City to acquire 20 acres for park

This is a net-net-net loss all of us. We were supposed to have a moratorium on acquiring more green space. First, this grant is actually tax payer money. We are paying for this with state tax funds from the working people of Ohio. Our state is basically broke and we can't afford this waste of money. Second, the city has to pay, with city tax money, maintenance costs and insurance on this property. Third, we city tax payers absorb the cost shifting of property tax burden that is created by the loss of property tax money previously raised by the taxes paid by the current owners. This 1000 acres of green space used to raise property tax that pay for our schools, county home and other services provided by property tax revenue. Now, there is that much less land to generate this revenue. The remaining property owners have to make up the difference.

Why do you think the owners, like Moon Mullen, want to "sell" this land to the city? It is worthless and no one else wants it!

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I'd like to see some hard stats, Mr. Kalter, on how much revenue has been generated from the purchase, with state tax payer money, of the worthless failed real estate investment land the city recently "acquired" from Moon Mullen and David Sands behind the middle school. This was supposed to be fantastic "green" space addition to our biking and hiking trails that would bring a rush of visitors to Marietta who would automatically shed tourist dollars to the city. Huh?! Where is this windfall?

Green space is a waste of money. It provides a channel for current tax payers to dump worthless land on stupid politicians who are supposed to be good stewards of our money. These "grants" are often thought to be manna from heaven and "free" money.

Remember...if we don't spend it, someone else will! That's the politician's mantra.

I'm sure our council will all vote "yea" on this one.

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Watch out ! Another sink hole has opened up in Marietta a 20 acre one that is growing and swallowing up more of our tax dollars. More worthless ground to mow and maintain .

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Can anyone get in on this ? Green Space on the hill great view of fair grounds could be a park only 180,000 .

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Does anyone ever wonder why green space purchases seem to always benefit politicians and well connected people? Why does Mullen always get things that give him more money in his pocket at the tax payer expense? Here, Boersma is putting tax payer money in his pocket and being absolved of future real estate tax expenses that benefit the old, the poor and our children at school? Why doesn't the Times investigate this corruption disguised as part of the "green" agenda? This "green" agenda is putting us all in the red. Because of this move, the city has da**ed us to higher real estate taxes in the near future. Watch more requests for levies to be coming our way. And, they'll drape pictures of beaten kids and starving old people in front of us to guilt us into voting to raise taxes on ourselves.

Thanks a lot council!

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I hear a flushing sound at Acme, Pike and Jefferson streets intersection.

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As usual, many of the commenters here miss the point. $126,000 for 20 acres isn't as bad deal when lots less than 1/2 acre in the city are going for well over $20,000 apiece. In addition, in a city with numerous road slips, land slips, and urban flooding the last thing we need is more development on currently forested areas. If that acreage would be developed, we would all end up paying a lot more in repair and insurance costs. Plus, the presence of green space in a community increases the property values of everyone in the city.

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How, oh how does green space increase my property values?? The appraisers look at comparable sales of properties for pricing. People don't rush in to buy real estate in Marietta because of some undeveloped worthless green space. It's better than building a sewage plant on the property but it doesn't attract people otherwise. Keep in mind...this property is not able to be developed and can't be sold. That's why people like Mullen and Christy and Boersma are wanting tax payer grant money to be used by stupid council people to buy their worthless land. They can't dump it on anyone else.

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If people are rushing to Marietta for the green space, why is it our real estate market is "booming"? SARCASM

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We have no accountability in politics. Never can we come back ten years down the road and say to these people, whether they are still in office or not, and say "You were wrong! Pay for your mistakes and self-serving votes that cost the tax payers!" They should be fined heavily or jailed for some of these egregious decisions they make. All we can do is vote them out but, by then, most of the damage is done.

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Walton: by your logic since Borsma got a taxpayer windfall my property taxes will go up?

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Land is a a valuable asset to own and an asset that doesn't decrease in price. Plus, it can almost always be sold. Why do many VERY rich people invest heavily in land? Because its a good investment.

What else is a good investment? Green space, hiking and biking trails. I'm sorry alot of you don't realize the value of areas where you can get out and walk and hike and enjoy nature. But ALOT of people do find that an asset and ALOT of people consider those things when they look at potential cities to move to.

And yes, it is tax payer money, and yes, I don't really like it being used as grants this way. But its the system, so we may as well take it. If you don't like it, whine about the system and fix that. Whining about us taking it, is ignorance at epic levels. Do you think if we stood on our high horse and refused the money, the politicians would take notice and fix this? lol, nah. Fix the system, don't complain that we take advantage of it.

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Why do citizens keep voting for MULLEN aka. MOONFACE to city offices when you know the only reason he wants on council is for insurance and being in where he can sell land that the taxes will be lost to the schools and city.

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20 acres equals approx 5 city blocks & Kalter says there is 15 miles of trails is already there? Then the trails must just go around & around For example, a strip of land 10 feet wide & 16.5 miles long equals 20 acres. I googled how many walking trails can go in an acre & found ratios like this: 'in a somewhat high density pop. area has 23 miles of trail on 240 acres'; '160 acres in a municipal park & hoping to get in 12+ miles'; 'city park, wooded, a bit hilly & rolling, right around 40-50 acres & it's about 5-6 miles of trail'. Justify much Kalter?

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Crandall, that's a lot of work for not reading the article! That quote was based on 1000 acres!

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Doesn't the City of Marietta have enough park space already?

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Don't we have enough "green space" around this area already. Usually they use these designated green spaces as an excuse to lock up land so it can't be developed or used commercially.

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Hey McCabe....thats "mow and maintain on holidays and special occasions"....cause thats the only time the parks look decent.

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Kalter is the ruination of property when he gets involved. Hope this does not end up as one of his storage places for his junk collections. Junk on his properties as well as a trailer of junk wood on college property on cherry avenue.

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Personally I welcome all the green we can keep! We have plenty of concrete!

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If any of you would look at the property - or even a map - you would see that it is all very hilly. According to the lot layout on the county auditor page there would be a road going through it. Given the nature of the hillside, if the property were ever to be developed, the city would be paying a lot of money to maintain the road against slips, and the downhill property owners from Frontier Shopping Center, the college, everyone between Butler and Greene streets etc. would be dealing with increased flooding. The biggest lot in the area pays a tax bill of $70.

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ahh the old school ignorance in this town is amazing sometimes

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This present administration and council, isthe ver best marietta has seen let them do what they want!

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