DaytonDailyNews.com

By Avg Joe

October 9, 2008 9:28 AM | Link to this

I moved to Washington Township not Centerville for several reasons. No city income taxes. Top schools fair property tax. Centerville has problems and wants to milk our fine community for money as it always boils down to. I don’t like the way this was shoved upon us from the Centerville side. I believe the volunteers are politically aligned with Centerville and those I spoke with have an agenda to get this issue passed instead of being fair minded or impartial.

By Joe

October 7, 2008 8:41 AM | Link to this

People being so fired up about this little, non-important issue is asinine. C-Ville and WT reidents already share so many resources, i.e. schools, parks and rec, etc. Let the merger happen. At least let the study happen. All of this argument about use of roads and such is childish. I also wanted to make the comment that anyone claiming to see the homeless in C-Ville is so out of touch from reality that I couldn’t begin to explain the reasons that this thing is good.

By John in the Township

October 5, 2008 5:26 PM | Link to this

Washington Twp has superb public parks, excellent law enforcement & protection, excellent EMS and fire protection, efficient sanitation, fall leaf removal, excellent roads and a quality of life equal to or even superior to Centerville. Merger with Centerville brings no benefit to WT residents — just new income taxes on top of higher property tax rates. (Property taxes will NOT be reduced on WT property; there will be no “equalization” with home values in Centerville as some have implied.)

By Another Dave

October 4, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this

Dave:

Lets take a step back and look at what it really being put on the ballot.

“Shall a commission be chosen to draw up a statement of conditions for merger of the political subdivisions of the Township of Washington and the City of Centerville?”

This is not a study. Only the pro-merger city management has been calling it a study. The city has spent a lot of money campaigning to annex Washington Township. A fair amount of misinformation has also been provided. They just want the money.

By jv

October 4, 2008 2:15 PM | Link to this

One thing that hasn’t been mentioned is freedom…the freedom to do things on your property. Since I’ve lived in Wash Township I have done things to my property which the City would have either said no to or caused me to do much paperwork. WT engineers are easy to work with and don’t have all the policies that Centerville levies on its folks. I’m willing to pay more on my property taxes for this benefit - though, I assume my taxes overall are lower in WT and I have more control via the ballot

By Cedric

October 2, 2008 10:47 PM | Link to this

Absolutely NO! The sole purpose of the merger is to grab income tax from WT residents and businesses. The promised reductions in property tax will be negligible in comparison with the city income tax. NO to local income tax!

By Gary

October 2, 2008 5:35 PM | Link to this

ABSOLUTELY NOT…no to a study and no to a merger!!! We lived in Centerville once and swore we’d never make that mistake again.

By Gary

October 2, 2008 5:32 PM | Link to this

ABSOLUTELY NOT…no to a study and no to a merger!!! We lived in Centerville once and swore we’d never make that mistake again.

By Gary

October 2, 2008 5:32 PM | Link to this

ABSOLUTELY NOT…no to a study and no to a merger!!! We lived in Centerville once and swore I’d never make that mistake again.

By WT4Evah

October 1, 2008 9:50 PM | Link to this

As a Washington Township resident, I will be voting NO on Issue 48.

The “study” they keep referencing said merging infrastructures would be cheaper. Well duh! If a married couple divorces, it’s doubled expenses! (I could have told them that for free!)

That said, if WT property taxes go down, they’ll be increased by the new city tax. Has anyone calculated the true costs for WT residents in that scenario?

Stop the PR and give me some facts because I’m voting NO until that happens.

By TD

October 1, 2008 3:53 PM | Link to this

NO! NO! NO! AND NO! When I moved to WT 10 years ago, I looked for housing in Centerville too. I was not impressed with Centerville. I’m still not impressed! Look at the money they just spent restructuring 48 and Alex Bell @ I 675. They put up 8 columns of stone! For what? Did they really have that much money to spend? And now they’re saying they can’t afford to pay for the salt this winter. Hello! With stupid decisions like that why would I want to be part of Centerville? NO! NO! NO!

By Duke Ganote

October 1, 2008 4:22 AM | Link to this

As soon as Centerville repeals its income tax and disbands its costly policy force, I’ll consider a merger.

By bh

September 29, 2008 10:43 PM | Link to this

Think about this, Centerville & Washington Township merger now. Coming Soon Montgomery County, Dayton, Kettering, West Carrollton, Centerville, Washington Township, Oakwood, Harrisson Township and so on merger. Montgomery County will eventually come after you all. Jefferson County in (Louisville) Kentucky did it. And I believe there are some individuals in Montgomery County that would like to do the same.

By Washington Twp Realtor

September 29, 2008 9:22 PM | Link to this

NO NO NO NO! Property Values will depreciate if the merger takes place. The no income tax is a huge benefit to the military families who relocate to WPAFB. City of Centerville will not allow Realtors to place Open Sunday directional yard signs. It is difficult enough to sell a home in this market, and not allowing directional signs makes it impossible. The City is so rigid on this ordiance, that they employe a driver with a white truck to pick up signs. I can think of better ways to spend $$$.

By bob brickner 7272

September 29, 2008 8:51 PM | Link to this

Who cares if the vote is only for a study? We, the citizens of Washington Township, do not want to merge with Centerville, and we don’t need to PAY for a study to figure out that the merger is only going to cause us to pay Centerville’s income tax, likely higher property taxes, and possibly reduced services. Washington Township Sheriffs do a great job. We have low crime. We have an excellent fire department. Well maintained roads. Why would we want to merge?

By Joe

September 29, 2008 8:03 PM | Link to this

I still don’t get how they got enough signatures from WT residents to even get it on the ballot. Are people not educating themselves about this? If it wasn’t on the ballot it would just die then, not even be on the ballot. They had to get a % of WT voter signatures to get it on the ballot.

By Todd

September 29, 2008 7:43 PM | Link to this

Absolutely NOT!!! Washington Township is a model community—we DO NOT want to be a part of Centerville.

By Truth

September 29, 2008 6:35 PM | Link to this

mankind,

Wake up and smell the coffee! The studies have already been done i.e. Toledo Study and Wade Steen Study.
If you read the Ohio Revised Code 709.46 it states “… the five candidates from each of those political subdivisions shall be elected to the commission to FORMULATE THE CONDITIONS FOR MERGING the political subdivisions.”

Don’t believe Mayor Hayseed and his band of thieves. All they want is township money because they are fiscally irresponsible and are in debt.

By TMH

September 29, 2008 6:33 PM | Link to this

Here are a few miss comments: Yankee Trace runs a 7% deficit each year — it is not self sufficient and the city of Centerville takes tax dollars to keep running.

This is not a study — this is an election to initiate a negotiation between the city (6 nominated) and WT (6 nominated) to determine what the merger will look like. When completed there will be another election to say “Yes” or “No” to the merger.

Merger benefits the City Government and not the Township.

By Mark

September 29, 2008 3:59 PM | Link to this

Most of these reason stated in favor of a merger, are nothing but a smoke screen. The township services are better than Centerville’s and we pay half what they do. We don’t need our own police department, the Sheriff’s do a great job. We have bigger Fire Departments with more equipment. If we need road improvements, the county always seems to move quickly. The people in the township are wholeheartedly against a merger. And, have been for over 30 years. WE WILL NEVER VOTE FOR IT. NOT EVEN A STUDY

By Stephen

September 29, 2008 3:29 PM | Link to this

Sam - I understand completely, and do not completely disagree. However, unless we are all hermits, we all benefit from infastructure for which we do not support financially. What I am concerned about is my financial security is threatened by the proposed merger. If we would have moved into Centerville or another city with an income tax, we would have obviously purchased a less expensive house to meet our budget constraints. 1.75% doesn’t sound like much, unless you are about to start a family.

By mankind

September 29, 2008 3:27 PM | Link to this

Everyone needs to understand this a STUDY, not a merger. The purpose of the STUDY is to give the voter information and knowledge to make their own informed decision that benefits him/her.

By Sam

September 29, 2008 3:14 PM | Link to this

Stephen

I understand your point about having to pay local income taxes if this goes through but by working in the TShip you are benefiting from the police, fire, ems , roads, utility infrastructure etc that all of us property owners are paying for in our proterty taxes. I don’t think it is unfair to have you pay to support all the stuff that makes it possible for you to work here. Why should the full burden of all that be on the property owners in the community.

By Stephen

September 29, 2008 3:12 PM | Link to this

BL, I’m sorry, did I say otherwise, or do you just enjoy repeating yourself?

By BL

September 29, 2008 3:04 PM | Link to this

Stephen, you still don’t get a vote.

By BL

September 29, 2008 2:59 PM | Link to this

Joe, I lived in Indy when Lugar was mayor and recall not all worked as you suggest. Remember the debacle with every police officer having a marked car to take home every night…the idea being the presence of more marked cars saturating an area would cut crime. It didn’t and the city sold many of those cars cheaply (hi operating costs also). In fact, I saw at least one of them in use by the Oakwood PD after moving here. Advocacy of a single county wide municipal government is a mistake!

By Stephen

September 29, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this

BL, you are absolutely correct, but that doesn’t mean I can’t let my voice be heard. I assure you I am not the only person affected by the merger in this regard, and our concerns are just as valid as those living in the merger areas.

By gina

September 29, 2008 2:52 PM | Link to this

NO

By BL

September 29, 2008 2:46 PM | Link to this

Stephen, you may be affected by the merger but you get no vote. I guess you’ve figured out by now a significant portion of your economic future is in the hands of others. Sorry pal.

By Sam

September 29, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this

Patty

Really—you see homeless people hanging around Greaters and City Barbacue??? What a joke! Cville and the township are both great places to live—the issue is whether we can all get the same services and quality of life for a net reduction in taxes for 80% of the people. I think the answer is yes so I support the merger study.

By Stephen

September 29, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this

Freeriding because I use the roads? LOL! By that reasoning we should all pay taxes to every municipality we ever drive through…. that would be a fun form to fill out!

You also assume that I am in fact using Centerville roads for my daily commute, I do not. I get from home to work and back completely on roads located in Miami and Wash. Twp.

By Chuck

September 29, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this

The township does not need the city, else the township would be pushing the initiative. I can’t see it passing…ever.

My vote be ‘Nay’.

By Patty

September 29, 2008 2:16 PM | Link to this

I’m voting NO to the merger. As said earlier, taxes rarely if ever go down and stay down. I lived in Centerville and have watched it go downhill. Sitting at the street lite at Franklin and 48, it’s not unusual to see people who look homeless. Every business has had crime and burglaries. Centerville may not want you to know that, they want to be “warm and cheerful.” I love WT and want it to stay that way.

By Dave

September 29, 2008 2:09 PM | Link to this

Lets take a step back and look at what it really being put on the ballot. We are voting on whether to study the issue or not - not determine if we are actually going to merge. It is an Ohio state law that before a two communities merge, the issue must be studied for TWO years! I am concerned that WT doesn’t even want to STUDY the issue. Why not? What harm is done is analyzing the two communities and if a merger is not the result - AT LEAST we have a better analysis of the the governemnts.

By Glus

September 29, 2008 2:07 PM | Link to this

I live in Warm & Cheerful, and I don’t see W/T residents buying the merger deal. Who in their right mind would want to pay taxes when they don’t pay them now??? I wouldn’t. That explains the 20 year plan to develop every square inch of Centerville. Tax base…

By jeff

September 29, 2008 2:06 PM | Link to this

I live and work in Centerville now, I own property in Wash. Twp.,and I have worked in the Twp. too.

I am against a merger if the Centerville Police force will be replaced by the Sheriff’s Dept. Centerville residents have the best police force in the region and the Sheriff’s Dept. would be a huge step backward in the quality of peace officers and community protection and readiness issues.

By ResistAnnexation

September 29, 2008 1:55 PM | Link to this

It’s not a merger. It’s a landgrab. By Ohio law, a city annexes a township; there will be no merged Centerville-Washington Township, just Centerville pouring Township resources into its own deficit black hole—which is not going to be fixed, so there’s nothing city residents should like about this plan, either. WT is just one big Dille property to King Seed and his cronies. Any day now they’ll start saying they HAVE to go into Washington Township because there are WMDs hidden at Hithergreen.

By Paul

September 29, 2008 1:42 PM | Link to this

MERGER? WHY? Doesn’t Washington Township provide you with first rate services? You bet it does! Now, as for the county becoming one political district —- that’s a real idea. Good for all, stops duplicate services, and provides a good government at a much better cost to all concerned!!!

By Dave

September 29, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this

I live in the township and ABSOLUTELY support the merger. We are one community-sharing schools, parks, fire department, festivals, etc. We are lucky to be one of the finest areas in Ohio and have the chance to operate in a more efficient way for example, buying rock salt is cheaper by the quanity and we could get more for less, the same goes with asphalt/concrete and purchasing of vehicles. As the township relys on County property taxes-which are dwindeling- it is important to self sufficient!

By J

September 29, 2008 1:31 PM | Link to this

No to the merger!

I made my choice to buy a home in Washington Township, not Centerville.

By Charles

September 29, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this

Sam

The key word in your comment is working. What percentage of them are actually working at a real job. They have a special bus to pick up the kids so they can get a free breakfast, yet you see that the parking lot is full of cars day and night. I have even seen a Range Rover in the parking lot. Let them stay in Centerville, I am tired of supporting dead beat adults.

By Susan

September 29, 2008 12:58 PM | Link to this

I am absolutely NOT for the merger. I used to work in the city of Dayton. I now work in Miami Twp and live in Washington Twp. I automatically got a very decent raise when my office moved.

Also, several years ago when Centerville built that huge police dept. building on Spring Valley, they built no jail. They, are displaying art work inside though. Not sure what that’s about. There are enough Centerville Police cars in the parking lot to have one on one protection! Long live the Twp!!

By James

September 29, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this

Why on earth would anybody from Washington Township want a merger? There is no way this will pass.

By Sam

September 29, 2008 12:54 PM | Link to this

Charles

The company running Chevy Chase does pay income tax and the residents working there pay taxes as well.

Why shoudl all of us pay hundreds of dollars more than necessary in property tax every year just so 20% of township residents can dodge paying a local income tax?

By Bill

September 29, 2008 12:51 PM | Link to this

Taking advantage of roads…? That’s a stupid argument. You should find a better angle.

By Bob540

September 29, 2008 12:49 PM | Link to this

I live in Centerville, but I empathize with WA Township residents who oppose the merger. Centerville is run by greedy power maniacs. Note the Dille property annexation of part of Greene Co. Note the land use studies, followed by shoe-horning in every development possible and replacing the only bowling alley with yet another place to buy drugs. Note the relentless pursuit of increased revenues. I wouldn’t want to see the merger either if I lived in WT.

By Justsayin

September 29, 2008 12:48 PM | Link to this

DON’T BELIEVE THE LIES! Taxes rarely go DOWN in Ohio communities. Inflation, energy cost and the costs for natural resources are all going up, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Every respectable economist will tell you the same thing (Google it; do a little research and find out for yourself. Knowledge is power).

By Charles

September 29, 2008 12:46 PM | Link to this

Hey Sam

You subsidize the free loaders in Chevy Chase and other low income projects in Centerville. I live in Washington Township and have sings in my yard No Merger Mo Merger. Collect a tax from those that rent and get a free ride on all of us.

By Joe

September 29, 2008 12:43 PM | Link to this

Merge the whole county!!! DayGov!!!!! It worked in Indianapolis under former Mayor Dick Lugar..Merge the whole county!!!

By Centerville Resident

September 29, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

Completely for the merger!!

By Sam

September 29, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this

Yes to merger. There is no Yankee Trace “debacle” The course basically pays for itself and the debt is being retired by the golfers—not the taxpayers.

And Steven, you work in Miami TS and work in Washington TS and pay no local income taxes. So you take advantage of roads, services etc which we property owners have to pay for and don’t pay a dime. Pretty good deal for you but why shoud I have to subsidize you?

By ted

September 29, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this

Golf course debacle? It operates without a deficit on it’s own, (check the report), and talk about cash cows, can the rec center say it supports itself? Why are the trustees so afraid to let the citizens have a say? Afraid to lose their jobs and inside info on zoning/building issues??

By JOhn

September 29, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this

Stephen,

You use Washington Twp/Centerville roads, safety, traffic lights, etc every day. Maybe it’s time you pay your fair share. Stop free-riding.

By MMS

September 29, 2008 12:35 PM | Link to this

Ohio’s decline is inevitable unless our municipalities band together to cut costs. If it were up to me, the Ohio Constitution would be amended to allow Montgomery County to merge with all of its constituent municipalities. I’m sick of watching wasteful municipal pissing matches.

By Mark

September 29, 2008 12:34 PM | Link to this

Centerville broke away from Washington Twp. years ago. As a city, they had to take on too many new expenses and couldn’t relay on the county as much. Now they have to charge a very high tax rate to pay the expenses. Since, by state law, they can’t go back to being a township, they are forced to expand their tax base. I love living in the township! I had my trees cleared the day after the windstorm and my power back the next day. It’s always that way in the Township. It rocks!!!

By upset

September 29, 2008 12:33 PM | Link to this

no merger no thank you I live in Wash Twp, and they are doing just fine thank you We don’t need Centervilles “help” spending money - Going to lower my taxes when in the History of this country have taxes actually gone down and stayed ? never that’s when this just a mini federal government ploy Why is Centerville any better at spending money who annointed them budget busters TAXES NEVER GO DOWN GOVERNMENT SPENDS EVERY DOLLAR AND THEN SOME THEY GET THEIR HANDS ON ALWAYS HAVE AND WILL

By Centerville+Washington Twp

September 29, 2008 12:32 PM | Link to this

It’s a no brainer…MERGER YES!!

By Centerville+Washington Twp

September 29, 2008 12:31 PM | Link to this

It’s a no brainer…MERGER YES!!

By Outpost

September 29, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this

No merger…..Centerville has not done a good job of managing things….$15 million in debts, The Yankee Trace Golf Course debacle….It is not broke for Washington Township…..NO MERGER!

By mk

September 29, 2008 12:17 PM | Link to this

Not at all. Why should we (WT) change something that is working so well for us just to pay more to share services that would be hit with major growth (and probably drop in level). I’m happy living in Washington Township and I wish Centerville would just leave us be in this matter.

By Stephen

September 29, 2008 12:17 PM | Link to this

I do not live in Centerville or Wash. Twp. but I do work in the Twp., so the merger affects me. By working in Wash. Twp., and living in Miami Twp., I pay no city income taxes and we just bought a new house with this in mind. The merger will force Twp. residents AND Twp. workers to pay City income tax. Seen lots of talk about lower property taxes, but NOTHING about the Twp. residents having to pay income tax. Merger=my income tax goes up, my property tax stays the same. NO DEAL!

By Amanda

September 29, 2008 12:00 PM | Link to this

Absolutely! Bring it on!