The President's Corner

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This month I am writing to encourage you to get out and vote. Particularly, I am going to make the case to vote YES on Issues 7 and 70. Back in August a gentleman called me and stated that he and his wife were thinking about purchasing a home on Charles Avenue in Parma. He had many good questions about Parma, including what I thought about the Parma City School District (PCSD). “My wife and I are planning to have a family and want a great education for our future children,” he explained. After serving as a teacher and a Parma resident for over 25 years, I shared with him several stories of students I personally knew who attended our public schools in Parma and went on to become very successful. Some pursued further education at the collegiate level, other served in the military, and others used the skills and knowledge they gained in high school to launch their career after graduating. A few days later, he called me back to excitedly tell me that they closed on the house! This is a perfect example of how good schools attract young families, which translates into demand for homes and bolsters property values. At the end of the day, this benefits all property owners, whether or not they have children who attend the schools.

The Parma schools are now under new leadership with a new superintendent and school board. I believe it is important for the community to support them in working to ensure that our children are ready for the very competitive 21st century working world. Issue 7 is a 4.5-mill new money levy. It will cost the owner of a one hundred thousand dollar home about $13.12 per month in property taxes. A new money levy has not been passed in the PCSD since 2011. To find out more about Issue 7, visit www.parmacityschools.org/levy.

As a member of City Council, I work very closely with the Parma Fire Department. I see firsthand every day the fine work our firefighters and emergency medical service heroes do to protect and save lives. I sleep well at night knowing that the people I love are under their care.  On November 6, we can show our appreciation of their service to our community by voting YES on Issue 70. Issue 70 is a five-year renewal 2-mill levy that translates into about $70 per year for the owner of a one hundred thousand dollar home. The property taxes raised by this levy cover the costs of operating our five fire stations, including the key equipment needed for this important work. 

Since joining city council, I have been astounded at the increase each year in the number of calls to our firefighters and paramedics. For instance, in 2016 they responded to 11,062 calls, while last year they responded to an all-time high of 11,782 calls. The calls range from heart attack victims to drug overdoses and electrical fires to drownings.  The things they see and deal with on a daily basis are quite a cross to bear, and it takes special talent, knowledge and courage that those of us not in the field could never truly understand. 

If you are in need of a vote by mail ballot application, please contact me at 440-885-8091 or email me at sbrennan@cityofparma-oh.gov. Please add Tuesday, November 6 to your calendar and vote. The polls are open from 6:30 am until 7:30 pm.  In America we pride ourselves on being the world’s greatest democracy. Democracy is not a spectator sport and only works when we all participate. Let’s exercise our patriotic duty and do our part to support our fine community. Best wishes for a wonderful fall season.