Mayor Kemper's distortions on the Randolph/Clayton Merger study in the recent Englewood-Northmont Newsletter deserve a response.
This writer is amazed that the same mayor who expresses such "fogginess" over the simple concept of a joint fire district in the event of a merger, can profess such a clear, although misguided vision of the impact of a merger. He even seems to know the results of the recently hired Premus Study. Perhaps that's not surprising since he has authorized about $25,000 of Englewood tax money to pay Dr. Premus.
Mayor Kemper assumes that the new city must levy a non-credit income tax, when in fact, most every city that has an income tax (including Englewood) has a credit income tax. A credit income tax means you pay where you work first, and then only where you live if the rate is higher than where you work. Mayor Kemper should be advised that the merger finance committee is not recommending any kind of income tax. The commission has learned that as a city we would received hundreds of thousands of extra dollars, just by virtue of municipal status and these dollars would be adequate to fund present services.
With respect to the Northmont school system, one should be aware that the schools benefit from the entire community, and not Englewood alone. The present school tax contributions of Randolph and Clayton equal or exceed those of Englewood. The schools need a healthy community overall to flourish. It does nor bode well for the schools if Englewood becomes richer at the expense of its neighbors.
The claim that all development stops is pure nonsense. Englewood has enough vacant land in its previously annexed land bank to develop for many, many years to come. And who says that only Englewood can develop? In recent years, the leadership of Randolph Township, in cooperation with Montgomery County, has been instrumental in securing $7.000,000 in grants and other moneys to promote sound development for our area. What will stop in the event of a merger is Englewood's selfish "my way only" approach.
If the leadership of Englewood is truly concerned about the Northmont community, they would stop boasting of their wealth and would work with other jurisdictions rather than attacking and litigating against those who have a different perspective. The community would benefit more from Englewood's cooperation than their assets.
The voters of Randolph Township and Clayton understand the importance of this issue and their right of self-determination. They will form their judgments from the reports and recommendations of their elected Merger Study Commission, who live in this community, and have volunteered countless hours on this study, rather than a paid-for-hire political consultant.
Don Imbus
Randolph Township
Clerk/Treasurer
Co-chair of Randolph/CLayton Merger Study Commission
