By Kevin Aldridge
Enquirer staff writer

DELHI TOWNSHIP - Trustees in this Hamilton County township of 30,000 are considering whether to place two levies on the Nov. 2 ballot that would raise property taxes by $245 a year on a $100,000 house.

Trustees are expected to vote at their June 30 meeting on a proposed 3.77-mill levy for police and a 4.55-mill levy for fire services. The two levies would be the first for the township in 11 years.

Township Administrator Joe Morency said the police and fire departments are in need of more money. The township has been subsidizing both budgets since 1997 from the general fund at a cost of more than $8 million, he said.

Morency said the general fund can no longer sustain the added costs because of shrinking revenues and increased expenses.

Voters haven't been asked to approve a tax increase since 1993, when two 1.9-mill levies were passed, Morency said. The new levies would be in addition to the existing ones.

"The cost of everything is going up and we still have the same amount of money coming in," said Delhi Township Fire Chief Mike Edwards.

Trustee Mike Davis said the issue would probably be controversial because some residents don't understand the need for more money.

"We've done all we can do through frugal spending, and now it's time," Davis said. "Delhi Township is a great place to live and raise your family and we want to keep it that way and keep it safe."

Morency predicted cuts in personnel and reduced services for police and fire if the levies fail. The police department employs 32 officers and the fire department employs 23 full-time and 55 part-time firefighters.

"Worst-case scenario, a failed levy would require cutting both of those departments almost in half," Morency said. "But even if it's not worst case, it will be disastrous in my mind."

Trustee Jerry Luebbers said township officials are trying to maintain a positive outlook and not focus on potential cuts. But if the levy fails, some cuts would have to be made to balance the budget.

Luebbers said competition from countywide tax levies are also a concern. Too many levies could affect Delhi Township's ability to get its levy passed.

"It's a difficult spot to be in as a voter with so many levies on any single ballot," Luebbers said. "You have to start picking and choosing what is important to you."

Luebbers said trustees have passed a resolution asking Hamilton County commissioners to honor their agreement to keep funding requests at or below the rate of inflation.

The deadline to put a levy on the November ballot is Aug. 19.

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E-mail kaldridge@enquirer.com