Tax levies likely headed to ballot
By Kathleen Folkerth
DOWNTOWN AKRON — Summit County voters likely will see two social service agency levies on the November General Election ballot.
Summit County Council’s Committee-of-the-Whole on June 11 recommended Council approve legislation to place the levies — for Summit County Children Services (SCCS) and Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADM) — on the ballot.
The committee spent nearly an hour exploring the ADM levy request, which replaces the existing tax levy of 3.05 with a new levy at 2.95.
The rate is being called a reduction in the proposed ballot language, but some Council members questioned if it really is a reduction.
“The legislature requires
us to do it this way,” said Donald Davies, ADM’s
executive director. “We didn’t want
to ask for the same, didn’t want to ask for more,
so we came in with a replacement-reduction.”
According to figures presented
by Davies, the ADM is currently receiving $21 million
a year from its levy, or $131 million during its six-year
period. The new proposed levy would raise $228 million
from 2009 to 2014.
The extra money is needed, Davies
said, because of low wages and an increased need for
services.
“This is the amount the
agency needs in order to provide services,” said
Robert Gippin, chair of the ADM levy committee. “It’s
a significant amount. We don’t intend to conceal
that at all.”
There was some uncertainty about
how much the levy would cost a homeowner, but Council
member Tim Crawford (D-District 7) said his calculations
showed that the owner of a $200,000 home would be paying
$10 more for the levy a month if it passes.
“I’m behind you,
but you’ve got a hard sell,” Crawford said.
According to information presented
by the ADM Board, it partners with community agencies
to provide services to residents
throughout the county. It provided more than 21,000
county residents with mental health, alcohol and drug
treatment services and serves more than 51,000 people
through prevention services.
Davies further defended the increased
levy dollars because the current levy has been at the
same level of funding for 12 years.
The committee recommended Council
adopt the resolution that puts the levy on the ballot
by a vote of 6-2, with members Ilene Shapiro (D-at large)
and John Schmidt (D-District 2) voting against it.
The committee then addressed
briefly the SCCS levy, which has been discussed in previous
meetings. Like the ADM levy, the SCCS is a reduction,
from 2.56 mills to 2.25 mills, but would result in more
taxes for taxpayers when calculated against the current
value of a home. Gary Binns, director of finance for
SCCS, said the new levy amount would result in an additional
$11 a year for the owner of $100,000 home.
The committee unanimously recommended
Council place the levy on the ballot. Also
during the meeting, developers planning a $327.5 million
sports, retail and health care complex made a presentation
to Council’s Planning and Economic Development
Committee.
The Wolstein Sports and Entertainment
Group is heading up the effort to build the complex
on 475 acres in northern Summit County, on state Route
8 at Interstate 271. It has been proposed that Summit
County residents vote in November to establish a “sin
tax” on alcohol and cigarettes to provide about
$5 million a year.
Paul Garofalo, chief executive
officer of the Wolstein Sports and Entertainment Group,
said the complex could be ready for soccer games in
2010. The development could lead to nearly 2,000 jobs,
not including restaurant jobs, he told the committee.
Crawford asked if there has been
any thought as to how Ohio’s statewide indoor
smoking ban could affect the collections of a tax on
cigarettes, since fewer people may be smoking.
“We have not done an analysis
of smoking trends,” Garofalo said.
The committee members noted the
scope of the project is impressive. “This
is a mind-boggling thing in terms of what it can do,”
said Pete Crossland (D-at large).
He added that he is concerned
how the issue would fare with the two levies expected
to be on the ballot this fall as well.
The committee put the legislation
on second reading.
Council President Nick Kostandaras
said he would like the issue to be finalized when Council
returns from its three-week summer break July 23.
Summit County Council is scheduled
to meet June 18 at 5:30 p.m. for caucus and 6 p.m. for
the regular meeting in Council Chambers on the seventh
floor of the Ohio Building, 175 S. Main St.
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