Letters to Editor
Setting Record Straight
As your Geauga County Auditor, I work very hard to protect your tax dollars and make sure that our local governments have the resources they need. All government entities must follow the Ohio Revised Code and my office works diligently to make sure everyone follows the law.
Recently, an opponent who is challenging me in the Republican primary has issued statements in her literature that question the integrity of my stewardship and those falsehoods must not go unchallenged. The person making the false allegations served as my office’s legal counsel and did not see fit to question these practices during the last five years, but instead chose to bring these issues up during a political campaign.
Those same falsehoods were reiterated in a letter to the editor that appeared in the Maple Leaf last month.
Please allow me to set the record straight by presenting the actual facts:
1. My office would never sit on public money unless it was required to do so by the ORC.
The Real Estate Assessment Fund (REAF) has to provide $1.2 million for the operating expenses (salaries & healthcare benefits) required under Ohio law, for the Real Estate/Appraisal and GIS/Tax map offices during the year.
As an attorney, she should understand this. As your auditor, I do.
2. The in-process Triennial Review, required under Ohio law, is done by a highly competent team in our office, and will not raise property values in 2014; some taxpayers may see a reduction.
In 2015 and 2016, every one of the county’s 52,000 parcels needs to be reviewed, a state-mandated process that will take two years and cost about $1 million.
Under Ohio law, that fund needs to be appropriated before we can enter into any contract to perform that service.
3. Every two years, Pictometry makes aerial photographs of every parcel to update our office on any changes to the property. This costs the REAF fund $200,000 and allows police, fire and local communities access to information regarding your property for public safety.
This REAF fund is public money, from Geauga taxpayers, that the state orders us to set aside to make sure the re-evaluation process is done fairly and accurately. I would never ask for additional tax dollars from the general fund to cover this necessary expense.
My staff and I are working to determine whether any monies will be left over once the process is completed and any remaining money will be given to the townships, villages and the City of Chardon at that time, to help with lost income from the state’s reduction in local government funds.
This is the responsible thing for any auditor to do — follow the Ohio Revised Code by setting aside funds needed to comply with the law and returning any unused monies at the end of the process to the local communities.
My integrity, and that of my dedicated staff, is precious to me. An assault on it — especially one not based on fact –?is something I cannot let go unchallenged.
My opponent is an attorney who has worked part-time in the prosecutor’s office. She is not an auditor.
Thank you for reading this. If you have any further questions or concerns, contact me any time at 440-286-6922 or fgliha@aol.com.
Frank J. Gliha
Geauga County Auditor
Vote for Education
Newbury’s school board is asking us to pass an 8-mill levy in May.
They ask with great humility because they know it will be a hardship for many people to pay the increase in property tax that the passing of this levy would bring.
Whether or not we agree with their opinions, the board and our superintendent work tirelessly to make cuts to account for declining dollars from the state. They do this while always preserving and providing the best education possible for our children.
The question for my husband and I is not “how can we afford this levy?” but “how can we not afford it?”
We have worked hard for 30 years to pay our mortgage and upkeeps on our house. Our house value has dropped from $250,000 to $180,000. If we do not have a viable school system that draws people into our community, our home values will decrease even more.
If we don’t find a way to support our school system, which is the center of our community, we have so much more to lose than the few dollars it would cost you now. In the long run we lose so much more.
We believe each community is responsible for supporting their school and educating all children, as we were all educated by someone’s tax dollars. Our school board is not asking for dollars for frivolous expenses. It has gone way beyond that. It is money to provide basic education.
Our government has put so many mandates on schools knowing that the only way to fund them is to go back to the voters again and again. It’s truly unfair to everyone, but right now that’s what we have to deal with.
My husband and I have lived in Newbury all of our lives. We both graduated from Newbury High School, as did our four children. Living across the street from the school, we have seen many changes. We watch the daily activity and almost take comfort in the sound of school buses starting each day.
Take some time to think of our community with no school. Think of your years of paying for your house so it would be worth something for your retirement. Ask yourself if you can afford to lose that.
Please vote to provide an education for the children in our community, for our property value and our pride in Newbury.
Patrick and Terry Barton
Newbury
Keep Geauga Strong
Let’s talk about something not everyone wants to talk about — mental health.
Mental health issues are real and very much a part of people’s lives in Geauga County.
Fortunately, Geauga County has programs and services in place to help residents in need. With treatment facilities such as Ravenwood Health Center; emergency crisis services, including a 24-hour COPELINE, and programs like Big Brothers/Big Sisters and D.A.R.E., including treatment programs for substance abuse and sexual abuse, Geauga County provides services for the adolescent to the retired, rich and poor and everyone in between.
I ask you go to the polls on Tuesday, May 6 and please vote yes on It’ssue 7.
It’ssue 7 is not a tax increase, but a renewal. First voted on in 1989, this levy has served residents of Geauga County for the past 25 years.
Providing services for 12,000 Geauga County residents every year, chances are you know of someone who has been helped by one of the programs and/or services provided.
You never know what tomorrow will bring — you may be the next person that is in need. There is a program in place that can help you.
Voting yes on It’ssue 7 will assure maintaining the excellent quality of services provided and keep programs in place.
Voting yes on It’ssue 7 keeps Geauga County strong.
Ken Watson, Board President
Ravenwood Mental Health Center
