Levies, income taxes set for May ballot

Many voters around the region will see levies or income taxes on their May 3 ballots.

Centerville City Schools have a renewal levy on the ballot, which is rare as many of its levies are continuing levies, meaning they don’t need to be renewed. Trotwood and Beavercreek are seeking income tax issues. Other issues include a request for road funds in the village of Phillipsburg.

Tax issues

Trotwood and Beavercreek both have income tax levies on the ballot. Beavercreek would replace five property tax levies with a 1% income levy that would generate about $12 million in the first year.

Trotwood is asking residents to increase its income tax from 2.25% to 2.75%.

Miami Twp. voters will see a ballot issue to allow the township to aggregate retail natural gas loads and aggregate retail electric loads. This means the township can combine the residential and commercial use of electric and natural gas and negotiate a rate for those in the township, according to the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel.

Phillipsburg village is asking residents to approve a new, 3 mill road, bridges and streets levy for the second time. The continuous levy would cost $105 per $100,000 in valuation and generate about $22,069 annually.

The village is in dire need of money for street improvements, Phillipsburg Fiscal Officer Jessie Harsh said. The village asked in November 2021 for funds, but the levy failed. Harsh said if the levy fails again, the village will have to cut all services to pay for major road repairs.

Centerville and Washington Twp.

Centerville City Schools have a 4.53 emergency operating levy renewal on the ballot, which generates about $9.55 million annually in the district’s budget. Centerville taxpayers are already paying for the levy and the school district is asking residents to renew it for another 10 years.

Centerville taxpayers would pay $138.73 per year per $100,000 of property value for the levy, according to the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office. The levy goes to operating costs, like teachers, classroom materials and utilities.

Sarah Swan, spokeswoman for Centerville Schools, said many of the district’s levies are continuing levies, which do not need to be renewed. This levy was set up differently, she said.

“We know the quality of our schools is important to the Centerville-Washington Twp. community, and we encourage people to reach out to us if they have questions,” Swan said.

Washington Twp. is asking residents to renew a street and roads levy that costs about $46 per $100,000 in property valuation and generates more than $2 million annually.

Other renewal or replacement levies

  • Farmersville residents will also vote on a 2.5 mill renewal levy that goes to the public works department, said Farmersville Mayor Nick Lamb. That levy costs $59.43 per $100,000 in property tax valuation yearly, according to the auditor’s office, and it generates $36,132 annually.
  • German Twp. is requesting a 1 mill renewal of a levy for the Germantown Senior Center. It costs $25.98 per $100,000 in property tax valuation yearly and generates $177,938.
  • Jackson Twp. is asking for a 2 mill renewal for streets, roads and bridges. It costs $58.29 per $100,000 in property tax valuation, and it generates $145,583.
  • Tri County North, a school district in Preble County, is requesting two renewal levies. A 4.8 mill operating levy would generate $618,000 per year, and cost $147 per $100,000 of property valuation, said Tri County North Treasurer Lynn Ferguson. A second levy would specifically go to building costs and would generate $142,160 per year and cost $61.25 per $100,000 of property valuation.
  • Preble County voters will see a 0.4 mill replacement levy on the ballot for the Preble County Children’s Services. The levy would generate $389,080 per year and cost $14 per $100,000 in property value per year, according to the Preble County Auditor’s Office.

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