The council voted 4-3 to table the resolution, the result of hours of discussions since April on how best to catch up on a growing backlog of aging city streets.
By waiting, the city spends seven times as much to rebuild streets so bad they are beyond a simple repaving, according to staff analysis. Only 47 of 107 miles of city streets are in adequate condition, while only 40 percent of residents indicated satisfaction with road conditions in the most recent city survey.
In addition to a property tax levy, the council has discussed raising the income tax assessed on local workers or reducing or eliminating the credit enjoyed by local residents who work and pay local income tax elsewhere.
“We have spent quite a bit of time, quite a few meetings, to get to this point,” Councilman Steve Kaiser said, urging the council to approve the resolution. “We are actually giving the voters a chance to make a decision.”
But Brewer said tabling the resolution would prevent a setback because only four members were expected to vote for the resolution.
“We’re going to walk out of here not having passed this,” she said.
While opposed to tax increases, Councilwoman Wendy Monroe supported the resolution, “only so that we can find out where we are” in the discussion.
Other council members called for more study of general fund budget cuts that could free funds for road repairs, although staff has indicated other services would suffer. The deficits have grown in relation to cuts in state funding, according to city officials.
The council reviewed a memo sent by Springboro leaders to residents in 2004 as the city council cut the income tax credit in half. The credit reduction, still in place, was a key issue in ensuing elections, including a narrow victory by Mayor John Agenbroad.
The credit can be changed without asking voters, unlike an income tax hike or property tax levy. Lebanon voters rejected income tax hikes in 2002 and 2004 and property tax levies in 2008 and 2010.
Despite Tuesday’s divided vote, the council is expected to continue looking for more road repair money.
“Whatever happens, we can handle this bump in the road,” Monroe said.
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