Resident questions project funding
Letter to the Editor:
Citizens of Goessel need to hear the truth about what your city council has indebted you to. This is with regard to the Harvest Meadow Addition.
According to the Resolution adopted by the governing body of the city on June 19, 2006, and signed by Mayor Peggy Jay. Upon signing, the resolution provides the "such improvements be made without notice and hearing." This partly explains the verbal refusal of accountability attitude of some council members, or the silent treatment by others, when I ask inquiring questions about Harvest Meadow. The resolution, having been signed, gives your city council an open checkbook to spend without accountability towards you, the citizen.
The resolution states that a petition was signed "by 100% of the owners of record of all the area liable for assessment for the proposed improvements." Myself, and I am sure many other property owning citizens of Goessel, have not seen or signed such petition. And all property owners of Goessel will certainly be liable for assessments for the proposed improvements as I will substantiate in this article.
The estimated sewer, water, and street costs for Harvest Meadows are $403,199. This is subject to an increase of 1% per month from the date of adoption of the resolution. That figure will grow to $419,570 by Oct. 19.
The improvement district, or developer, will pay $15,300 for sewer, $9,600 for water lines, and 100% of street improvements, these amounts are agreed upon the date of signing.
Which means as of Oct. 19, for the Harvest Meadows addition, the city portion of the sewer improvements is $134,840, the water improvements is $35,359, that you will pay through increased property taxes. It get worse.
The developer cost portion of sewer, water, and street improvements are called "specials." These are paid through the property tax on the property these improve. The Neighborhood Revitalization Program of Marion County will rebate 90% of the property tax, the first and second year, back to the property owner, the developer. Under this program, the rebate lowers to 80%, 70%, then 60%, in succeeding years.
The resolution authorizes the city to issue bonds to pay for all amounts of the improvements. Don't be fooled by terminology. This is borrowed money, a debt and all tax paying property in Goessel becomes collateral.
The "specials" portion of the property tax on property in Harvest Meadow is supposed to pay its agreed upon portion of the bonds. The 90% rebate of years one and two, and rebates in succeeding years, will leave a serious shortage of funds in the bond repayment schedule. You, the present property tax paying home owner of Goessel, will have to make that up and will see an alarming increase in your property tax to avoid default on the bond payment. When a home is sold in the addition, the tax rebate continues on to the succeeding owner.
People of Goessel, what you read here is not my opinion, I am simply the messenger of documentation. Go to the Goessel city office and get Resolution No. 06-01, then to Marion County and get the Neighborhood Revitalization Program handout. Read it for yourself. Pray for revival.
WAKE UP PEOPLE!
Anton Epp
Goessel
