7/12/2012 - West Side Leader
     

RICHFIELD — Township officials are asking voters to support two levies with additional funding in the Aug. 7 Special Election.

Voters will see Issue No. 1, a 3.2-mill levy for fire and emergency medical services (EMS), and Issue No. 2, a 2.3-mill levy for roads and bridges, when they go to the polls that day.

Both levies are replacements of existing levies that are being increased slightly to address the need for additional funds, according to Township Trustee Laurie Peters-Gilmore.

“Our revenue was down this year because of the decrease in property values,” Peters-Gilmore said. “That widened the gap a little.”

In both cases, the levies were reduced from their original amounts a few years ago, when there was a budget surplus, she added. The fire levy was originally 2.7 mills and was reduced to 2.3 mills in 2006. The road levy was a 1.5-mill levy that was reduced to 1.3 mills in 2007.

Now the trustees hope residents will keep in mind the township is trying to make up for funding reductions to maintain current services, Peters-Gilmore said.

According to township officials, Issue No. 1 is a replacement of a 2.2-mill existing levy and an increase of 1 mill. It’s expected to cost the owner of $100,000 in property $98 a year. In the most recent collection year, the levy brought in $317,046. With the increase, it would bring in $448,058.

Peters-Gilmore said the township just finalized its contract with Richfield Village for fire/EMS services so the exact amount needed for three years is known. The funds collected through the levy will be enough to sustain the contract. There was some carryover, she added.

“We asked for an increase to cover the difference,” she said.

The road and bridge levy — which would fund the general construction, reconstruction, resurfacing and repair of roads and bridges — is a replacement of a 1.3-mill existing levy and an increase of 1 mill. The five-year levy would cost about $70 a year for the owner of a home valued at $100,000, according to township officials.

In the most recent collection year, the levy brought in $186,984. With the increase, it would bring in $322,042, according to township officials.

The levy pays for essential township services such as road resurfacing projects, snowplowing and addressing storm water issues, Peters-Gilmore said.

She added that in 2007, the township had a crew of four, but that was decreased to three.

“We have had some shift changes in the wintertime to spread three out more efficiently so we can keep employee levels down to three instead of four,” Peters-Gilmore said.

She added that in the past, the township has received the support of voters with its levies.

“We haven’t had to ask for an operating levy of any sort because everything is self-funded,” Peters-Gilmore said.

Still, the township has had to prepare for the chance that voters may not approve the requests next month. The filing deadline for the Nov. 6 General Election is Aug. 8, the day after the Special Election. Trustees took steps at their May 17 meeting to certify the levy amounts for the November election just in case. Should the levies pass next month, they will then rescind the legislation for the November election, Peters-Gilmore said.

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