Sylvia Hanneken does not tell the full story, far from it. See her letter to the editor here.
She says that revenue is up from last year, but fails to tell you that the million dollars in increased revenue are specifically earmarked for the Roads Program. It does not fit her narrative, so she omits it.
So far, the Macedonia Roads Program has paved 42 roads in just 2 years. And will provide funding every year for our roads moving forward.
Finally, we don’t have to wait for politicians like Hanneken to decide when, and what roads get paved. There is money already set aside for it, no matter who is in office.
She also wants you to believe that the money is not restricted to the Roads Program. Conveniently leaves out that City Council passed an ordinance last year that specifically identifies what % can be spent for Roads, Recreation Center, Parks, Refund Program, and General Fund.
The ordinance is; Ord 11-2017. She was on Council when it was passed. Although she voted against the ordinance to fix our roads, it was passed by Council.
Overall the city is collecting more revenue, but, the general fund is actually a little lower than it was last year because it has less % going into it.
Email me, kbilkie@macedonia.oh.us if you would like more details about the Roads Program and/or Ordinance 11-2017.
Hanneken states that by paying off the Recreation Center and the City building the city has $1million less in payouts and more money to be spent through the city’s general fund.
What she conveniently leaves out is that most of the million dollars came from a levy that expired when the buildings were paid off.
Basically, the money that she says the city has, is no longer being collected. Not sure how the city can spend money it does not have. Again, the Money she wants the city to spend is no longer being collected. The buildings are paid off, the levy expired, not sure why Sylvia can’t understand that.
Furthermore, once the buildings were paid off, the city designed a program to pay off a bond, passed in 2011, quicker by increasing the payments towards it.
Email me, kbilkie@macedonia.oh.us if you want more information about the city’s debt services, and how they are being paid back.
Finally, Hanneken wants you to believe that the city is collecting money from you for storm water.
Actually, the NEORSD collects that money. It does not go through Macedonia at all.
We have a community share that we can use to solve storm water problems. That money is not going for anything else.
It is not general fund money that can be used to hire police officers, fire fighters, dispatchers, or service employees.
Email me, kbilkie@macedonia.oh.us if you want more information about the NEORSD programs and how they work.
These manipulations of the truth are the reasons Sylvia Hanneken was censured twice when she was on Council, and voted out of office. She manipulates facts to fit her narrative. She is trying to trick you by telling half of the financial story.
She is the worse type of person who has no problems ignoring what the city really needs for her own private agenda.
The city has been transparent about what it needs and how the increased revenue will be spent.
Don’t fall for Hanneken’s tricks. Unfortunately, if it would make her look good, she would rather see the city fail than prosper.
Send her a message that her B.S. won’t be tolerated and vote Yes on Issue 20.
Kevin M. Bilkie
Member of City Council
Financial Chai
