READY FOR SUMMER(FAIR)
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JOURNAL
Your Community Press newspaper serving Anderson Township, California, Mount Washington, Newtown E-mail: foresthills@communitypress.com We d n e s d a y, F e b r u a r y 2 3 , 2 0 1 1
Anderson Township resident Debbie Newsome has been a Summerfair volunteer for 17 years.
Web site: communitypress.com
B E C A U S E C O M M U N I T Y M AT T E R S
Estate tax repeal moves ahead
State bill may be voted on by the legislature next month
By Lisa Wakeland Volume 50 Number 48 © 2011 The Community Press ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Collection Time
In the next few days your Community Press carrier will be stopping by Cook to collect $2.50 for delivery of this month’s the Forest Hills Journal. Your carrier retains half of this amount along with any tip you give to reward good service. This month we’re featuring Olivia Cook, a sophomore at Ohio Virtual Academy who plays piano and keyboards for the church praise team, plays soccer every fall, and in her spare time enjoys creative writing and participating in drama. For information about our carrier program, call circulation manager Steve Barraco at 248-7110, or e-mail sbarraco@ communitypress.com.
50¢
lwakeland@communitypress.com
Anderson Township is still waiting to learn whether it will lose close to $1.7 million per year, as the state legislature considers a bill that would repeal Ohio’s estate tax. Ohio Rep. Peter Stautberg (R34th Dist.) reported at last week’s Anderson Township Board of Trustees meeting that the bill passed the House Ways and Means Committee Wednesday night. Stautberg, of Anderson Township, is chairman of that committee. It passed the committee with a 9-8 vote and will likely be held by
PROVIDED
Anderson Township received a grant from ArtsWave to help bring more arts events to the community, including a performance by the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. the speaker of the house until the state’s budget is introduced in March, Stautberg said. Municipalities across the state
have worried about the impact lost estate tax revenue would have on their respective budgets. The estate tax varies depending on the wealth of the deceased. Taxes are levied on all estates with a net worth greater than $383,333. The state receives 20 percent of the tax and the rest goes to local governments. “We heard from various municipalities ... and rather than pull the rug out from under the communities that depend on this money we’ll push it out to (take effect) Jan. 1, 2013,” Stautberg said. “That would allow the money to continue to flow throughout most of 2013 because there is
Poll results
The results of the Feb. 16 unscientific poll on our Anderson Township community site at Cincinnati.com/anderson township asking readers if the Ohio General Assembly should approve the bill to repeal the state’s estate tax are: Yes:
(28) 72%
No:
(11)
28% Total votes: 39
To place an ad, call 242-4000.
By Forrest Sellers fsellers@communitypress.com
ROB DOWDY/STAFF
The current Newtown fire station will soon be empty, as the Little Miami Joint Fire and Rescue District moves to a new home at the former E-check building. Village officials must soon decide what to do with the old fire station.
Newtown ponders fire station By Rob Dowdy rdowdy@communitypress.com
While village officials and residents are eager to see a new fire station in Newtown, attention is now being paid to the current fire station. During a recent Newtown Village Council meeting, Mayor Curt Cosby formed a long-term planning committee with a main focus on figuring out what to do with the fire station on Church Street once the new one is completed later this year. While that committee has yet to make a decision, residents and business owners have their own ideas on what should happen to the building. Kevin Smith, who owns Lobsta Bakes of Maine on Church Street,
said a community center or new police station would make the most sense at that location. He said the Newtown Police Department, which operates out of the village administration building, could certainly use more space. Smith also noted that the building could be reconfigured as a new town hall for meetings and other community events. “Newtown should be able to use it in that way,” he said. Rob Champlin, who owns Newtown Feed and Supply on Main Street, said there are issues with retrofitting the building as a new town hall or police station. He said those options, which may make the most sense to village officials, may not be “cost effective” considering the amount
513-247-1110 HARPER’S STATION CE-0000439516
always a delay (in fund distributions).” The estate tax represents almost one-third of Anderson Township’s general fund. Fire, sheriff and public works services would not be affected by a loss of estate tax revenue because those are separate funds in the township budget, Township Fiscal Officer Ken Dietz has said. For more about your community, visit Cincinnati.com/andersontownship.
Thefts from autos on the rise
Voice your opinion
The Ohio Department of Transportation could soon approve approximately $128 million for portions of the proposed Eastern Corridor project. What do you think? Let us know by going online and voicing your opinion by typing Cincinnati.com/ andersontownship or Cincinnati.com/newtown into your Web browser’s address bar and voting on our poll. We’ll run the results in next week’s edition of the Forest Hills Journal.
Events
To see what events are coming to the Anderson Center, check out www.andersoncenterevents.org.
of renovations needed for those uses. “It would be a great police department if it were cost effective,” Champlin said, adding that the addition of a holding cell, the amount of electronics the department uses and the numerous state regulations for police departments make it a difficult project. Pauline Murrie, resident and owner of Main Street Café, said she’d like to see the building used almost like a museum, with displays of community history and information. “I think the building lends itself to that,” she said. Murrie said the location would be perfect and there wouldn’t be much cost involved in this option. For more on your community, visit www.Cincinnati.com/newtown.
513-841-8257 HYDE PARK
Cincinnati police say one of the most prevalent crimes in Mt. Washington may also be one of the most preventable. Theft from auto crimes have risen dramatically in the community. Between Jan. 18 and Feb. 13, 18 theft from auto incidents were reported. “I don’t know what to say, but take stuff out of your cars,” said officer Germaine Love with Reisz Cincinnati Police District 2. “It is a huge issue. “Take everything out from the GPS to the connector.” Love said even a handful of change in the cup holder can Williams lead to a break in. “I don’t want you to be a victim,” she said. Police and volunteers recently targeted a portion of Mt. Washington by placing pink fliers on vehicles as part of a public information campaign. The purpose of the fliers was to raise awareness.
See THEFTS on page A2