Events Calendar
In This Section
Library computer courses to go hands-on with laptops at branches
City, county may ban bias based on sexual orientation
Taste of Vintage benefits Goodwill Industries
Shalersville, Richfield towers are links to 1949 cross-country marathon
Can DNA tests free ex-Akron captain?
Victim of beating in Kent last week is declared dead at Akron hospital
Green High senior goes extra mile for those who walk and jog the park trails
Most Read Stories
Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Victim of beating in Kent last week is declared dead at Akron hospital
Dad accused of forcing son into field, killing him
Can DNA tests free ex-Akron captain?
Man found dead in North Akron home is identified
Browns' roster nearly devoid of consistent players
Does it work? Test team returns to try out new products advertised on television
Coventry man killed in crash at I-77 ramp
Blogs:
Pets:
Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
The Heldenfiles:
Friday Night Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
Browns vs. Lions live …
Akron Zips:
Akron trounces Howard to reach .500
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Robiskie, Harrison inactive
Kent State Sports:
Kent State blown out in second half, loses to Temple 47-13
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Four area football teams play tonight
All Da King's Men:
The Sunday Sanity Challenge
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (69) The Brookings Institute Study on "Bending the Curve" – Four General Strategies
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
A Random Rant on Testing
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
New ordinance would limit number of businesses allowed to open in city; vote is scheduled Monday
By Gina Mace
Special to the Beacon Journal
Published on Thursday, Dec 06, 2007
CUYAHOGA FALLS: The Cuyahoga Falls City Council is expected to vote Dec. 10 on legislation that will effectively prohibit new payday lenders from setting up shop in the city.
Zoning laws adopted in 2005 restrict payday lenders to two business districts Graham Road near the Stow border and on Howe Road. The law also requires a special review before approval to determine if the business will adversely affect adjacent properties.
The new ordinance proposed by at-large Councilwoman Carol Klinger would add additional restrictions. It would limit payday loan businesses to one for every 10,000 residents.
With a population of about 50,000, that means three of the seven payday lenders in the Falls would have to close before a new one could open. Short-term loan businesses would also be prohibited from opening within 1,000 feet of each other.
During a public meeting Nov. 26, several people approached the podium to speak in favor of the legislation.
Comments from the public and council members during council's Planning and Zoning Committee meeting Monday were not much different with one exception. Hugh Utterback, who owns two payday loan businesses in Stark County, said he attended the meeting to defend payday lenders.
Utterback asked the council to ''see beyond the attack on payday loan lenders'' and vote against the proposed ordinance.
''Who will help people who find themselves short on cash if payday lenders are not there to provide short-term loans?'' he said. ''People use payday lenders because no other segment of the financial services community will serve the needs of individuals for small short-term loans.''
Utterback said the misuse of payday borrowing by a small number of customers should not be grounds to punish an entire industry.
He said he is not just defending his livelihood, but the American way of free enterprise.
''Destroying an industry that provides a needed source of money to thousands of responsible borrowers is a terrible thing to do and it hurts the lives of Ohioans and Ohio businesses,'' he said.
Klinger countered that with employees who encourage additional borrowing and loan fees that amount to nearly 400 percent interest, payday lenders do more harm to their customers than good. She quoted former employees of the short-term loan business who admitted during testimony to state legislators that their jobs were to prey on people who could least afford another bill.
The council committee, chaired by at-large Councilwoman Kathy Hummel voted Monday to send the legislation to the full council for a vote.
CUYAHOGA FALLS: The Cuyahoga Falls City Council is expected to vote Dec. 10 on legislation that will effectively prohibit new payday lenders from setting up shop in the city.
Get the full article here.
