Trustees decide to reconsider Nov. levy

Trustees want more time to pitch a police levy to the public.
By JEANNE STARMACK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- Cruisers, radios and computers way past their prime had township trustees considering a police levy for the May ballot, but they opted against it.
Instead, trustees decided at their meeting Monday to reconsider a levy for November. They hope that meanwhile, they'll be able to convince residents that one is needed.
Trustees had asked the county auditor's office to tell them how much a new levy would generate under three different millage amounts -- 1, 1.5 and 2 mills. The answer, said township fiscal officer Mike Kurish, is $632,000, $948,649 and $1,264,866.
But Trustee Bo Pritchard said he thinks it will be easier to ask voters for a replacement levy in November than for a new levy in May. He said the township needs time to educate the public about what a replacement levy means.
Three levies passed in 1980, '81 and '83 generated a total of 3.2 mills, he said. But the millage is now 1.7 mills because of a state law that won't let the township collect more than the original dollar amount the levies generated.
No extra money
All the growth in the township since the levies passed hasn't meant more revenues. It just means there are more residents and businesses to pay the same amount.
Pritchard said that if people can understand that, they might be willing to pass a levy or levies that would restore the original millage -- that's what a replacement levy does. Even though such a levy would raise taxes, he said, residents might accept restoring what voters originally intended.
The other trustees agreed. "The needs we have now are serious," said Lisa Oles. "It's difficult for a police officer to respond to a call in a car with 200,000 miles [on it]. But if we promote a police levy, we need to do it right."
Police Chief Robert Gavalier said he agrees with trustees. He said money from a levy wouldn't be collected until next year, so it makes no difference whether it's passed in May or November.
Trustees did vote to put two renewal levies on the May ballot -- a 1-mill levy for roads and bridges, and a 0.8-mill levy for parks. The five-year levies would not raise taxes, but would continue generating revenues already being collected.