Category Archives: taxes

Cost of Government in Xenia, Greene County and Dayton Area

A study of the cost of government was recently published by the City of Fairborn. The total cost of government included real estate taxes, income taxes, school district taxes, plus water and sewer services. The study compared the cost of government in 24 cities and villages in both Montgomery and Greene Counties. Each place was ranked from highest to lowest according to total costs.

The study used current tax rates as well as the water and sewer costs from a 2007 Water & Sewer Rate Survey prepared by Oakwood. Comparisons were based on a home valued at $144,896 for real estate taxes and $57,959 Earned Income for city income taxes. School District Taxable Income was
based on $53,609 with one personal, one spouse, and one dependent exemption.

The chart below represents only the study findings for places in Greene County. Continue reading

Problem of gambling supported by Gov. Strickland

Have you noticed the recent ads on Casino gambling? Ohio taxes are traveling out of state at 65 miles an hour. Poor Ohio is being left out of the profitable gambling. All of the surrounding states have accepted more crime, more violence, and more corruption all for increased profits and tax revenues. Because all other states have accepted the vice of gambling and its benefits such as increased tax revenue, ruin of families and individual lives, increased crime and corruption, Ohio should as well. Surely not all other states can be wrong!

Behind the snake in the grass is Governor Ted Strickland. He has devised a plan to expand gambling in Ohio under the auspices of the Ohio Lottery Commission, according to the Ohio Roundtable. When he first came into office, he helped fulfill the will of Ohio voters against more gambling, not anymore. Strickland’s plan would expand gambling without a vote. His plan would implement types of gambling previously rejected by voters. His plan gives the casino industry additional justification for acceptance in Ohio. Like casino gambling, Strickland’s plan also increases the problems associated with gambling. Continue reading

Future of Xenia Under One Roof?

The Xenia Community Schools Under One Roof (UOR) plan is an exciting new innovative concept. A campus combining existing community organizations like the YMCA, Senior Citizens Center, hospital, Athletes in Actions, and others sharing costs and resources is popular and unproven. For example, a hospital serves people from outside the community as well as local residents. Connected facilities increase the potential for our youth to be targets of unsuspected criminals. A previous writer raised concerns about post-9-11 requirements for enhanced security and UOR increases that need even more. The UOR model like the Lake Local School High School in Union Ohio is too new to know what problems may or may not occur with great confidence. It is also not likely those that already have occurred will be advertised.

Another issue that needs to be raised is why should high school students alone benefit from the UOR plan? Why not junior high and elementary students? I understand why only senior high students would benefit from a hospital-based medical training facility. An on-campus hospital would provide beneficial services to both athletes and the elderly. That’s all good, but shouldn’t other Xenia students also benefit from the YMCA, Athletes in Action, medical services, potential interaction the elderly, and from similar affiliations?

For the some reasons pro and con, go here.