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Despite tough economy, tax levies win support

Some communities showed a willingness to take on heavy tax burdens.

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By Lynn Hulsey, Staff Writer Updated 11:11 AM Thursday, November 5, 2009

Economic hard times may be stretching wallets but voters were generous at the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 3, approving nearly 85 percent of tax issues in the four-county area.

“People realize it’s hard economic times, but they look at what they get for their tax dollars and make the hard decisions,” said Gene Longo of Sugarcreek Twp.

Voters considered 66 tax levies in Montgomery, Greene, Warren and Miami counties and approved 56 of them.

In Greene County, one levy out of 21 failed and in Miami one of 18 failed. Montgomery County saw five of 18 fail, while Warren County had the highest rejection rate with three of nine failing.

Some communities were willing to take on heavy tax burdens. In Montgomery County, Jefferson Twp. voters approved a school tax and two out of three township tax issues, along with the Dayton Metro Library and Five Rivers MetroParks issues.

The township levies that passed were for fire/EMS and police services. A 2.7 mill levy for township operations failed.

When all those are added together, the owner of a $100,000 home in Jefferson Twp. will pay $629.62 in taxes next year for those issues. That was the highest tax burden of communities considering taxes on Tuesday.

Theresa Johnson of Jefferson Twp. said the tax issues deserved support.

“I always support all my levies, regardless,” Johnson said. “I just feel it’s the right thing to do.”

Riverside voters took on the second highest-burden in the county, approving a 4.95-mill police levy that, combined with the library and parks levies will cost the owner of a $100,000 home $260.32 annually. Trotwood was third, with a $245.40 tax burden for that same value home.

Trotwood voters approved three out of four municipal levies and rejected a school levy.

Trotwood City Manager Mike Lucking and Riverside Acting City Manager Dan Alig agreed that the key is to make a strong case for the money.

“From the police levy standpoint I think that showed they were happy with what the police department in the city is doing,” said Alig, who is also the city fire chief.

“Our voters were very kind to us last night,” Lucking said. “I think we did a pretty good job explaining what our needs are.”

In Greene County, a single school issue — Cedar Cliff Schools bond issue — was the single most expensive levy on the ballot in the area, costing the owner of a $100,000 home $260.32.

It was approved.

Eight of 11 school issues in the four-county area passed, a 73 percent passage rate that bested the statewide 59 percent rate. Scott Ebright, deputy director of communications services for the Ohio School Boards Association, said the state-wide passage rate is better than usual, although a bit less than last November.

“I think in this economy that’s pretty darn good,” Ebright said.

Staff writers Jeremy Kelley and Kristin McAllister contributed to this report.

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