Home Blog Page 33

Property tax initiative explained

By
David McClough
-
0
Pexels photo by Curtis Adams

Housing prices are rising faster than prices overall. From March 2020 to December 2025, housing prices increased 57.5 percent nationally and 46 percent in Ohio. In contrast, overall inflation increased 26 percent nationally during the same period. 

As county auditors re-assess property values, homeowners discover that they are required to pay higher property taxes. In Lucas County, the home value assessments increased 29.5 percent in the 2024-2025 reappraisal. Whereas individuals pay income tax from earned income, there is no additional income derived from ownership of a primary residence to pay the increased property tax. Herein lies the essence of the frustration facing homeowners throughout the country and here in northwest Ohio.

As property taxes increase, it is possible that some proportion of homeowners will not be able to afford or be unwilling to pay the taxes to remain in their home. For a far larger proportion of homeowners, higher tax bills require forgoing some consumption or tapping savings to pay the higher tax bill. 

These statements presuppose that real income growth for homeowners is not matching or exceeding the increase in property taxes. These statements are supported by data reported by the US Census Bureau showing real median household income has decreased 2.6 percent since January 2020.  A decline in median real income means that after all the reported wage increases, at least one-half of income earners can buy less than they could by in January 2020 due to inflation rising faster than income.

In response to rising property taxes across the country, citizen groups are seeking to reduce or to eliminate property taxes. In Ohio, there is an effort to add the issue on the ballot in November. The ballot initiative seeks to add an amendment to the Ohio constitution eliminating property tax and prohibiting any form of property tax in the future. Approximately 20 states are grappling with similar voter discord.

Governments use tax revenue to fund operations. Nearly all state and local tax revenue is derived from the combination sales tax, income taxes, and property tax. Among the three, property tax is typically the largest source of revenue. Last year, Ohio collected $13 billion from the sales tax and $10.4 billion from income taxes. In contrast, $24 billion in property tax revenue was collected.

Property tax is the primary source of revenue for local government. In Ohio, nearly two-thirds of property tax is allocated to schools. The remaining one-third is distributed among counties, townships, municipalities, and special districts (e. g. fire departments, parks, and libraries) from which the revenue is derived.

If the ballot initiative to eliminate property tax in Ohio passes, local governments will face challenges.  Like many states, Ohio’s constitution prohibits budget deficits, and state law prohibits municipalities from intentionally operating in deficit. So, in the absence of the property tax revenue, three broad possibilities exist:  raise revenue another way, reduce government expenditure, or some combination of both.

Two potential alternative means of raising revenue are the state income tax system and sales tax. The infrastructure already exists to collect these taxes. Based on the most recent tax receipts, replacing the property tax revenue would require, effectively, doubling the income tax or the sales tax collected annually. 

While it may seem intuitive to anticipate that doubling the income tax rates and sales tax rate will double the total revenue, it is likely that the higher rates will inspire behavior to avoid paying the higher taxes.

Although some celebrity billionaires and athletes have forsaken California, purportedly to avoid the top 13.3 percent marginal income tax rate in favor of Florida or Texas, two states with no state income tax, studies suggest that the net outflow of residents due to tax rates is small. Nonetheless, California is experiencing net outflow of residents for any number of reasons.

It is more difficult for lower income individuals and households to relocate. It is also more often the case that lower income individuals and households utilize more government services. Given that studies reveal that higher income individuals and households are more able to relocate, any sort of net outflow is expected to disproportionately include higher income individuals and households that would pay more income and sales taxes. Avoiding an exodus seems essential.

There are two ways to modify a sales tax to increase revenue. One option is to raise the tax rate.  The second option is to apply the tax to more goods (e.g. food) and services (e.g. healthcare). In either case, consumers will have an incentive to avoid paying the additional sales tax by purchasing goods in nearby jurisdictions with lower rates.

Property tax is consistent with the benefits-received principle of taxation. The tax is paid by county property owners to fund county, municipality, and township government services that residents utilize.  Sales tax includes a base rate collected by the state and an additional county-level rate. Sales tax, therefore, is partially consistent with the benefits-received principle. However, there is one very big difference between property tax and sales tax: taxed property cannot be relocated, whereas taxed goods and services are easily transported.

Some Ohioans reside near the border of another state. If so, sales tax rate discrepancies might be sufficiently large to motivate Ohioans to cross into another state to make purchases. Similarly, variation in the county-level rate can be expected to encourage Ohioans to cross county boundaries to avoid higher tax rates. 

Adjacent counties competing for tax revenue might instigate a race-to-the-bottom resulting in both counties unable to collect sufficient revenue to maintain service levels. The rapid development of Moon Township near Pittsburgh, PA, is frequently attributed to preferences to avoid taxes levied in Allegheny County to fund the construction of new stadiums for the Steelers and the Pirates.

It is difficult to imagine that advocates of eliminating property tax are sincere in their intent, given the challenges passage of the measure would impose on state and local governments. It seems unlikely that advocates think that eliminating property tax corresponds with eliminating taxes. Clearly, tax revenue would be collected some other way. Regardless of the motivation or the intent, there is little doubt that state legislators and the governor have the incentive to propose a viable alternative to address concerns.

There are a number of potential solutions. Counties can adjust the milage rate for all property owners. In addition, the legislature and governor can enact highly targeted measures to protect the most vulnerable homeowners most at risk of losing their home. Alternatively, limits can be established based on revenue requirements. Limiting property tax to revenue requirements addresses the concern with the current system that accommodates tax increases without legislative action and the accompanying accountability to voters.

“Taxation without representation” rallied the colonists to challenge the English King and Parliament. Rising property taxes does not require revolution so much as it requires attention and action in response to a change in macroeconomic conditions. The national scope of the challenge presents the opportunity for development of a variety potential solutions. Given the consequences of failing to resolve the problem, the incentives are properly assigned. Let’s hope that those positioned to affect meaningful change are up to the task.

Communities use pause to study data centers

By
Karen Gerhardinger
-
0
Monclova residents including, seated, Jennifer Collins, Pat Aubry, Connie Curtis and, standing, Barb Frey, applauded the trustees' decision to impose a 12-month moratorium on data centers. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)

Three Anthony Wayne-area communities have imposed temporary moratoriums on data centers – meaning no applications for such developments will be considered until that time has expired. How each community is using that pause varies.

Monclova Township

Monclova Township’s Board of Trustees voted Feb. 17 to implement a one-year moratorium, after months of pushback from residents concerned that a 200-acre site on Black Road would potentially be targeted for such a development.

Over several months, dozens of Waterside residents filled the township hall to urge trustees to pass that moratorium. Citing concerns that the Black Road property owner could just annex his land into Maumee – leaving the township with no control over the development – trustees resisted the idea of a moratorium, that is until they learned that Maumee was enacting a 12-month moratorium. News that the Shops at Fallen Timbers would be sold and reinvigorated also removed the fear that the mall property could be combined with that Black Road property for a data center site.

“The landscape has changed,” Trustee Barbara Lang said before the Feb. 17 vote on the moratorium. “Our approach regarding potential large-scale development, including a hypothetical data center, has been measured and strategic. Rejecting concepts prematurely or taking symbolic actions without considering annexation risk can unintentionally push development across our borders, where township residents lose any voice or protection.”

Waterside resident Mike Tyson is among the residents serving on a data center committee. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)

Following a citizen’s recommendation, the trustees asked a few residents to study data centers and make recommendations to Zoning Administrator Eric Wagner, the Zoning Commission and the trustees. Lang tapped Waterside resident Mike Tyson to lead the committee, which includes former Trustee Brian Craig and Don Feller, the co-founder of engineering firm Feller Finch Associates.

Tyson, who owned Mike’s Party Store in Bowling Green for 40 years, led a successful referendum on rezoning land east of I-75 for apartments in BG in the early 2000s. During that process and in the years following, Tyson said he’s learned a lot about zoning, and he’s using that knowledge to dig into zoning regulations around data centers from over 200 communities.

“We’ll put it into a guidebook. It will be heavily weighted toward public health, safety and environmental concerns,” he said, noting that he already has in mind a working title: Data Centers and Public Health – Zoning for a Safer Future. 

Among the interesting details he’s found during his research: the Nuclear Regulatory Commission recommends that data centers should be at least 50 miles away from a nuclear power plant. Davis Besse is 38 miles from the Black Road property, and 35 miles from the Meta hyperscale data center being built in Wood County.

Within the next three months, Tyson and his committee plan to compile the data and present it the township, and the zoning commission can choose to add, modify and strengthen the township’s zoning code, he said.

Tyson said he’s open to having others join the three-person committee, especially those with zoning and clerical skills to help compile a presentation. 

During the March 2 trustees’ meeting, resident Dianne Stroshine said she’s concerned that the committee is not sanctioned. She wants to see the committee’s goals and meeting minutes, along with published reports to the trustees.

“We want to make sure everyone’s voice is heard,” Stroshine said. 

Lang said that their sanctioned committee is Wagner and the Zoning Commission, who will keep the trustees apprised of the progress made. Trustees are also seeking information from the Lucas County Plan Commission and Ohio Township Association on data centers.

Despite the existence of the committee, Waterside resident Risa Sindel said she’s working with her HOA to create a committee of their own, with members from a variety of professional backgrounds relevant to the issues surrounding economic, legal, construction practices, health implications, and more regarding the various types of data centers.

“I think it’s imperative that Monclova employ a mindful strategy to have professional experts and research-based citizens who can work together on this effort, especially as this very fluid national situation regarding data centers will be changing significantly over the next 12 months,” Sindel said. “I think it’s critically important for our township to take the most effective steps in protecting our community, if possible, from being stripped of its autonomy and instead be controlled by state and/or national decisions that are not in our best interest.”

Lang noted that Ohio and federal legislators seem to be moving away from local zoning for data centers.

“That will leave us without the opportunity to protect our neighborhoods, and those decisions will be made by people who aren’t your neighbors. We’re watching carefully as this issue develops further,” she said.

After reviewing the committee’s recommendations, Wagner said draft language could be presented at the county and township level, with a series of public hearings set to get input from residents. Lang said she hoped to have those recommendations this summer, in time for the hearings to take place later this year.

Waterville Township

In December, Waterville Township trustees imposed a year-long moratorium to allow time to consider the pros and cons, understand possible impacts, and fine-tune what conditions should be imposed if a data center developer applied for a conditional use permit to operate on agriculturally-zoned land.

“You can’t just use a moratorium as a way to kick the can down the road. You have to actually develop a study of the impact,” advised Lucas County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney John Borell during the December trustees’ meeting.

Waterville Township’s data center study committee held its first meeting on March 5, focusing on assigning roles and setting timelines and goals. The committee includes residents Rebecca Wooten, Brian Gowing, Russ Schifferly, Todd Kerschner, Todd Heller, Bob Seeman, Troy Herring, Brett Warner and Chris Weimer, as well as Zoning Inspector Jim Fischer, Zoning Commission Member Bill Burkett, and Board of Zoning Appeals members Steve Reinbolt, Jill Lipinski and Roger Tucholski.

“The expectation would be that they would finish their report in June or July to come to the trustees for review,” said Trustee Toby Miller. “Then anything we need to do from resolution standpoint we would have more than 90 days to send it to the zoning board and have plenty of time before the moratorium expires.”

Heller, who has been vocal against data centers, spoke during the February trustee’s meeting, and shared his objection to Burkett serving on the committee. In addition to serving on the township’s Zoning Commission, Burkett works for Regional Growth Partnership – which looks for development opportunities in Northwest Ohio. Heller sees that as a conflict. But Trustee Julie Theroux said there is no conflict of interest for Burkett.

“We have no data centers on the table and no conflict,” she said.

The trustees also noted that it’s not the Zoning Commission, or Burkett, that would make the final decision on any development anyway. If a data center application for a conditional use permit came in, the Zoning Commission would review and make recommendations, which are then reviewed by the county planners and be returned back to the township’s Board of Zoning Appeals for a final decision.

“There’s a chance for the public to speak at the county level, zoning board level and BZA level. So there are three possibilities for the general public to speak for or against it,” said Zoning Inspector Jim Fischer.

City of Waterville

Waterville Mayor Tim Pedro. (Courtesy photo)

Waterville City Council approved a six-month moratorium on Dec. 8, but does not plan to utilize a citizen committee, said Mayor Tim Pedro. Instead, Pedro, Administrator Jon Gochenour and members of council are doing research that included a December tour of data centers in New Albany, Ohio.

During that tour, Pedro said it became clear that there are multiple types of data centers, not just the hyperscale models like Meta is building in Middleton Township. Enterprise size data centers, such as one built in New Albany for Discover Card’s headquarters, are much smaller, he noted.

“Waterville does not have enough space for what I think people are suggesting that is being planned,” Pedro said, referring to the Middleton Township project. “I’m 99.99 percent certain that the city is never going to have what we call a data center. We just don’t have the space.”

The city is also tracking data-center focused legislation at the state level. This includes House Bill 646, which creates a statewide Data Center Study Commission to look at impacts on the environment, electrical grid, water usage, noise and light pollution, the local economy, farmland and national security.

“Local communities like Waterville can learn or glean from what is being discussed,” Pedro said of the state’s efforts. “Ultimately, in our case, at the end of the moratorium we will have had an honest, factual, data-driven discussion.”

The city will be better prepared in the event that a data center developer does show an interest in locating on M-1 Manufacturing zoned property – a decision made by a majority vote of council last year, said Pedro. The mayor said he doesn’t see that zoning changing as a result of research, but is open to a review of other options. Wayne Wagner, who was among the council members voting in favor of M-1 zoning, said he would like the Planning Commission to consider requiring applicants to apply for a conditional use permit – the process currently in place for applicants in Monclova Township and Waterville Township. 

While each community has its own plan of action during the moratoriums, Tyson said he’s hoping to meet up with Maumee, Waterville and Waterville Township representatives to share some information. Pedro echoed that sentiment, noting that he’s already had meetings with leaders from Maumee, Whitehouse and Waterville Township to discuss a variety of topics.

Meta and more: RGP seeks to land data centers to meet AI boom

By
David Yonke
-
0
Will Turner, Managing Director of the Upterra Group, announced $1 million in grants to develop programs for high school students to prepare for careers in the trades. (TFP photo by David Yonke)

TOLEDO – Northwest Ohio has everything in place for high-tech firms to build hyperscale data centers to meet the needs of the rapidly growing artificial intelligence market, according to state and local development officials.

Citing Meta’s $800 million data center now under construction in Wood County as one notable success story, speakers at the Regional Growth Partnership (RGP) of Northwest Ohio’s annual meeting, held in the Glass City Convention Center on March 5, said they were concerned about the spread of “misinformation” regarding data centers.

Speakers spotlighted numerous job- and revenue-creating projects developed throughout the 17-county region in 2025, resulting in 4,895 new jobs, 16,177 retained jobs, and $3.3 billion in capital investments.

But they also focused on the future, stressing the potential positive impact of luring new large-scale data centers to the area.

“There has been an incredible amount of talk surrounding data centers recently, and unfortunately, much of that talk has been misinformation,” said Dean Monske, president and CEO of the RGP.

“RGP has diligently been trying to overcome that misinformation for well over a year now, and we thought it was extremely important to use this platform today to educate and inform all of you about the facts and benefits we see from our region,” he added.

Gary Thompson, executive vice president of the Regional Growth Partnership of Northwest Ohio, discussed the future of Artificial Intelligence and Hyperscale Data Centers at the RGP’s 2026 annual meeting held Thursday, March 5, at the Glass City Center in downtown Toledo. (TFP photo by David Yonke)

More hyperscale data centers will be needed to meet the soaring AI market, which is expected to grow globally from $189 billion in 2023 to $4.8 trillion by 2033, according to Forbes magazine.

Monske introduced Gary Thompson, RGP executive vice president, who has been leading the group’s efforts on data centers for four years.

“Whether you like data centers or not, I hope you can at least see why our region is a suitable host for the industry,” Thompson said. 

Among the factors cited in northwest Ohio’s favor:

-Flat, affordable land near power infrastructure

  • -Abundant, cost-effective natural gas from multiple sources
  • -70 million gallons a day of excess water capacity in Toledo alone
  • -35-plus colleges and universities providing “a built-in tech talent pipeline”
  • Thompson said he is “perplexed” by much of the opposition to hyperscale data centers, saying social media have given opponents “a very loud voice.” 

One misperception, he said, is that data centers produce a loud, constant, annoying hum that can be heard throughout the neighborhood. 

While that may be true of “chicken coop crypto mining” facilities, it is not true of the type of high-tech centers the RGP is seeking to attract, he said.

“I have stood in front of hyperscale data centers in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, in the sun, in the rain, in the wind, in the snow; they don’t make any noise,” Thompson said. 

About 700 people attended the Regional Growth Partnership of Northwest Ohio’s 2026 annual meeting on Thursday, March 5, in the Glass City Center. (TFP photo by David Yonke)

He showed the crowd of 700 a video of a crypto mining facility consisting of a series of pole barns with openings for fans that produced a constant noise registering 84 decibels on a hand-held device, equivalent to the noise level of a gas-powered lawn mower. 

In contrast, he showed a sleek, self-contained modern building like the one Meta is building in Middleton Township, north of Bowling Green, adding that such facilities have sound buffers and barriers that keep noise levels low.

“I think we can all agree that the ‘chicken coop crypto mining operation’ in the video is loud, obnoxious, ugly, undesirable, it’s not creating any jobs, it’s unwelcoming, it’s a nuisance… Let me be very clear, no one at the RGP or our utility partners are looking to attract crypto mining.”

He asserted that every northwest Ohio community has zoning ordinances that would make such a facility illegal. “They would not be able to get a building permit.”

An RGP handout said the Meta facility will employ more than 1,000 construction jobs with work on the project extending for 10 years – “not a quick build-and-leave” project.

Data centers create between 100 and 150 high-paying jobs and draw additional white-color tech companies to the region.

The handout sheet said hyperscale data centers construct “behind-the-scenes power plants that are privately funded and don’t impact ratepayers – they can actually add resilience to the grid.”

Thompson added that the facilities use “closed-loop cooling” that circulates about 30,000 gallons of water a day. “That’s equivalent to two Hampton Inn hotels.”

He said hyperscale data centers require between 200 and 1,000 acres of land, and that there is no shortage of available land in Ohio.

“To put data centers in perspective, if northwest Ohio landed 10 hyperscale data centers that are built on 1,000-acre campuses, we would use only three-tenths of 1 percent of the total farmland in our region,” Thompson said.

Chase Eikenbary, vice president of project management for the RGP, said there were 13 new projects in agriculture and food sciences in Northwest Ohio in 2025, creating 384 new jobs and $421 million in investments.

“Everyone in northwest Ohio is a farmer, loves a farmer, or loves what they do,” she said.

She said Marsha’s Buckeyes, based in Perrysburg, has received a grant to expand.

In the field of advanced manufacturing, Eikenbary said there were 60 new projects that created 2,528 jobs and brought in $1.8 billion in investments. Among the advanced manufacturing companies listed were Whirlpool, Nooter, Revere Plastics, and First Quality.

Eikenbary also spotlighted SmartSolve Industries, which is building a 10,000-square-foot research and development facility in Bowling Green with an investment of $3.6 million, creating 30 new jobs.

J.P. Nauseef, president and CEO of JobsOhio, told the crowd that northwest Ohio led the state in creating new jobs in 2025. He praised local businessmen and developers for their “unity and willingness to come together and work together on common economic development efforts.”

Whitehouse considers rezoning for subdivision

By
Karen Gerhardinger
-
0
Whitehouse law director Kevin Heban (left) and chief operating officer Josh Hartbarger (right) listen to administrator Jordan Daugherty outline the rezoning process. (AWFP photo by Lucas Sells)

WHITEHOUSE – For 18 months, Artisan Craftbuilt Homes principal Charles Grass has sought to rezone 37.99 acres of farmland at 11320 Archbold Whitehouse Rd. to construct single family homes. Currently zoned S-1 Suburban, which has bigger lots, Grass initially asked for the more dense R-3, then, most recently, R-2 with a Planned Unit Development (PUD) – both of which were denied. On March 3, Grass listened as Whitehouse Village Council held a public hearing for his third attempt at rezoning, this time to an R-2.

Residents Jeff Heaney, Lisa Forwerck and Craig Whitman were among the residents who testified, citing concerns that the addition of homes Country Meadows South will impact traffic on Waterville Street and S.R. 64 (Centerville Street).

Centerville Street resident Jeff Heaney shares concerns about how the proposed subdivision will increase traffic. (AWFP photo by Lucas Sells)

“I think R-2 is way too dense. Traffic is going to be terrible. We don’t need more cars coming out near Westwyck,” said Whitman, who lives on Centerville. “It should be R-1 at a minimum.”

Oak Crossing Lane resident Tom Metzger asked for renderings of the neighborhood, and whether council would have access to plans and information like traffic studies before making a decision on the rezoning.

Administrator Jordan Daugherty explained that a zoning change is the first step, and gives the developer a framework to know how to develop a plat – a drawing that shows the layout of homes. 

While Grass presented a potential plat to the Planning Commission on March 2, to get feedback on the design, those drawings for Country Meadows South Plat 1 were for discussion only. The renderings show Plat 1 with 21 lots on 20.4 acres, with lot sizes of 15,000 to 22,519 square feet. In total, Grass plans 37 lots on land bisected by Lone Oak Ditch. The southern portion will connect to West, Temperance and Waterville streets. A northern plat will eventually be platted will include curb cuts into S.R. 64.

Council member Carrie Tuohy, who lives on Temperance Street, said she’s concerned about the connection to her neighborhood, noting that it doesn’t have sidewalks and children play in the street. An increase in traffic will impact kids’ safety, she said.

Council’s objective is to determine whether R-2 is appropriate zoning for that land. It is surrounded by land that is zoned both R-2 and R-3, as well as M-2 manufacturing. A vote on the rezoning is slated for Tuesday, March 17 during the regular council meeting.

Artisan Craftbuilt Homes’ principal Charles Grass listens during a March 3 public hearing on rezoning 37.99
acres for the proposed Country Meadows South. (AWFP photo by Lucas Sells)

During the March 3 and Feb. 17 meetings, Whitehouse council also:

-Learned that the Anthony Wayne Regional Chamber of Commerce is working with the village to plan the June 11-13 Cherry Fest. Chamber President Zak Weimer and Board Member Joe Carter are working on plans for an enhanced Military Night and opening ceremony on Thursday, June 11, with funds from the beer and wine tent assisting the nonprofit Task Force 20. Additional musical performances are planned throughout the festival, which includes a Saturday, June 13 parade that steps off at 1 p.m.

-Heard that the mayor and council will be hosting an open session with residents at the Buzz Diner on Saturday, March 14 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. 

-Learned that the Easter Egg Hunt will take place on Saturday, March 21 at the Whitehouse American Legion at 10 a.m.

-Listened to Mayor Rich Bingham declare March as Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities Month in Whitehouse.

-Agreed to renew Paramount health insurance plans with a six percent increase. 

-Approved a lease agreement with Brian Carroll to operate General’s Ice Cream out of the village-owned building.

Oak Crossing Lane resident Tom Metzger listens to the administrator explain the process for site plan approval. (AWFP photo by Lucas Sells)

-Adopted a cybersecurity and information security policy manual.

-Learned that Arbor Day festivities, in conjunction with Whitehouse Primary School third-graders, are set for Wednesday, April 29 at 1 p.m. in Whitehouse Park, with a rain date of Monday, May 4.

-Heard Fire Chief Jason Francis say that four part-time employees and one volunteer have been added to the roster.

-Approved the use of Whitehouse Park for Jon and Babs Marshall to host Ernie’s Angels-NW Ohio, a fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association of Northwest Ohio, on Sunday, June 28 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Named for Babs’ father, Ernie Colon, who lost his battle with Alzheimer’s in 2018, the event includes more than 100 classic cars, food trucks, a DJ and vendors. 

-Approved the use of village streets for two Run Toledo events: the Southfork Duathlon on Wednesday, May 27 and the Whitehouse Multi-Sport Festival on Saturday, June 20.

Toledo Works: Inside Toledo’s museums

By
Toledo Free Press
-
0

Episode 3 of Toledo Works

Jaden Jefferson explores what it’s like to curate, conserve, and educate vistors from Toledo’s museums. In this episode, he focuses on Toledo Museum of Art, the Toledo History Museum, and the Museum of the Great Lakes.

Everywhere in Toledo, you’ll find people who play a role in making our city tick – from hospitals and factories to restaurants and art galleries – and behind every person is a story. Our program, Toledo Works, highlights those stories from workers’ firsthand accounts. Each week, Toledo Free Press hosts Jaden Jefferson and Stephen Zenner focus on a different topic within the Toledo workforce, exploring their day-to-day challenges and triumphs.

Wild Side: Changing of the guard

By
Art Weber
-
0
Dark-eyed junco. (Photo by Art Weber, nature photographer for Metroparks Toledo)

The calendar says it’s March, which means the Vernal Equinox – the official start of spring – is not far off. This year it’s Tuesday, March 20 at 10:46 a.m. Eastern Time.

That doesn’t mean wildflowers will be suddenly blooming and warblers will be headed north right away. Spring’s arrival is a process, a wonderful process that anyone who enjoys the outdoors and nature revels in.

It’s also a reminder that it won’t be long before some species we’ve come to enjoy at our backyard feeding stations will be leaving us and heading north. That list is short compared to the number of species that will be migrating our way soon. 

Still, they’ve kept us company through the depths of winter. The dark-eyed junco is a favorite that will be leaving us in the coming weeks, same for purple finch and tree sparrow. 

Enjoy them while you can and keep your bird books and binoculars handy for the magnificent show that will follow.

New poll of Ohio voters offers insight

By
Jaden Jefferson
-
0
(TFP image by Jaden Jefferson)

Statewide sentiments on the economy, immigration, and democracy

TOLEDO – In 2024’s presidential election, Donald Trump carried Ohio – once a battleground – by 11 points, his largest margin of victory in the state. However, a new poll from Bowling Green State University finds that Ohio voters, despite the state’s strong Republican lean, aren’t pleased with everything Trump has done during his first year back in office.

The poll puts Trump’s approval rating at 41 percent, with “a net favorability rating of -19.” 59 percent of those polled, nearly six in ten, believe the country is on the “wrong track,” while only 34 percent viewed things as headed in the right direction.

Midterm issues in focus

It is a midterm election year. For the GOP, that means playing defense if the party is to retain control over the House of Representatives and Senate. For the president himself, that’s the difference between completing his agenda and spending his final two years in office as a lame duck.

But in this economy, in a literal sense, staying in control of Congress is not going to be an easy feat for Republicans. Over half of those polled, 55 percent, believe the economy has gotten worse under President Trump.

Asked to identify the three issues of greatest importance to them, the most frequent responses of those polled were: the economy (42 percent), threats to democracy (32 percent), healthcare (31 percent), immigration (31 percent), and inflation (29 percent). As this and other polls demonstrate, quite clearly, the economy will dominate the midterms.

Ohioans not completely sold on tariffs 

Because the economy is of such concern to voters, it’s worth taking a look at how they feel toward the president’s tariffs, a key tenet of his economic policy. In this poll, nearly 60 percent oppose them. An overwhelming majority, 72 percent, believe they will be to the benefit of wealthy people. 66 percent see them as benefitting large corporations.

Important to the popularity of any economic policy is how the median earner feels about it. 69 percent aren’t convinced they’ll directly benefit from Trump’s tariffs. 67 percent believe that neither small businesses, nor labor unions, will benefit. 65 percent don’t think the working class will benefit, while 64 percent say the same about the middle class. Notably, given Ohio’s place in the auto industry, just over half of voters – 56 percent – don’t believe the auto industry stands to benefit from the president’s tariffs.

The party with the advantage

It’s not new for the party in the White House to lose popularity ahead of the midterms, or control of Congress, as a result. In the generic ballot, Democrats have an eight-point advantage over Republicans, with the party – according Dr. Robert Alexander, professor of political science at BGSU – “in a good position to make gains in this year’s midterm election,” based on the university’s polling.

An issue that’s expected to drive Democratic turnout in this year’s midterms: eagerness among the party’s base for checks on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Trump administration, in the midst of a major deportation push, has ramped up ICE operations across the country. Minneapolis, Minn. – which was the target of a multi-agency operation – ended with the deaths of two U.S. citizens, killed by immigration agents, during separate incidents.

In this poll, 90 percent said they’ve been following ICE operations under Trump’s second term. Around 60 percent oppose agents wearing masks, something Democrats are hoping to change in negotiations to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Two-thirds also oppose agents driving in unmarked vehicles, as well as the raids overall. One-fifth of those polled said they know someone who’s participated in a protest against ICE, while one-tenth said they have themselves.

Voters worry about democracy and constitutional rights

64 percent of poll respondents said they believe checks and balances “are currently not effective,” 57 percent said they’re dissatisfied with the state of democracy in the U.S., and 45 percent believe the executive branch has too much power.

Concern about democracy also spilled over into constitutional matters. 58 percent believe freedom from unreasonable search and seizure is “under threat,” while 57 percent said the same about freedom of speech, 55 percent about freedom of the press, and a slight majority, 51 percent, about freedom of assembly.

Inverness finally gets another U.S. Open

By
Fred Altvater
-
0
The United State Golf Association (USGA) announced that Inverness will be the host for the 2045 U.S. Open. (Courtesy photo)

TOLEDO – The Inverness Club, in Toledo, has hosted four U.S. Opens (1920, 1931, 1957, 1979), two PGA Championships (1986, 1993), two U.S. Senior Opens (2003, 2011), plus a U.S. Amateur, U.S. Junior Amateur, and most recently the 2021 Solheim Cup. 

The 1920 U.S. Open was significant, as it was the first time the young Bobby Jones played in the event, finishing tied for eighth. Ted Ray won that year’s U.S. Open with Harry Vardon finishing runner-up.

George Von Elm and Billy Burke were tied at the end of regulation in the 1931 U.S. Open. They were still tied after 36 holes and had to return the next day to play another 36-hole playoff, which Burke won by a single stroke. 72 holes of regulation, plus 72 holes in playoff meant that the duo had played 144 holes of golf over five days. It is the longest playoff in golf history. 

A 17-year-old Jack Nicklaus played in his first U.S. Open in the 1957 tournament. He missed the cut, but the Golden Bear went on to win four U.S. Opens and 18 major championships. The defending U.S. Open champion, Carey Middlecoff lost an 18-hole playoff to Dick Mayer to grab the trophy.

In 1979, Hale Irwin defeated Jerry Pate and Gary Player to win his second of three U.S. Open titles. 

Greg Norman does not have fond memories of the Inverness Club. In the 1986 PGA Championship, he held a four-stroke lead after 54 holes, but struggled on the final day and Bob Tway holed a miraculous bunker shot on the 72nd hole to edge out the Great White Shark.  

The PGA Championship returned to Inverness in 1993, and Norman was tied with Paul Azinger after 72 holes of regulation play. Azinger won on the second playoff hole and Norman had once again come close, but failed to grab a major. 

The Inverness Club was completely renovated in 2019 and continues to be considered one of the great old courses in the country. (Courtesy photo)

With this resume of great golf, the Inverness Club has longed for a return of a major championship. The Club was completely renovated in 2019 and continues to be considered one of the great old courses in the country.

The United State Golf Association (USGA) announced that Inverness will be the host for the 2045 U.S. Open. With the success of the Solheim Cup in 2021, Toledo and Inverness proved that they can host a big-time event. For Toledo, it will be a huge economic boost and showcase the city at its best. 

Inverness has seen its share of historic events, and more history will be made when the U.S. Open returns to the historic club in 2045. 

Toledo City Council votes “no” to leasing part of Detwiler lot

By
Stephen Zenner
-
0
Janice Flahiff, Christine Frakes and Carlton Surtman, all members of the Save Bay View Retirees Golf Course! group came to a Toledo City Council Meeting to oppose renting part of the parking lot of a park to The Toledo Edison Company at 1 Government Center in downtown Toledo, Ohio on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (TFP photo by Stephen Zenner)

TOLEDO – In a six-to-four vote, Toledo City Council resolved not to lease part of the parking lot at Detwiler Park to The Toledo Edison Company for temporary storage. 

Before being given over to a vote, District 6 Council Member Theresa Morris said, “Yes, this lighting project needs to happen over in the Regina Manor area, but if we start renting out our green spaces. It’s a very slippery slope, and I would urge my colleagues to not support this ordinance.” 

Theresa Morris, Toledo City Council Member for District 6, speaks on losing part of the Bay View Golf Course to an update for the waste water treatment plant during the Toledo City Council meeting. (TFP photo by Stephen Zenner)

Morris referenced the history of how the city of Toledo acquired the land, and used its history to support voting against Ordinance 034-26.

“All I can think of is that, you know George and Abraham Detwiler, when they donated 200 acres to the city of Toledo in 1925 that they decided that they were going to keep that as public space, not necessarily getting that or renting it out to the highest bidder.”

Voting was as follows: 

John Hobbs III – Yes

Brittany Jones – No

Nick Komives – Yes

Erin Kramer – No

Cerssandra McPherson – No 

Sam Melden – Yes

Theresa Morris – No 

George Sarantou – No 

Vanice Williams – Yes 

Mac Driscoll – No 

Council Members Theresa Gadus and Adam Martinez were both absent from the meeting. 

At the ordinance’s defeat, about two dozen individuals wearing green quietly celebrated.

“It’s at least a small victory, in that we defeated the use of that little area to be given for usage for Toledo Edison,” said Christine Frakes, a Point Place resident and member of Save Bay View Retirees Golf Course!

Frakes and other community members have been attempting to change the City of Toledo’s direction on expanding the Bay View Water Reclamation Plant into parts of the Bay View Retirees Golf Course.

“Some years ago, there used to be 18 holes out there. It got knocked down to 11, and now they’re going to be left with four holes, which essentially kills the golf course,” Frakes said. 

John Hobbs III, Toledo City Council Member for District 1, sings the national anthem during the Toledo City Council meeting. (TFP photo by Stephen Zenner)

Voting down the lease option factors into the larger issue with the golf course, but Frakes had difficulty characterizing the defeat of the ordinance as a “small victory.” 

“It’s just we don’t feel like it’s fair.”

Procession

This week the national anthem was sung by City Council Member John Hobbs III, District 1, who was complimented on his singing voice by Sam Melden, District 5, during his closing remarks. “What was not surprising to me was when the dulcet tones of Councilman Hobbs rung out through the chambers,” Melden said, starting off his waxing closing remarks. 

After completing the three formal ceremonies, a prayer, the pledge of allegiance and the national anthem, Hobbs thanked Father Geoffrey Rose of St. Francis De Sales private high school, and said, “I’m so thankful he was here today, and you can always feel good when there’s another Knight in the house.”

Then two high schoolers from Whitmer, Zack Aubrey and Anthony Mitchell, were honored for demonstrating exceptional bravery while responding to a car accident. 

“After witnessing the crash, they acted without hesitation, putting their own safety at risk to assist the driver trapped inside a severely damaged vehicle,” said Julie Gibbons, the clerk of Toledo City Council, announcing the recognition. 

Zack Aubry and Anthony Mitchell, two high schoolers from Whitmer high school, are honored for assisting individuals after a car accident during the Toledo City Council meeting. (TFP photo by Stephen Zenner)

Meghan Ragle was appointed for a three-year term to the Toledo-Lucas County Commission on Disabilities.

Linzey Link replaced Beth Holt on the Home Improvement Home Remodeling Board of Control (HIHRBC), a three year appointment. 

And Dean Frederick was reappointed to the HIHRBC as well. 

Legislation

Ordinances 51-26, 57-26 through 64-26 all passed, and ordinances 65-26 through 70-26 were given their first read.

Council Member, At-Large, Mac Driscoll, spoke before ordinances 71 and 72, stating that they depended on the 2026 budget passing. The city’s budget has not yet passed, so Driscoll recommended holding the two ordinances. 71/72 were simply given a first reading, like the preceding ordinances. 

O-73-26 to O-81-26 all passed. 

Closing remarks

Hobbs was the first to finish the meeting with his remarks, and used his time to honor the late Gladys West, an African American mathematician who paved the way for GPS technologies. 

Multiple members of council noted the end of Black History Month (February), and the beginning of Women’s History Month (March).

Cerssandra McPherson, Toledo City Council Member At-Large, says her closing remarks during the Toledo City Council meeting on Tuesday, March 3. (TFP photo by Stephen Zenner)

“We Buy Houses” signs were highlighted by At-Large Council Member Cerssandra McPherson, who spoke against them as corporate interests targeting low-income households.

McPherson said she turned the signs over to the city’s law department and beautification department, and closed the subject with these strong words: “We are not up for sale. Toledo is not up for sale. Not like that.”

Black History Month was another topic McPherson spoke on. “It angers me that they want to delete us from the history. The president wants to just delete us. It’s an insult to my great-grandparents who were slaves.” 

McPherson didn’t cite any specific incident she was speaking against. It should be noted that Black History Month was not observed officially by federal agencies, as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts against Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs. A number of customary observances including “Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month, Juneteenth, LGBTQ Pride Month, Holocaust Remembrance Day and other ‘special observances…’” were flagged in a memo discouraging celebrations in an official capacity. 

Councilwoman McPherson closed with this personal resolution: “I will not keep silent, but I will pray for those that are ignorant when it comes to this – African Americans of [the] United States that live, breathe, work, contribute, and [have] for many, many years.”

Ohio Virtual Academy teacher creates Cardinal Cafe

By
London Dennie
-
0
Karen Bacon is a special education transition liaison for the Ohio Virtual Academy, where she helps students prepare for college, trade school, military service or the workforce. (TFP photo by Lucas Sells)

The workforce training program that helped win her an award

MAUMEE – A teacher from Ohio Virtual Academy was named Best K-12 Teacher in the ninth annual Tech Edvocate Awards in 2025, a recognition of her leadership and innovation in the classroom. 

Bacon is a special education transition liaison for the Ohio Virtual Academy, where she helps students prepare for college, trade school, military service or the workforce. 

“I started with Ohio Virtual Academy about eight years ago, and it has been a wonderful experience,” Bacon said. “I love this job because it gives me that freedom and creativity to work with special education students and talk about different skills they will need to prepare for the future.” 

Karen Bacon is a resident of Wapakoneta, and she has a Master of Education from the University of Findlay and a certification in middle school language arts and science. Before she taught at Ohio Virtual Academy, she was a French teacher at Lima Central Catholic High School. 

“I kind of got into the whole education thing just starting with being a French teacher,” Bacon said. “I just loved being around the kids and being able to explore the culture and the language with the students that I had.” 

Bacon is the creator of the academy’s Cardinal Café, a virtual coffee shop created through K12 Zone that provides students with hands-on workforce training. 

“The Cardinal Café was something that came about last year, where I was thinking, how can I prepare my students for different jobs in this online environment?” Bacon said. “So I thought, maybe if I design a café, we can go over all the skills within there.” 

Within the interactive online environment, students can apply and interview for barista roles, manage orders and money and practice workplace etiquette. Bacon said her students love the café, and it’s a fun way for them to learn. 

The Cardinal Café has proven to be an effective platform for educating students about the workforce. Since the program was created, other teachers have expanded the Cardinal Café, creating more environments for the students to interact with and learn more skills.

“This school year, all my other teammates and I decided that everyone should do one and have something different, so it’s kind of grown into a whole realm after I did the café,” Bacon said. “We came up with a grocery store, a fitness center, and during Christmas time, I did a bakery.” 

The Tech Edvocate Awards recognize leading education technology companies, products and individuals, highlighting innovations that improve teaching and learning. Bacon said winning the award was a fun and exciting opportunity. 

“For me, the award encompasses myself, my students and even my team,” she said. 

Bacon said she has learned a lot working in special education, and that being able to connect with her students through the café has been meaningful. 

“I’ve learned just to listen to what they need to be successful, and have the understanding that all of my students are super unique and have individual needs,” she said. “If I’m listening and working with them, I can definitely help them achieve what they want to do, and I’ve definitely learned that through the café. 

Bacon said she loves working in the K-12 environment and working for Ohio Virtual Academy. 

“I always like to stress that there’s more to the job than just Zoom and PowerPoints,” she said. “It’s always opening the doors for me to find different ways to be creative and do things that are fun for them and their learning.”

1...323334...304Page 33 of 304