Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Solon, Ohio

- a few points about how another community has planned for it?’s future ?–

Solon is located about 30 minutes from a major metropolitan city linked by a US highway to a state interstate and a beltway.
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With a population of 22,000, its growth rate over the last decade is 17% (or about 1.5% per year).
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They collect a 2% income tax and rebate the full amount to residents who work outside the community.
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In the 1950?’s then Mayor, Edwin Carter, (who was Mayor for 25 years) persuaded residents to set aside 2,200 acres of land for industrial development.
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Now Solon?’s working population nearly doubles every workday with 20,000 people coming to the city for employment at over 800 businesses. Solon has been blessed with good, clean, successful businesses and industries.
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The City has the second highest credit rating in the state of Ohio, as issued by Moody?’s and one of the most favorable rates in the country.
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Sewers, sidewalks, roadways and infrastructure all have an annual program for upkeep. Last year alone $4.5 million dollars was spent on these efforts.
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New shopping centers in the center of town and upgrades to (2) older centers serve community members needs.
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A $2 million dollar recreational budget supports a 100-acre park and a 45-acre stocked fishing lake. A new Community Center will support multiple offices, a 4,000 square foot Senior Center, arts, crafts, dance & music programs, a gymnasium, track and fitness area. Park activities include sports, summer band concerts, and a movies in the park series.

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An example of planning, foresight, balanced growth, utilization of resources and a much different outcome............



(from a supplement of Cleveland Magazine)

Any native Clevelander knows

Bob:

Please do us all a favor and don't compare Pickerington to Solon. The demographics don't match up. Solon is an extremely affluent suburb, surrounded by other affluent suburbs. Some of the businesses that call Solon home are MUCH larger than the businesses we have attracted to Pickerington.

The population mix is very different, and people who hail from northeast Ohio see the world a lot differently.

I am a very proud native of Cleveland, and you cannot begin to compare the approach the city and its many suburbs take to government matters to Columbus and its suburbs. Here, we are influenced by the annexation example set by Columbus and many other suburbs.

The growth pattern is completely different than what we see here in central Ohio.

Not to mention the fact that Cleveland State's College of Urban Affairs is either the top one or two schools for urban planning in the country. And most of its graduates stay in that area and get jobs in the City or the suburbs.

There has to be a better comparison.

Help wanted ?–

Cleveland State's College of Urban Affairs grad?’s please apply to save our future!

A more challenging opportunity you?’ll never find than correcting the mess created by our local ?“leaders?”. Since some of the leaders in the communities in the Cleveland area had the vision to plan ahead. And with many suburbs of Columbus (Dublin, Westerville, etc.) not trying to make their only type of growth residential growth ?– You?’ll never find a more challenging work environment that here in Pickerington.

Please apply quickly, but don?’t send your resume to the folks at Lockville Road, as they won?’t know what to do with it.


By Headhunter