Greene County voters to decide on new tax requests, commissioner’s race

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Susan Lopez, director at the Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Family Resource Center, has announced she will challenge Anderson for the seat. Lopez and Luke Steven Bujenovic, both Democrats, have pulled petitions and each will be working to collect and submit at least 50 valid signatures by Feb. 7 in order to appear on the May primary ballot, according to McCoy.

Yellow Springs Schools Board of Education approved a resolution Tuesday morning to seek a new tax levy and an income tax increase to pay for a new school building for students in grades 7-12.

The 4.7-mill levy will pay for a $12.7 million bond issue over 37 years, costing property owners about $164 annually per $100,000 in property value, according to Yellow Springs Schools Treasurer Dawn Bennett.

Voters in Yellow Springs will also see a request for a .25 percent income tax to pay for the rest of the capital project, generating an estimated $18.5 million, Bennett said.

Bellbrook City Council approved a resolution Monday to place a 1.75-mill levy on the May ballot.

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The new tax request is a reduction of the 3-mill levy that voters narrowly rejected in November. City Manager Mark Schlagheck said council opted to just ask voters to fund one new firefighter position and not ask for approval of a new police officer position and other general improvements.

“We need to add staffing to the fire department to provide the best service we can for our residents,” Schlagheck said.

The new tax request would generate $313,000 a year for Bellbrook at an annual cost to property owners of $61 per $100,000 in property value.

In Beavercreek, council is considering a resolution to ask voters to approve a continuous police levy in November, according to City Manager Pete Landrum.

Commission candidates affiliated with a party who are interested in running for office must file petitions with the elections board by Feb. 7. Independent candidates must file petitions by May 7.

For the May election, voters need to be registered by April 9 and early voting begins April 10.