Etna Township Trustee Mark Evans is speaking out about the significant financial strain caused by development practices and alleged mismanagement in his community.
Etna Township is one of 25 such local government entities in Licking County.
Evans, who frequently clashes with the other trustees and township employees, says developers are receiving tax incentives at the expense of residents, forcing taxpayers to cover infrastructure costs.
"Developers aren’t paying anything, and it’s the residents who are footing the bill,” Evans told the Mount Vernon News.
He pointed to multiple Tax Increment Financing (TIF) agreements, including those with major developers like Scannell Properties and FedEx, which are costing the township millions in lost revenue.
“All that money should have gone to schools, fire services and other essential services,” he said. “It’s about control for big developers, not the small ones who do good work.”
Evans said the township is losing $4 million annually in fire district revenue due to these TIF agreements.
"The fire department is struggling with rising operational costs and growing demand, and yet Amazon, just one of many businesses benefiting from these deals, isn’t contributing anything to the fire district," he said.
Evans also criticized the township's lack of planning and oversight, citing inadequate infrastructure and disorganized governance. He noted that the previous board approved millions of dollars in TIFs just before he took office, giving developers significant breaks at the cost of local services.
"The schools lost $3.6 million, and the fire department lost about $1 million," Evans said. "We’re giving away money to developers, and it's the residents who suffer."
Moreover, Evans described the frustrating environment in township leadership, where he claims mismanagement and resistance to progress are commonplace.
He referenced issues such as delays in mosquito abatement requests and lack of action on necessary infrastructure projects like a transportation study.
Evans also spoke about the challenges he faces with township records and transparency. He revealed that his efforts to request important documents, like bank statements, have been blocked, further compounding the problems.
"It’s not just about the mistakes; it’s about the cover-up," he said. "We’re trying to hold people accountable, but it’s being obstructed at every turn."
Evans is running for re-election in November. He has notably been targeted by political activists on social media for his outspoken nature, but said he feels his actions are representative of the wishes of a majority of township residents.
“We shouldn’t have to fight for basic services,” he said. “I’m committed to improving the township’s quality of life and preventing further damage. I’ve already committed to running again, and my support continues to grow. I hear regularly from people telling me to keep fighting."
