Austintown and Poland levy renewals win support of voters

By Jordyn Grzelewski

jgrzelewski@ vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

All five renewal levies on the ballot for Austintown and Poland voters were approved Tuesday night.

In Austintown, voters resoundingly approved five-year renewals of levies for roads, senior-citizen services and the township park.

Renewal of a 1.5-mill levy for the road department earned approval from 70 percent of township voters.

Similarly, renewal of a 0.5-mill levy for the Austintown Senior Center won approval from nearly 72 percent of voters.

That levy was the object of some controversy recently after Vindicator reporting revealed that levy funds for the senior center are diverted to pay rent to the township, which has then used those funds for other services.

Renewal of an 0.8-mill levy for the township park received support from 62 percent of township voters.

Reached by phone shortly after final results came in, township trustees Jim Davis and Ken Carano expressed elation at the results and at the turnout of roughly 11,000 township voters.

“We’re very pleased with the voter turnout of Austintown, and with their support. It means that we’re going to be able to continue to ... provide services to our residents that they deserve,” Davis said. “This is the voters’ way of saying thank you, and we can’t say thank you enough to our employees and the residents for their continued support. ... We’re ecstatic.”

Carano expressed similar sentiments, saying: “The people in Austintown didn’t just speak, they shouted. God bless them. ... Austintown has a great history of voting for renewals, and they just proved it again.”

Poland voters also approved renewal of the levies on their ballots.

While early results indicated a five-year renewal of Poland School District’s 3.6-mill levy for emergency requirements could face a challenge, it ended up winning approval with nearly 60 percent of district voters (3,760 of 6,297) in favor.

That levy, which originally was approved in 2006, generates $1,369,748 per year and costs the owner of a $100,000 home $126 per year. The district this year operates on a roughly $21 million general fund budget.

A five-year renewal of a 2-mill Poland Township levy for current expenses was approved with 63 percent of voters in favor. That levy, which first was approved in 1978, generates $245,469 annually.

“I’m just thankful. The schools renewal, and our renewal – it just shows that we’re a proud community and we support what’s going on,” said Township Trustee Eric Ungaro.