New Rome, Ohio
Encyclopedia
New Rome is an unincorporated community
in eastern Prairie Township
, Franklin County
, Ohio
, United States
, located on the west side of the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area. It was originally incorporated
as a village in 1947, occupying little more than a three-block stretch of West Broad Street (U.S. Route 40
), and dissolved in 2004. The population was 60 at the 2000 census
.
New Rome achieved infamy due to its traffic and speed trap
, which received national media attention, and the internal corruption of its local government. In 2004, the village was ordered legally dissolved by a Franklin County Court of Common Pleas
judge, and its residents, land and assets were made part of Prairie Township.
Many local business owners complained that customers were being driven away by the village's reputation, and there were many reports of arbitrary and even abusive conduct
at the hands of the New Rome police, who even ventured into surrounding jurisdictions to arrest people over unpaid traffic tickets.
The Ohio Department of Transportation eventually decided that New Rome's lower speed limit was inconsistent with state law guidelines. The New Rome police force itself was suspended by the village in 2003 when its chief resigned, shortly after the village's mayor's court
was abolished by the state, and so the speed trap came to an end.
, who also concluded that the village's poor accounting practices made continuing theft likely. Mayor's court records were also reported to have been destroyed and falsified. A federal grant to the village in 1996 to fight purportedly rising burglaries, vandalism, and gang activity was instead used for traffic enforcement. In 2003, the New Rome police had their access to a State Highway Patrol driver identification database revoked because of misuse against the political rival of a council member.
, on the recommendation of the Ohio State Auditor
, concluded that it should be dissolved, though its residents had voted against dissolution in 2003. At the Attorney General's urging, the Ohio General Assembly
passed a law later that year primarily targeted at New Rome, that allowed for the dissolution of a village that had fewer than 150 people, provided little or no public services and had a pattern of wrongdoing or incompetence. On December 1, 2003, the Attorney General filed suit for New Rome's dissolution in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. The complaint cited New Rome for 23 counts of failure to follow state election requirements since 1988, as well as for its failure to file a tax budget.
The village officials did not contest these allegations, but instead challenged the dissolution statute itself as contrary to the home rule
provisions of the Ohio Constitution
. Judge David Cain upheld the constitutionality of the statute and granted summary judgment
to the State of Ohio on July 30, 2004. "When the electorate allows key offices to go vacant for unreasonable amounts of time and allows other conditions...to cause ruin and decay," Cain wrote, "it can easily be inferred that this small group of local citizens has abandoned any right it had to operate a local government unit. The corporate powers have already been surrendered. The body is already dead. The statute merely provides for a decent burial." Judge Cain granted the order to formally dissolve New Rome on August 9, 2004, and also ordered the clearing of all unpaid traffic tickets and all drivers licenses suspended by the village. No appeal was filed by the September 9 deadline, and so New Rome was irrevocably absorbed into Prairie Township.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village had a total area of 0.0 mi² (0.01 km²), all land.
of 2000, there were 60 people, 27 households, and 14 families residing in the village. The population density
was 1,993.4/mi² (772.2/km²). There were 27 housing units at an average density of 897.0/mi² (347.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.33% White, and 1.67% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.00% of the population.
There were 27 households out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.6% were married couples
living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.1% were non-families. 40.7% of all households were made up of individuals, none of which had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 38.3% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 5.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $19,583, and the median income for a family was $17,500. Males had a median income of $27,917 versus $11,500 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $12,983. About 18.8% of families and 18.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.1% of those under the age of 18 and none of those ages 65 and older.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in eastern Prairie Township
Prairie Township, Franklin County, Ohio
Prairie Township is one of the seventeen townships of Franklin County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 17,118 people in the township, 17,058 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township, and 60 of whom lived in the now-defunct village of New Rome.-Geography:Located in...
, Franklin County
Franklin County, Ohio
Franklin County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. In 2010 the population was 1,163,414, making it the second largest county in Ohio and the 34th largest county in population in the United States. Franklin County is also the largest in the eight-county Columbus, Ohio...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, located on the west side of the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area. It was originally incorporated
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
as a village in 1947, occupying little more than a three-block stretch of West Broad Street (U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40 is an east–west United States highway. As with most routes whose numbers end in a zero, U.S. 40 once traversed the entire United States. It is one of the original 1920s U.S. Highways, and its first termini were San Francisco, California, and Atlantic City, New Jersey...
), and dissolved in 2004. The population was 60 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
New Rome achieved infamy due to its traffic and speed trap
Speed Trap
Speed Trap is a live jazz album by Peter King, recorded at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in September 1994, and released in 1996 under the Ronnie Scotts Jazz House label...
, which received national media attention, and the internal corruption of its local government. In 2004, the village was ordered legally dissolved by a Franklin County Court of Common Pleas
Ohio Courts of Common Pleas
The Ohio Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of the state court system of Ohio.The courts of common pleas are the trial courts of general jurisdiction in the state. They are the only trial courts created by the Ohio Constitution . The duties of the courts are outlined in Article IV, Section...
judge, and its residents, land and assets were made part of Prairie Township.
New Rome speed trap
New Rome police had systematically taken advantage of the village's sudden drop (from 45 mph (20.1 m/s) to 35 mph (15.6 m/s)) in posted speed along the busy thoroughfare of West Broad Street to pull over thousands of motorists, raising nearly $400,000 gross annually from speeding tickets but primarily vehicle citations including trivial offenses such as dusty taillights and improperly tinted windows. Nearly all of this money was funneled back into the police force, which almost exclusively dealt with traffic violations and so essentially existed to fund itself. The 60-resident village had as many as 14 policemen (all part-time), with the Village Council wanting more.Many local business owners complained that customers were being driven away by the village's reputation, and there were many reports of arbitrary and even abusive conduct
Police brutality
Police brutality is the intentional use of excessive force, usually physical, but potentially also in the form of verbal attacks and psychological intimidation, by a police officer....
at the hands of the New Rome police, who even ventured into surrounding jurisdictions to arrest people over unpaid traffic tickets.
The Ohio Department of Transportation eventually decided that New Rome's lower speed limit was inconsistent with state law guidelines. The New Rome police force itself was suspended by the village in 2003 when its chief resigned, shortly after the village's mayor's court
Ohio Mayor's Courts
Ohio Mayor's Courts are state courts in Ohio created by some municipalities. The Mayor's Courts hear traffic cases and other misdemeanors. The presiding officer is a magistrate appointed by the mayor and paid by the city or village....
was abolished by the state, and so the speed trap came to an end.
Theft and misuse of funds and equipment
New Rome also had longstanding problems with internal corruption. Several past New Rome officials (including a past clerk) were caught stealing thousands of dollars in public funds; others (including a past mayor) resigned after misuse of village credit cards came to light. $120,000 was stolen from New Rome over the course of a decade according to the Ohio State AuditorOhio State Auditor
The Ohio State Auditor is responsible for auditing all the public offices of the state of Ohio. The auditor is elected to a four-year term. The current Auditor is Dave Yost....
, who also concluded that the village's poor accounting practices made continuing theft likely. Mayor's court records were also reported to have been destroyed and falsified. A federal grant to the village in 1996 to fight purportedly rising burglaries, vandalism, and gang activity was instead used for traffic enforcement. In 2003, the New Rome police had their access to a State Highway Patrol driver identification database revoked because of misuse against the political rival of a council member.
Election misconduct
In 2002, after the state-certified election of a new reformist mayor by New Rome residents, the unelected Village Council refused to recognize him and claimed that the old mayor (to whom most of the Council were related) was still in office. The controversy soon broadened into a question of who was even legally on the Council, as none of the councilmember appointments had been registered with the state as required by law. New Rome had typically not even bothered with elections in the past, and many officials, including past mayors, had simply "reappointed themselves." The positions of half of the sitting councilmembers were eventually invalidated by the Franklin County prosecutor because they were not legally appointed, but village positions continued to be claimed by those without the legal right to do so.Dissolution
After further investigation of New Rome's history of misconduct, the Ohio Attorney GeneralOhio Attorney General
The Ohio Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Ohio in the United States. The office is filled by general election, held every four years. The Ohio Attorney General is Mike DeWine.-History:...
, on the recommendation of the Ohio State Auditor
Ohio State Auditor
The Ohio State Auditor is responsible for auditing all the public offices of the state of Ohio. The auditor is elected to a four-year term. The current Auditor is Dave Yost....
, concluded that it should be dissolved, though its residents had voted against dissolution in 2003. At the Attorney General's urging, the Ohio General Assembly
Ohio General Assembly
The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate...
passed a law later that year primarily targeted at New Rome, that allowed for the dissolution of a village that had fewer than 150 people, provided little or no public services and had a pattern of wrongdoing or incompetence. On December 1, 2003, the Attorney General filed suit for New Rome's dissolution in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. The complaint cited New Rome for 23 counts of failure to follow state election requirements since 1988, as well as for its failure to file a tax budget.
The village officials did not contest these allegations, but instead challenged the dissolution statute itself as contrary to the home rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
provisions of the Ohio Constitution
Ohio Constitution
The Ohio Constitution is the basic governing document of the State of Ohio, which in 1803 became the 17th state to join the United States of America. Ohio has had two constitutions since statehood was granted....
. Judge David Cain upheld the constitutionality of the statute and granted summary judgment
Summary judgment
In law, a summary judgment is a determination made by a court without a full trial. Such a judgment may be issued as to the merits of an entire case, or of specific issues in that case....
to the State of Ohio on July 30, 2004. "When the electorate allows key offices to go vacant for unreasonable amounts of time and allows other conditions...to cause ruin and decay," Cain wrote, "it can easily be inferred that this small group of local citizens has abandoned any right it had to operate a local government unit. The corporate powers have already been surrendered. The body is already dead. The statute merely provides for a decent burial." Judge Cain granted the order to formally dissolve New Rome on August 9, 2004, and also ordered the clearing of all unpaid traffic tickets and all drivers licenses suspended by the village. No appeal was filed by the September 9 deadline, and so New Rome was irrevocably absorbed into Prairie Township.
Geography
New Rome is located at 39°57′6"N 83°8′32"W (39.951589, -83.142253).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village had a total area of 0.0 mi² (0.01 km²), all land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 60 people, 27 households, and 14 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,993.4/mi² (772.2/km²). There were 27 housing units at an average density of 897.0/mi² (347.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.33% White, and 1.67% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.00% of the population.
There were 27 households out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.1% were non-families. 40.7% of all households were made up of individuals, none of which had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 38.3% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 5.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $19,583, and the median income for a family was $17,500. Males had a median income of $27,917 versus $11,500 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $12,983. About 18.8% of families and 18.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.1% of those under the age of 18 and none of those ages 65 and older.
External links
- http://www.newromesucks.com —an anti-New Rome activist's site that received national media attention and whose publicity many consider to be responsible for New Rome's downfall. Includes stories of dealings with New Rome police, as well as many news links documenting New Rome's decline.