Many proponents of a merger have said that the study done by the University of Toledo Urban Affairs Center (UAC) in 2007 was very 'comprehensive'. Well, it was a comprehensive look at where money could come from and where it would be spent (although I didn't necessarily agree with the assumptions and conclusions that were made). But it didn't even touch on some very important issues, one of which is analyzing how many residents or businesses may leave if the township becomes part of a city or if there is even a study. Certainly some of our large businesses have invested too much capital to up and move, but there are many, many more small businesses that are mobile and can easily be moved.
So while the UAC study projects an additional $12 million in income, will that figure hold out if there is a mass exodus of township businesses and residents? And what will happen to our property values as people flee the income tax? Values have already declined considerably due to the mortgage meltdown and economic slowdown.
Finally, what will happen to economic development in the next few years if the merger commission is formed? Would you move or start a business in a community where you don't know what form of government there will be in a few years, or who will be running it? While the Sylvania Community Improvement Corporation says this merger idea is all about providing a sound tax base to support the schools, I think we would see some very stagnate development trends for 3-5 years if this process continues.
