Income Tax Increase Proponents Commence Campaign

NBC 4: Against the backdrop of Fire Station 10 on West Broad Street, supporters of Mayor Michael Coleman’s proposed half-percent income tax increase stood side-by-side. Each made a plea to voters to approve Issue 1 on August 4.

Some like Kevin Miles, President of Central Ohio Crime Stoppers, opposed a city-wide tax increase seven years ago. He is firmly behind this latest request. “I am here to tell you today that Crime Stoppers does not endorse politicians. We are not a political organization. What we do is support our local fire and police,“ said Miles.

City officials claim the income tax increase would cost taxpayers another $50 per year for every $10,000. It would generate $100 million for the city coffers. But not everyone is convinced.

Matt Ferris, a Republican candidate for Columbus City Council tells us the opposition is strong. He says Mayor Coleman and council members have not done enough to trim the fat from the budget. “When you have a city government that has been operating in the shadows for close to a decade now, it’s very difficult to find out where the money has been going,“ explained Ferris.

The income tax increase is critical for communities like Franklinton. Ask anyone who lives in that neighborhood and they will tell you how much crime boarded up homes attract. But an increased police presence is going a long way to deter such activity. “Since precinct eight moved to 338 West Town down by COSI, the police officers go through our community all the time to get to the west side,“ said Carol Stewart, Chair of the Franklinton Area Commission.

But unless they City of Columbus pass the half percent income tax increase that police presence could drop considerably. That is bad news for an area expecting growth. Through $22.8 million in Federal Neighborhood Stabilization Funds, the city plans to build and refurbish homes to rent and sell. The plan also calls for demolish rundown homes.

Franklinton resident Carol Davey said she plans to vote for the tax increase. “I’ve had seven children and it was a nice neighborhood then. Then gradually it started to getting bad,“ remembered Davey.

Neighbors agree the only way it won’t get any worse rests solely on a continued police presence. The next public forum on Issue 1 is June 17 at the Marion Franklin Recreation Center on Lockbourne Road. It runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.