Stow City Council
Vote Nov. 8th!

It was great to get out this evening and meet residents. I am very appreciative of the opportunity to learn from folks about how they believe their city and governments ought to be run.

More and more, I am hearing that the mayor election is shifting. People truly believe Scott Buck is running in the lead. Whether it is true or not, it’s encouraging. We need a businessperson as mayor. Period.

The Finance Committee of Stow City Council will meet tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. to examine the 2012 budget outlook. I will report back afterward.

I don’t have a whole lot to report from last night’s council meeting, but here are my notes…

• Trick-or-Treat is Saturday, October 29 at 6 p.m.

• Congrats to Stow’s golf team for being one of four teams in its district to make it to the state tournament. I am a proud alum of the Stow golf team. Go Bulldogs!

• The final numbers on our loss in property tax revenue will be about $650,000. That is a drop of 7.9%.

Add those losses to the amount that the city will lose in state revenue, and the amount of income tax revenue, and you’re looking at quite a big budget gap. Also consider that — even without these additional losses — the mayor could not submit a balanced budget in any of the last three years. Consider further that the unbalanced budgets each took $1 million from the roads fund.

This next budgeting process, which will begin early in 2012, will be the most critical in the city’s history. We really can’t just do what we’ve done in the past, with slight adjustments. We must configure an overhaul.

The Finance Committee will meet on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. to discuss the outlook for 2012 income tax receipts, among other things.

There have been a lot of statistics being thrown around in the past couple months regarding the series of burglaries and thefts. I feel that the more information that is out there, the better that residents can prepare and the better that the residents can demand police protection from their government.

Here are the YTD crime statistics, as of the end of September: Crime statistics – Sept 11.

Other notes:

Special thanks to the Stow Community Foundation and Citizens for Non-Partisan Politics for putting together last night’s Candidates Night. I think it was productive for residents to have an opportunity to meet the candidates and hear them speak. For whatever reason, everyone sounded like me last night — desiring to make reasonable cuts to the budget. Let’s hope that this isn’t just talk, and that big spenders like Sara Drew, John Pribonic and Mary Bednar (if elected) have actually turned a new leaf.

City council will meet tomorrow at 7 p.m., with an executive session beforehand.

I am very, very overwhelmingly grateful for the amount of donations and yard sign requests that have been pouring in. I’m happy to work my tail off for this city, even without any praise. But it certainly means a lot when complete strangers are willing to send money or support you. Seriously, thanks.