The
Wilmington City Council is on a path leading back to the days of
accepting whatever proposal is placed in front of them without
question and passing ordinances with unanimous votes. This is an
example of the revival of the old “go along to get along”
attitude. Two council members, speaking in confidence, told me that
they didn't agree with the ordinance that they voted for.
A
case in point is the ordinance now awaiting council's final vote to
annex 200 acres of land fronting on David's Dr. and Rombach Ave. The
first two of the three required readings were passed without question
from council members and no questions are anticipated on the final
vote.
Rather
than treating this ordinance as an individual piece of legislation,
council simply rubber stamped language from previous, similar
annexation agreements.
That
language includes an agreement with the Union Township trustees to
compensate the township for the privilege of ceding administrative
and financial responsibilities to the city. The agreement includes
the critical phrase, “Changes in the valuation of the property over
the term of the agreement shall be reflected in corresponding changes
in payments to the township”. There is no legal obligation for such
language.
In
plain language this means that the payment to the township, a
percentage of the property's taxable value, will increase as the
property is developed even though the township has no part in the
development.
The
current taxable valuation of the property is $133,800 with a $290,000
agriculture exemption.
The
property is located with double road frontage and in the center of
the city's commercial district and development is inevitable. As a
result the city will compensate the township an ever increasing
amount over the next fifteen years.
Paul
Hunter
No comments:
Post a Comment