Wednesday, May 08, 2002
Norwood among those to OK levies
By Susan Vela, svela@enquirer.com
and Lew Moores, lmoores@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Norwood voters Tuesday night renewed a five-year, 8-mill levy that is expected to generate a tenth of this year's $18.9 million budget.
By a 1,295-925 vote in complete but unofficial returns, they continued to support the “emergency” levy that was established after General Motors Corp. left the city in 1987.
The tax “is essential if people are going to get the level of services that they expect from the city,” said John Fenton, who sits on the council's finance committee. “We can't move forward without that money. Without the renewal, we would be trying to solve current problems instead of looking ahead.”
The tax costs the owner of a home valued at $84,000 about $196 a year.
City officials originally hoped to let the tax eventually expire, but the city now is struggling to pay back street-improvement loans and finance an above-average number of annual retirement packages.
At an April meeting, council members stressed the importance of the tax. They tried to get the same message out by word of mouth, said Joe Sanker, another finance committee member.
“We're glad that the people saw the need for it,” Mr. Sanker said. “It's not there for frivolous spending but just for every-day operating expenses. Without it, it would've been very difficult to balance the budget.”
In Clermont County, the waste collection replacement levy on the ballot in Pierce Township was passed overwhelmingly by voters, 433 votes for (74 percent) to 155 votes against (26 percent) in unofficial returns.
The five-year, 2.5-mill replacement levy will generate more than $561,000 a year to pay for waste collection. It will cost the owner of a $100,000 home $76.55. The current 2.5-mill levy generated $354,000 a year and cost the owner of a $100,000 home $40.54.
The village of Maineville overwhelmingly rejected a total of 5 mills for police and general operating expenses.
Council members meet Thursday to discuss their options.
“We're operating on a shoestring right now,” Mayor Dale Marconet said.
In other Hamilton county issues:
• Silverton: A tie vote, 287-287, for an income tax increase of 0.25 percent for operations.
• Arlington Heights: 87-61 for an income tax increase of 0.4 percent for operations.
• Newtown: 174-158 for replacement and increase of 8 mills for five years for fire and emergency medical services.
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