLaughlin
Enquirer staff writer
SYMMES TWP. - Homeowners would be paying less for the township's park system over the next five years if a 1.2-mill replacement levy passes in November.
However, the issue - reduced from 1.85 mills - won't be decided on economics alone in this northeast Hamilton County community.
A recent flap over trustees' decision to give about half of Blong Road park land to the state for a road project and to provide 40 parking spaces for a nearby bank has left some residents unsure how they will vote.
"It makes me think twice," Kathy Knutson said. "I won't say I won't vote for the parks, but I am in favor of an auditor saying: 'Was this a proper use of funds?' "
Frank Caccamo, who is critical of township spending, said he has asked the state auditor's office to review park transactions during its next regular audit in February, and might file a taxpayer suit against trustees based on the state's findings.
In question are $500,000 that trustees spent in park-levy funds since 1999 for the property at Blong and Montgomery roads. They said they wanted to save the land from commercial development and turn it into a gateway park dedicated to victims of the 1999 tornado.
However, a $163,000 deal to purchase a portion of the land from Union Savings Bank included a township agreement to provide parking for bank employees and install a plaque recognizing the company. Recently, trustees said a collective 3.5 acres of the Blong property was insignificant to the park system and voted to turn it over to the Ohio Department of Transportation for use in the Montgomery Road widening project.
Township administrator Jerry Beckman said most of that land was in the right-of-way and useless for recreation or park activities. The township wants the state agency to reimburse it for the land to be applied against fees the township will owe for the road project, instead of repaying the park fund, according to Beckman. However, Trustee Kathy Wagner said that hasn't been decided.
She dismissed the allegation of misspending, saying the Calumet Farm residents who raised the issue are trying to stop the Montgomery Road widening near their neighborhood. She defended building the parking lot for use by Union Savings employees.
"We wanted the land to control that whole corner so it's green space. You have to bargain. (Union Savings) could have held on to it and made the whole thing a parking lot," she said.
The levy would raise about $631,553 and cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $35.34 a year, Beckman said, noting that figures published in the township's newsletter this month were inaccurate. The current levy, at 1.85 mills, costs $43.04 per $100,000 in valuation and generates roughly $772,211 annually.
The township has $1 million left over from the current levy, but that money already is earmarked for construction and renovation projects in existing parks, as well as future property acquisition, Beckman said.
A levy failure would mean that the township would run out of money in five years to maintain its parks and would have to close some of them, Wagner said.
"We want more parks," Caccamo said.
"But, I know there are people who are upset about the levy and would like to fight against the levy because they don't feel (trustees) have been trustworthy on how they spend the money."
Symmes levy at a glance
