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Poland renewal levy placed on May ballot
POLAND
Township trustees said they heard the voice of voters in November.
“We heard the voters: no new taxes,” said Trustee Robert Lidle.
Instead, the trustees have placed a renewal 2-mill levy on the May ballot.
In November, a 2-mill replacement was rejected by voters, 3,241 against and 2,764 for the replacement.
The renewal is for a 2-mill levy passed in 1978 and is valued at 0.59144 mill, said fiscal officer Joseph Granitto.
That levy generates $193,296 annually and costs the owner of a home valued at $100,000 about $25 annually, he said.
If passed in November, the 2-mill replacement levy would have generated about $599,026 annually.
Granitto said the township has lost about $250,000 in annual revenues because of changes in state funding, property taxes and collection fees.
“Renewals are the lifeblood of the township,” township Administrator Jim Scharville said.
Granitto estimated at least three employees would be laid off immediately if the renewal doesn’t pass. There are 21 township employees, filling full- and part-time positions.
“We understand people do not want new taxes. This is just the renewal — what people have been paying since 1978,” Scharville said.