Jim,
Thanks for the chance to defend my village. We have population of about 400.
We were about 1.3 mile from corporation to corporation. We just annexed 26
acres on the East side of the village and are looking for commercial
business to go in there. We have a 1% income tax on people that work and the
retired people and people on fixed income pays nothing. We have the one per
cent property tax that is considered an inside mill tax that we don't vote
on it is just there. We dropped a 4 mill property tax in 1995. We have 11
police officers who are all part time and only required to put in 20 hours a
month. We average about 30 citations per month and about 30 warnings per
month. This has not increased since annexing St Rt. 62. Our yearly income
from the police department is about $30,000.00 per year and it is put back
into the general fund. About $4,000.00 of that is put into the computer fund
for supplies used by the court. We have been very fortunate to receive
several grants for our streets and sewer work. We have a great engineering
firm in M E Companies. As for myself I am a retired member of 30 years from
the State Highway Patrol. I try to uphold the image of Harrisburg as I did
the Highway Patrol as the finest organizations in the world.
    I am not in business to take people's money if they are behaving
themselves. I feel I have set this court up in a very professional manner
and I am very proud of it and do my best to treat everyone like I would like
to be treated. I sincerely feel that the people who classify all village's
with a few have a problem. I hate the way New Rome runs their affairs and
the bad rap they give to all villages.
Thanks for giving me a chance to express my views and defend my village and
court.
Mayor Alvin L. Cox

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Jim,
    A note I forgot to mention was our average budget for the entire village
including the court money is around $250.000.00 to run the entire village.
This is about half of what New Rome Court takes in a years time. I would
love to have their budget to work with but will not lower myself to that
extent to get it.
Thanks again,
Alvin L. Cox
Mayor of Harrisburg.
These figures can be brought up through the State Auditors Office for
checking.

Michael  says:  This all sounds very reasonable to me.   We don't have a problem with a police department enforcing the speed limit or any other traffic law.  Our focus is on the truly corrupt.  The nonsense traffic stops.  Arresting people for unpaid seatbelt violations. The clandestine surveillance of motorists rather than focusing on serious crimes.  Corruption, nepotism and the abuse of power.  New Rome stands alone in all of Ohio in the boldness and depth of their abuse.