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By Marilyn Miller
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 10:46 p.m. EDT, Jun 17, 2009
BARBERTON: Landlords hit the pavement Wednesday to circulate petitions to stop the city from enforcing new registration fees on rental property.
The City Council voted 6-1 last week to require landlords to register each rental unit with the city and pay a $40 fee per dwelling.
About 50 landlords met Tuesday night at Lake Anna Hall on West Park Avenue to pass out 58 petitions and talk about strategy.
''I have enough petitions to get all the signatures we need,'' John Baker told fellow landlords. ''I want them back by July 10 so we have time to check them first before we turn them in to the [council] clerk.''
The landlords need 1,185 valid signatures in the petition drive to get the referendum issue on the November ballot. The deadline for filing the petitions is Aug. 8, or 60 days after the law passed.
Landlords are targeting all Barberton residents, homeowners and tenants.
Some landlords said it might be easier to get the signature of tenants, because they will bear the brunt of the extra cost.
''I'm sure we can get enough signatures to get it on the ballot, but then the real work will come trying to get it passed,'' said Ted Hardy, who manages 128 units at Austin Lakes and owns four rental homes.
''We have to deal with it and repeal it or we will have to eat it,'' Baker said.
Baker fielded questions at the meeting and asked participants to stick to the issue of petitions, saying if the time was spent on attacking lawmakers, they would be there all night.
''Take all your anger and hit the streets,'' Mike Watson said. ''We are already referred by some council members as 'you people.' Let's show them what we can do as an organized group.''
Circulators were advised that they must witness all the signatures and that those signing must be registered voters. If a person is not a registered voter, forms are available on the Board of Elections Web site for downloading. The forms also were available at the meeting.
''We have to win this or they'll keep going after us,'' Baker said. ''If we don't stop it now, I guarantee you, the fees will go up in one or two years.''
He said the group already has $5,000 to work with.
''We need the money to fight the fight,'' Baker said. ''It's going to be a long haul, but I think we can do it.''
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.
BARBERTON: Landlords hit the pavement Wednesday to circulate petitions to stop the city from enforcing new registration fees on rental property.
The City Council voted 6-1 last week to require landlords to register each rental unit with the city and pay a $40 fee per dwelling.
About 50 landlords met Tuesday night at Lake Anna Hall on West Park Avenue to pass out 58 petitions and talk about strategy.
''I have enough petitions to get all the signatures we need,'' John Baker told fellow landlords. ''I want them back by July 10 so we have time to check them first before we turn them in to the [council] clerk.''
The landlords need 1,185 valid signatures in the petition drive to get the referendum issue on the November ballot. The deadline for filing the petitions is Aug. 8, or 60 days after the law passed.
Landlords are targeting all Barberton residents, homeowners and tenants.
Some landlords said it might be easier to get the signature of tenants, because they will bear the brunt of the extra cost.
''I'm sure we can get enough signatures to get it on the ballot, but then the real work will come trying to get it passed,'' said Ted Hardy, who manages 128 units at Austin Lakes and owns four rental homes.
''We have to deal with it and repeal it or we will have to eat it,'' Baker said.
Baker fielded questions at the meeting and asked participants to stick to the issue of petitions, saying if the time was spent on attacking lawmakers, they would be there all night.
''Take all your anger and hit the streets,'' Mike Watson said. ''We are already referred by some council members as 'you people.' Let's show them what we can do as an organized group.''
Circulators were advised that they must witness all the signatures and that those signing must be registered voters. If a person is not a registered voter, forms are available on the Board of Elections Web site for downloading. The forms also were available at the meeting.
''We have to win this or they'll keep going after us,'' Baker said. ''If we don't stop it now, I guarantee you, the fees will go up in one or two years.''
He said the group already has $5,000 to work with.
''We need the money to fight the fight,'' Baker said. ''It's going to be a long haul, but I think we can do it.''
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
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Akron, OH
Posted 11:04 PM, 06/17/2009
Congratulations and good luck to the residents of Barberton who will be fighting the good fight!
We'll be pulling for you!
barberton, OH
Posted 11:05 PM, 06/17/2009
where do I sign?
Stow, OH
Posted 12:15 AM, 06/18/2009
What kinds of services, if any, do landlords get from the city that would justify the $40.00 registsration fee? Is the fee simply a way to levy a kind of tax or is it to offset some cost to the city? I do not have the slightest idea what what the answers would be, but, if I lived in the Magic City, these are questions I would ask.
Anti-Politically Correct & Anti-GOP, OH
Posted 05:14 AM, 06/18/2009
I'll sign. Let me know who has them and when I can meet to sign the petition.
akron, oh
Posted 07:19 AM, 06/18/2009
Barberton (ghost town) has too many foreclosures and businesses gone. Everybody has their hand out for more and more money and pretty soon there won't be anything left to get. These city officials need to start worrying about rebuilding their city instead of trying to get the little bit left.
Akron, oh
Posted 08:04 AM, 06/18/2009
This taxation that will not change anything except giv e more money to tghe city to do nothing. Akron registration taxes landlords.
The problem is most of the condemed homes are privatley owned and not taken care of by the owner occupant.
Sommerville and Plusquellic have gouged landlorsds to get an extra dime for other projects. they even stated they would hire another inspector but this never happened.
Welcome to Obama land where the workers get taxed to take care of the lazy and incompetent of society
barberton, oh
Posted 08:47 AM, 06/18/2009
i am a landlord in Barberton. what we need to stress to homeowners is that they will be next in line for unfair taxation! i agree that barberton is a ghost town with a population majority in 70's or older. i have lived here all my 58 years and i am just about ready to leave this dinosaur town.
Barberton, Oh
Posted 10:20 AM, 06/18/2009
Well, I for one see Barberton as an up and comer in the County. Although I am a staunch Republican and ideologically disagree with more taxes for bigger gov't, if this money is used truly as reported then I am all for it. I am empathetic to those of you who own multitudes of property however. With organizations such as the Barberton Community Foundation and the Barberton Community Development Corp., along with new schools and the current demolition of abandoned homes, the Magic truly is being brought back to the City that I love.
Akron, Oh
Posted 01:00 PM, 06/18/2009
What would they get for this $40.00? Where will this money go? I'll sign for you landlords!
akron, oh
Posted 03:45 PM, 06/18/2009
Dear What? They will get nothing as usual and the money of course will go in someones pocket, silly you. Just like all the other money they have collected over the years
Anti-Politically Correct & Anti-GOP, OH
Posted 10:07 PM, 06/18/2009
The city will soon realize that this is a silly idea when a good number of the remaining 67% of the homes in town that aren't rentals will need to be the target of some inspection because they are run down too.
Not all homes that are rentals or homeowner occupied are being neglected, but there are a lot that need to be torn down and condemned that are not rentals at all.
There are a good majority of people in town that own rentals and homes that take very good care of their properties too. I own both and I take pride in caring for both my own home and my rental.
Barberton, Oh
Posted 10:46 PM, 06/18/2009
I don't understand why so many people who are NOT from Barberton are so against fees for rental properties. Barberton is not that bad believe it or not were not married to our cousins, don't sit around and drink all day, and especially do not look for handouts. I live around alot of rental properties that are not taken care of . I find it disheartening that as we try to fix up the house we live in , others are are in such disarray ,because the landlords rent to trash and section 8 losers who have no idea of community or decency. This law would hold them accountable for fixing up theses dilapidated houses, and improve the area.
