Health & Fitness
Campaign Promises? Township Leaders Have Short Memories
If you thought you voted for fiscal conservatives in Plymouth Township, you were wrong. Less than a year into their terms they seek a 75% increase in your taxes.
Did you think that you voted for fiscal conservatives in Plymouth Township? Guess again.
It has now been one year since the last Plymouth Township elections, and the actions of the Plymouth Township Board of Trustees have been shocking. In the run-up to the election, Plymouth Township officials, citing near fiscal calamity, layed off fully one third of Plymouth Township's firefighters. No new equipment purchases had been made in over 4 years, even as the infrastructure of the fire department was approaching a critical situation.
Supervisor Richard Reaume, and Treasurer Ron Edwards ran on a platform of fiscal conservatism, and stressed the wisdom of belt tightening in the rough economic climate that we find ourselves in. Newcomer, Nancy Conzelman won the Clerk's position with no apparent message, but rather, rode to victory on the coattails of Mr. Reaume, and Mr. Edwards, so we are forced to assume that she ran on the same platform.
This conservative fiscal message resonated with the voters, as all three won comfortably in the general election, although Conzelman barely squeaked in, by less than 20 votes in the primary.
One year into their terms, it seems as if their campaign promises have been completely abandoned. These three people, in the first year of their terms have gone on a spending spree, the likes of which Plymouth Township has rarely seen.
Their first big move was to borrow 2 million dollars, and use it for some questionable pet projects. Among the more questionable projects are:
- An outdoor, air conditioned pavilion at the township park: $625,000
- An outdoor amphitheater for one man plays, and string quartets: 250,000
- Improvements at Hilltop Golf Course, which operated at a $100,000 loss last year: $150.000 - $350,000
The next move for these three was to appoint political donors to a Compensation Committee, which voted to give Supervisor Reaume a $4,589 raise in each of the next two years, and Treasurer Edwards, and Clerk Conzelman $3,300 raises for each of the next two years. They were not so generous with the Trustees, who receive raises of $171 for each of the next two years. Three of the four Trustees voted against the raises, with Kay Arnold voting for the raises.
To round out their "fiscally conservative" first year, Reaume, Edwards, and Conzelman dropped a surprise on the rest of the board by announcing plans for a 1-mill bond for much overdue equipment for the Fire Department, and at the very same meeting, they announced plans for a 2-mill bond for a recreation facility. Edwards also announced that he would need $50,000 just "to study and see if township residents want a new recreation facility." I have no idea why it would cost $50,000 to ask residents if they want a 50% increase on their taxes.
It is noteworthy that Plymouth Township will bring in $1,500,000 from the sale of the former Township Hall property, and yet they decided not to use any of that money to offset the increases in taxes, or money borrowed.
- 2 million for pet projects.
- $50,000 to ask folks if they want a Recreation Center.
- 3-mill in tax increases, which is a 75% raise.
- $23,000 in raises for the Supervisor, Treasurer, and Clerk.
This is quite a shocking first year for a trio that ran on fiscal conservancy.
It is worth noting that Trustees, Robert Doroshewitz, Chuck Curmi, and Michael Kelly who also ran as fiscal conservatives, actually kept their promises, and voted against all of this outrageous spending. Trustee Kay Arnold is the lone trustee who has voted lockstep for all the raises, and all of the tax increases.
The scariest thing? These folks have three more years to spend your money...
Here is the quintessential video of Trustee Bob Doroshewitz explaining how a $100,000 project was turned into a $625,000 boondoggle by Richard Reaume, Ron Edwards, and Nancy Conzelman.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EStsfCc-2Mk
This video was provided by KHG Videos.
