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General Ohio University Discussion/Alumni Events Topic
Topic: Asleep at the switch
Page: 2 of 2
Alan Swank
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Member Since: 12/12/2004
Location: Athens, OH
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Alan Swank
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Posted: 2/15/2025 8:38 AM
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CatFud wrote:expand_more
What is the base income tax rate today?
1.65% but we have an additional .3% for specific projects. The proposed increase is .3% taking the base to 1.95% and the total to 2.25%. It's an earned income tax so pensions, social security and dividends are not taxed even though those folks, myself included, use the city services. And speaking of taxation, almost 40% of the property in the city is OU property which is exempt from property taxes hence are very high local school taxes compared to all of SE Ohio.
For those of us who work in the City, but live in the County, this is literally taxation without representation.
I'll take it a step further. For those in the city on a pension or Social Security and receive additional payments through interest and dividends - all which are not classified as earned income - even though they use all of the city services, they can vote on this but won't pay a dime. To be fair, this is not a city rule but a state taxation law.
rpbobcat
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Location: Rochelle Park, NJ
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Posted: 4/9/2025 7:08 AM
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Reading the article in today's The Post it still seems that a big part of the
problem was relying solely on Email to process payments.

Unless I missed it, there is no indication that Athens requires any kind of
wet signature to process a contractor's payment.

As I've posted, I work with municipalities in NJ.
In all cases a Wet signature is needed to process a contractor's payment.
Alan Swank
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Location: Athens, OH
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Alan Swank
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Posted: 4/12/2025 9:21 AM
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rpbobcat wrote:expand_more
Reading the article in today's The Post it still seems that a big part of the
problem was relying solely on Email to process payments.

Unless I missed it, there is no indication that Athens requires any kind of
wet signature to process a contractor's payment.

As I've posted, I work with municipalities in NJ.
In all cases a Wet signature is needed to process a contractor's payment.
Actually and as reported earlier, there are three signatures required. The bigger issue to me from the article is this line:

The bottom of each of the Pepper Construction project invoices released states in capital letters, “Pepper Construction will never initiate a change to banking information via phone or email. Please reach out to a known Pepper contact should you receive this type of request.”


This is exactly what the scammer's did - requested a change in the method of payment from an actual check to an electronic transfer.
Last Edited: 4/12/2025 11:01:22 AM by Alan Swank
rpbobcat
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Posted: 4/14/2025 8:12 AM
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Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
Reading the article in today's The Post it still seems that a big part of the
problem was relying solely on Email to process payments.

Unless I missed it, there is no indication that Athens requires any kind of
wet signature to process a contractor's payment.

As I've posted, I work with municipalities in NJ.
In all cases a Wet signature is needed to process a contractor's payment.
Actually and as reported earlier, there are three signatures required. The bigger issue to me from the article is this line:

The bottom of each of the Pepper Construction project invoices released states in capital letters, “Pepper Construction will never initiate a change to banking information via phone or email. Please reach out to a known Pepper contact should you receive this type of request.”


This is exactly what the scammer's did - requested a change in the method of payment from an actual check to an electronic transfer.
I can't tell from the article if the signatures were "in person" or something
like "docusign".

Regardless.
Someone(s) messed up and it seems, from the article, the money is gone.

Do you know if anyone involved faces any kind of repercussions or is it
just "water under the bridge" ?
CatFud
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Member Since: 10/25/2021
Post Count: 29
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Posted: 5/30/2025 7:31 PM
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Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
What is the base income tax rate today?
1.65 ontop of a 1% school district tax, on top of some of the highest property tax mils in the State. In one of the poorest areas.
Local property taxes have effectively doubled over the past 5 years (but the new fire station is really nice, so we're good, right?).
Not even close to doubling. 30% to be exact since 2020. That said, for SE Ohio we're definitely on the high end in Athens County. As for the fire station, the one built in the 60s on Columbus Road on stilts was to the point of no longer being able to support the weight of today's trucks.
The rate has gone up 30%, but valuations have gone up 40+%. The net property tax I actually pay on my home has increased 83% in the past 3 years. So yeah, not quite double, but close enough. Thankfully, Athens voters turned down the income tax increase; I expect/hope we will see more of that.
CatFud
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Posted: 6/9/2025 2:41 PM
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[/QUOTE]I'll take it a step further. For those in the city on a pension or Social Security and receive additional payments through interest and dividends - all which are not classified as earned income - even though they use all of the city services, they can vote on this but won't pay a dime.

[/QUOTE]Personally, it doesn't bother me if a retiree who has paid in his/her whole working life gets a little freebie. I don't think that the city's essential fire service should be housed in a collapsing building. Or that our kids shouldn't have a safe learning environment in school. But to do everything at once (plus a new 911 call center) after years of inertia, in an inflationary environment, capped off by falling for this ridiculous scam, is disproportionate and irresponsible.
Last Edited: 6/9/2025 2:43:09 PM by CatFud
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