Katie+Anne+H

=**__Roman Time Machine: Not Enough Money to Fix Public Works__**=

__**What are Public Works?**__
====Public works are structures in a community payed for by government funds for public use. Public works in Ancient Rome included roads, aqueducts and sewer systems, bridges, fountains, bathhouses, arenas, temples, and other public buildings. Today public works are very similar to Ancient Rome. Some examples of public works today are roads, bridges, sidewalks, sewer systems, fountains, and public buildings.==== ========

__Rome's Problems with Public Works__
====Near the end of the Roman Empire, the Roman government was having trouble paying for the repairing of public works. Because the Roman Empire stopped expanding, there were no more conquered people to pay taxes used to repair or construct new public works. The Roman government and builders ran out of money to fix important things. There were even times when the Roman builders would take pieces of existing buildings, such as the Colosseum and would use the materials from that building to construct a new public work or repair another because of the lack of money for new supplies. Many roads, aqueducts and sewer systems, bridges, bathhouses, and other public buildings fell into disrepair. This was just one contribution to the downfall of the Roman Empire.====

__**KWL Chart and Time Machine Activation:**__
~ this is a KWL chart. This chart shows what I __K__now, what I __W__ant to know, and what I __L__earned.

__**Helpful Websites for Research:**__
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 * Roman Taxes:**

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 * Roman Roads:**

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 * Roman Water Works (Aqueducts):**

[] Documents: http://tinyurl.com/8x8sfb6 []
 * Cincinnati Public Works:**

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 * Cincinnati Public Works ~ Project Groundwork:**

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 * Anderson Township Public Works:**

__Roman Problems with Paying for Public Works:__

 * 1) The Romans spent too much money on their roads and other public works ~ they didn't have enough money left to fix the public works when they needed it
 * 2) The Roman Government was hiring people to become “Tax Farmers”. Tax farmers were people who collected tax money from the citizens of Rom
 * 3) Tax farmers could collect however much money they wanted from the citizens because there wasn't a set value ~ they could collect money for themselves
 * 4) Tax farmers could charge any person any amount of money.
 * 5) The roman government just kept on needing more and more money as the government grew.
 * 6) When tax farmers took the money for themselves, the government wouldn't get very much
 * 7) The Romans had to pay for other things such as government workers ~ this made them lose even more money.

__ Current Day Cincinnati Problems with Paying for Public Works: __
 * 1) Sidewalk repair has been a source of controversy and complaint in many places for many years. Part of this problem comes from the fact that most citizens are not aware that they are responsible for the sidewalk in front of their property.
 * 2) Sidewalks, like streets, curbs, and bridges, need to be repaired approximately 20-25 years.
 * 3) Sidewalk repairs shock most people because of how expensive they are.
 * 4) Storm water runoff overwhelms sewage and drainage systems, creating many problems for residents. Some of these problems include flooded basements, poorer water quality, and sewage overflows in local streams.
 * 5) Solutions to storm water runoff problems are constructing larger sewers to transport more waste water and to treatment plants, upgrading treatment plant to have the ability to treat more water, and controlling runoff from hillsides, removing streams from sewer systems, installing storm water basins to hold water, and using pavement that soaks water up and rainwater harvesting systems that prevent or delay storm water from reaching combined sewers.
 * 6) On average, 4,000 tons of salt and 7,000 gallons of calcium chloride are applied in a typical winter in Anderson Township
 * 7) In the present day, there are more thought through, well-planned roads, bridges, buildings, etc. ~ we most likely will not have to fix things as frequently as in ancient Rome, where they didn't know how to make them as sturdy to last.

Brent Spence Bridge:
[] [] (Written by: Amanda Van Benschoten)

Kellogg Bridge Repair:
http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/AB/20110627/NEWS01/306270035/Heavy-rains-lead-Kellogg-Road-closure (Written by: Steve Kemme and Sharon Coolidge)

Project Groundwork:
[]

Cincinnati Sidewalk Repair:
http://tinyurl.com/8x8sfb6

__Contacts:__
~ a list of expert contacts

__A very helpful and informative email from ODOT ~ the Ohio Department of Transportation:__
From: **Gates, James** < James.Gates@dot.state.oh.us > Date: Tue, Feb 7, 2012 at 4:47 PM Subject: FW: Seventh Grade Project  To: " katherineheadley@student.foresthills.edu "    < katherineheadley@student.foresthills.edu > Cc: "Townley, Jennifer" < Jennifer.Townley@dot.state.oh.us > Greetings Ms. Headley,

Jennifer Townley is really busy the next couple days, she asked me to provide some answers. You are asking some good questions, that have complex answers. I’ll try to provide the best possible answer in a way that is easy to understand.

1. I learned that in Ancient Rome there was a problem with not having enough tax money to pay for repairing public works. Are there any specific public works projects or areas that your department is in charge of that have that same problem today? __Answer __ The short answer is yes – the Major New Program - let me provide some background.

ODOT has a “preservation first philosophy” meaning that ODOT plans to maintain and fix the existing roadway system first. By doing this, the majority of money ODOT has is spent on roads everyone drives on before we expand highways or build new roads. By the time ODOT spends money on fixing the existing roads there is not much extra money left to build Major/New road projects. Since ODOT has limited money available for Major/New Roads Program, these funds are in high demand. To help ODOT select which projects get the Major/New Project money. The Ohio legislature created the Transportation Review Advisory Committee (TRAC). TRAC has a process where project sponsors can submit an application to request funding. TRAC reviews these requests and provides money to projects while considering how much money is available to spend. In general there is not enough money to build all the major/new projects.

 2. Is there ever a particular time of year when funding for repairing public works in your department is a problem? If so, why? __<span style="color: #002060; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Answer __ <span style="color: #002060; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The availability of funding is a primary element of consideration for project development. ODOT regularly reviews the amount of funds available for the development and completion of all projects. ODOT works with TRAC to review and commit Major/New funds to projects annually. This typically occurs in from December to April **<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">. **

<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">3. Is your department’s budget dependent on tax money alone, or another source of funding? <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">__<span style="color: #002060; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Answer __ <span style="color: #002060; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">ODOT’ s budget is comprised almost entirely from state and federal gas tax. Ohio’s gas tax is 26 cents per gallon while the federal gas tax is 18.4 cents a gallon. ODOT’ s budget is directly affected by how much gasoline and diesel fuel is bought in Ohio. As cars get better gas mileage going farther between fill ups and people drive less because of the price of gasoline, ODOT gets less money. ODOT’ s budget is also affected by two big issues: 1) inflationary costs (meaning it costs more to do the same type of project every year) and 2)the Federal Transportation Funding Bill which determines how much money ODOT is going get from the Federal government from federal gas tax.

<span style="color: #002060; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Here is a good way to sum this up… ODOT’s budget is from gas tax, but since people are driving less and their cars go farther we don’t have all the money we need to maintain the existing roads and pay for major/new projects for expand road capacity.

<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">4. What in smaller areas of Ohio, such as Anderson Township, are you responsible for? <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">__<span style="color: #002060; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Answer __ <span style="color: #002060; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">ODOT is responsible for the maintenance of the Interstate System, US Routes, an State Routes. Most other roads are owned by local governments; such as, Cities, Counties or Townships. ODOT does work with and provides funds to local governments to help them maintain or fix their roads as well.

<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">5. What distinguishes the state of Ohio’s Department of Transportation and its jobs from other states? Why? <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">__<span style="color: #002060; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Answer __ <span style="color: #002060; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In general all states are trying to preserve the existing roadways and make them safe for people to drive on but each job is different in Ohio and from state to state depending upon the conditions the project is correcting. However, most states are in the same situation as ODOT, with regards to availability or lack of funds. The one item that all states have in common is the Federal Transportation Funding Bill. Federal transportation funding bills, passed by Congress and approved by the President, establish the amount of money states get for 4 or 5 years at time. Congress has not passed a federal funding bill for almost three years so the states (Ohio included) are not sure how much money will be in their future budgets. This makes it hard to plan and develop projects. Right now Congress is talking about giving the States less money, this means less money to do projects that fix the existing roads and even less to do major/new projects.

<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I hope this information helps. If you have any additional questions just let me know.

<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Good luck on the project!

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Jim Gates Major New Program Manager - TRAC Coordinator ODOT - Systems Planning & Program Management 1980 West Broad Street Columbus, OH 43223 <span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">614-752-7468 <span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> 614-752-4857 (Fax) <span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">james.gates@dot.state.oh.us <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); display: block;">

<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); display: block;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); display: block;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); display: block;"><span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">**<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">From: **<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Townley, Jennifer <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">**Sent:** Tuesday, February 07, 2012 12:42 PM  <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #222222; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">**To:** Gates, James  <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #222222; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">**Subject:** FW: Seventh Grade Project <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #1f497d; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> Please answer these questions

<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); display: block;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); display: block;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); display: block;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); display: block;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); display: block;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">**<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">From: **<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Gross, Dirk <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #222222; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">**Sent:** Tuesday, February 07, 2012 10:05 AM  <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #222222; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">**To:** Katherine Headley  <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #222222; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">**Cc:** Townley, Jennifer; Humphrey, David; Hall, Lisa  <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #222222; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">**Subject:** RE: Seventh Grade Project <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #1f497d; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> Ms. Headley,  <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); display: block;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #1f497d; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> Those are pretty relevant questions even for today. I didn’t realize the infrastructure problems of Ancient Rome and Ohio had similarities, but maybe we can learn from the past and avoid what happened with them. I am forwarding your email to our financial expert, Jennifer Townley. She is responsible for ODOT budget issues regarding highway projects, and can best answer your questions. <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); display: block;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #1f497d; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> Good luck with your research! <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); display: block;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #1f497d; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> Dirk B. Gross, P.E. Administrator, <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); display: block;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #1f497d; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Office of Roadway Engineering  <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); display: block;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #1f497d; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Ohio Department of Transportation  <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); display: block;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); display: block;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">1980 W. Broad Street Columbus, OH 43223 <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #1155cc; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> 614.752.5576   <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); display: block;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #1155cc; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> dirk.gross@dot.state.oh.us

__Another very helpful and informative email from a Hamilton County Engineer from the Hamilton County Engineering Office:__
<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">From: **<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Hubbard, Ted **<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> < Ted.Hubbard@hamilton-co.org <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Date: Wed, Feb 8, 2012 at 4:55 PM <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Subject: Seventh Grade Project Response <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">To: <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">katherineheadley@student.foresthills.edu <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Cc: "Beck, Eric" < <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Eric.Beck@hamilton-co.org <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">>, <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">"Luchsinger, Bill" < <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Bill.Luchsinger@hamilton-co.org <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">>, <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">"Hansmann, Keith" < <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Keith.Hansmann@hamilton-co.org <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">>

<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">Dear Katie Anne,

<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">We deeply appreciate your good questions regarding transportation. The following provides responses to your questions in the order they were presented in your email transmission of February 7, 2012:

<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); font-size: 10pt;">1. <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">Funding is currently a well publicized problem with all public works projects on the federal, state and local levels. All infrastructure deteriorates over time. As the roads and bridges age, they become more expensive to maintain and operate. Today the revenues are not increasing as needed to keep up with the demands placed on the transportation system. Delayed replacement and repair of roads and bridges places a greater burden on the scarce available revenues, which was true for Ancient Rome as is today in our society. The time and costs associated with planning and project development has gone up dramatically on major projects involving state and federal funding in modern America. These increased costs are causing needed projects to be delayed by many years.

<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">2. Unexpected problems with respect to operating and maintaining infrastructure are more problematic than the time of year regarding budgetary matters. Landslides, excessive snow removal, natural disasters and spikes in fuel costs can have a significant impact on the planned capital improvement program.

<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">3. The primary sources of funding for roads and bridges in Hamilton County come from license plate fees and gas taxes. The Hamilton County Engineer’s Office makes every effort secure other sources of public and private funding to maximize the capital improvement program.

<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">4. The Hamilton County Engineer’s Office has a long history of working with the City of Cincinnati, other municipal corporations and townships with respect to improving roadways and bridges. The Municipal Road Fund (MRF) is used by Cincinnati and other municipalities for infrastructure improvements and is administered by the County Engineer. Cincinnati and the Hamilton County Engineer’s Office are currently working together on the Eastern Corridor Project, the Western Hill Viaduct Project and other projects of mutual concern. Furthermore the County Engineer is the engineer for all of the townships of Hamilton County and works cooperatively with the townships on projects in the unincorporated areas of Hamilton County. Anderson Township and Hamilton County are working cooperatively to advance the Five Mile Road and Beechmont Avenue Intersection Project.

<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">5. Bridges projects tend to be the most expensive as well as roadway improvements that require addition right of way, property and /or utility relocation. This is primarily due to the complexity of the design and impacts on adjacent property owners. <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">The exercise to apply modern solutions to the problems of Ancient Rome is an outstanding assignment, because it will generate a better understanding of the historic issues related to transportation. A better understanding of historic issues helps a society avoid reliving the problems of the past. Hopefully, the information noted above will be helpful in your effort to complete this most interesting assignment.

<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">Sincerely,

<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">Ted B. Hubbard, P.E.-P.S. <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">Acting Hamilton County Engineer <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">Room 700, County Administration Building <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">138 East Court Street <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: navy; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #1155cc; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">(513) 946-8903 <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #1155cc; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">Ted.Hubbard@Hamilton-co.org

__A third response from the Anderson Township Department of Public Works:__
<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">From: **<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Becky Campbell **<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> < BCampbell@andersontownship.org > <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Date: Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 8:57 AM <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Subject: Seventh Grade Project <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">To: " <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">katherineheadley@student.foresthills.edu <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">" < <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">katherineheadley@student.foresthills.edu <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">>

<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Dear Katie Anne, <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; display: block;"> <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">I am honored to be a part of your project and will do the best I can to answer your questions. I wish you and your students the best of luck with your Ancient Rome project.

<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">**<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">1. I learned that in Ancient Rome there was a problem with not having enough tax money to pay for repairing public works. Are there any specific public works projects or areas that your department is in charge of that have that same problem today? ** Yes – we currently have 120 miles of roadway and over 92 miles of sidewalks. We currently allocate one million dollars for repairs and upkeep. However, we are behind in sidewalk repairs and could use more tax money to maintain our existing sidewalk inventory.

<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Yes – and always towards the end of the year due to more repairs and less money. We often delay repairs until the following year so we only spend what we have.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">2.Is there ever a particular time of year when funding for repairing public works in your department is a problem? If so, why? **

<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">**<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">3. **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">**Is your department’s budget dependent on tax money alone, or another source of funding?** It all comes from tax money and it is funded from three sources: Road and bridge tax dollars, Gas tax dollars and license plates. Each time you pay a fee we receive a portion and it all goes back into our Township roads.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">**4. Do you think it’s less complicated to manage a smaller area of public works such as Anderson Township compared to a larger area such as the city of Cincinnati?** Yes – absolutely. Managing a smaller area also allows us to give better more efficient government service. <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #500050; display: block;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Balancing current repairs and building new is a struggle. The reason it is a struggle is because it’s easy for people to want to build new instead of paying to fix roads and sidewalks we have. Over the last 40 years a large amount of infrastructure has been built. This includes roads, bridges, sidewalks, sewers, water mains and most of the interstate highway system. The problem is everything ages and deteriorates at the same time and we can’t repair everything all at once. Here are a couple of interesting facts for you to think about: Romans have long been considered the best builders in civilization and we still build roads and bridges the same way. The interstate was originally built many years ago for the military to move across the country rapidly. To be an interstate road it had to have at least one mile of straight roadway. This enabled military planes to take off and land. The highway system was built during President Eisenhower’s term and this is the reason highways have an “I” before the number. Example: I75
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">5.As Anderson Township develops, how does that effect your department? **

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">It has been a pleasure answering your questions and please feel free to contact me if I can be of any further assistance to you.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Sincerely,

<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> Richard Shelley 7850 Five Mile Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45230 PH (513) 688-8400 FAX (513) 231-3970
 * <span style="color: #339933; font-family: Constantia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Director of Public Works **
 * <span style="color: #339933; font-family: Constantia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Anderson Township **
 * //__<span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt;">rshelley@andersontownship.org __//**

__Bibliography and Thank You Emails:__
~ Here are my sources cited in MLA format and the "Thank You" emails I sent to each of my contacts.