Passing an income tax levy wasnt good enough. Now they hit you again with this sewer increase.

They already have their budget deficit cut in half and they havent even received a penny of the new income tax levy yet.

Plus if it wasnt for former Mayor going to court last month, they would have been using money thats allocated for city improvements to pay the rest of their deficit off, still before they received a penny of the income tax increase.

If thats not enough they are getting ready to put on the the ballot for all the rich citizens of Portsmouth, who work at the many factories that pay high wages within the city limits to pass them another tax increase to build a new city building.

They own the 2 million dollar Martings Building and the Adelphia Building and dont have a tentant or FOR SALE sign or a FOR RENT sign on either one, they will wait until the rot down, then your tax money will again come in handy to tear them down!

This city, once known as the biggest Industrialized City between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, has not recruited one single industry since the Selby Shoe factory closed in 1959 or the Williams Shoe Factory closed in the 1970's. Two other MAJOR shoe factories Excelsior and Drew closed earlier along with 7 smaller shoe manufacturers.

The major shoe manufacturing capitol that had 11 shoe factories, now doesnt even have a shoe store downtown to buy shoes.

The other comment above is so true, about the tax abatements. If you go read the list and zillions of dollars they have tax abated its astounding. Everyone on the list is well known in town, Dentist, Doctor's, Real Estate Agent's, Board Members, the least people who need it, etc. Enough money has been abated for them to buy several more Martings buildings.

This is the most corrupt city in Ohio. Its full of trash, dumpy houses, welfare,drugs, crime, streets full oh holes. They rarely cut the grass, they cut the trash up in the grass, if you call the Service Department, I have found to get a hole patched, you usually get success between calls 6 and 9.

Mysteriously money was found to open up the Hilltop Fire Station before the income tax levy has ever put a penny in their pockets.

These guys recruit zero industry. Mr. Malone, when are you and your boys on council going to start creating jobs ?

If you guys would create jobs, could you imagine how much more money you would have to spend then ? You could buy more buildings, give more tax abatements, as you all would be rich just like the taxpayers of Portsmouth.

I havent heard one word in the last 10 years at any Portsmouth City Council meeting where any Councilmen or Mayor has mentioned jobs.

Jobs create taxpayers, and Industries pay taxes.

You are never going to fix Portsmouth by somehow thinking we just tax people and that’s a replacement for creating jobs. The way you all are going to fix Portsmouth is to give companies a reason to locate here and employ your citizens.

When you have jobs, you have less crime, less people on drugs, less welfare. Jobs means money and money means clothing stores locating in the city limits, Sears, Pennys, other retailers. Jobs means a new Menards Lumber Yard, Target Dept STore. Jobs means new housing starts. You all have killed the tax base tearing homes down, wouldnt it be nice to have new houses built on these lots ?

When are you going to create jobs, discuss jobs, disscuss hiring someone to work in City Government who knows how. The Southern Ohio Growth Partnership isnt bringing any in.

Hire someone who knows how, since you all dont know how in the Portsmouth city government. Then you can lay off the income tax increases and increases in the water and sewer.

CREATE JOBS = FINANCIAL PROBLEMS SOLVED ! (Until Council runs up another deficit)

Thank you.

To everyone that reads this, hold on tight and like they taught you in grade school, bend over and put your head under your desk, in case of nuclear attack, this is just the tip of the explosion to come. The city council is discussing higher property tax rates, as they are now looking into a new Department store city building again. Why should most of the citizens living at poverty level and 200 abandon boarded up houses siting empty we're so lucky to have such fine people, we need new offices for those that don't pay a dime for it. I guess the people fell for the city income tax increase, they will fall for anything. Higher garbage fees on the way ?

You gotta love having a City Council Job.

Instead of a continual increase on anything Malone (aka Badgeman) can do to get money from us taxpayers, he needs to look at other ways to increase revenue. Especially when it comes to tax abatements, there is enough money given away every year in tax abatements to bring the city out of any financial crisis it has.

Too many people are being given tax breaks who either don't deserve it or some special deal that has been worked out behind closed doors, there should be some type of criteria or requirements on how a person or business would be able to qualify for a tax abatement. As in how much money they bring into the city ? How many they employee ? There should be no reason to give private individuals tax abatements, other than being elderly or handicapped. Badgeman needs to curb spending in every department, pay raises and perks should only come when everything else is paid up and any perk should be carefully scrutinized if and when it were actually feasible.