The latest figures from the 2000 Census show Plain Township added 1,560 people over the last 10 years, increasing from 4,366 people in 1990 to 5,926 people in 2000. Adding new people has not been difficult, but watching New Albany and the New Albany-Plain Local School District add more numbers annually has affected the township, said Plain Township Trustee Don Shoemaker. He said growth in the schools has been one of the township's main concerns, partly because of taxes. Plain Township needed three attempts in the last two years to get an operating levy passed for the Plain Township Fire Department. The fire department was successful during its last levy campaign in November 2000, when no school issues were on the ballot.
Taxes are a concern to many township and village residents.
Shoemaker said he wonders how many people eventually may leave the township because of increased taxes. He said as taxes increase from levies and increased property valuations, it will become difficult for some residents to pay, especially those on fixed incomes. It smarts on some of the people. Growth also affects services such as fire protection, Shoemaker said. Plain Township at one point used money from the general fund to supplement the fire department's budget.