Commission likely to put 911 levy on ballot

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Delaware County Auditor George Kaitsa will be standing by this morning to certify a $3.7 million tax levy for 911 emergency services when county commissioners decide whether to place it before voters in November

The proposed levy, if approved by voters, would provide the county with over $1 million more than a current 911 levy generates.

At today’s commission meeting, the county 911 board will propose a 0.45-mill renewal levy with an increase of 0.18 mills to county commissioners, asking them to declare a resolution of necessity and to place the levy on the Nov. 8 ballot. The deadline to get the levy on the November ballot is Aug. 10.

In the interest of time, Kaitsa said he would be at the commission meeting to certify the levy.

If voters approve the 0.45-mill renewal levy with the additional 0.18 mills, homeowners will pay an annual total of $19.48 per $100,000 of market value.

According to county officials, property owners would continue to receive a tax rollback from the state on the 0.45-mill portion of the levy but the 0.18 mills would not qualify for the state rollback.

The 0.18-mill addition would generate $1,097,900 per year, Kaitsa said. The total for both millages would then generate $3.7 million annually for 911 services.

A homeowner with a $100,000 market-value home currently pay $13.18 in taxes per year for the levy. The 0.18-mill increase on the levy will cost that homeowner an additional $6.30 per year, said Kaitsa.

County officials told The Gazette in May that the current levy generates $2.25 million per year. Patrick Brandt, director of the county’s 911 center, clarified Wednesday that the $2.25 million figure does not include the state rollbacks which brings the total amount generated by the current levy to $2.6 million.

The board had originally looked at adding 0.27 mills to either repair or replace a radio tower that is creating a dead spot in radio communication for the county.

The board has held off on making a decision on the radio tower in the southeast corner of the county. Jeff Wilson, chief of BST&G Fire District, said Tuesday the board didn’t want to rush the solution and just throw money at the problem. “We want to make sure it is the right solution more than anything else,” he said. “There is still the possibility of the tower, just not right now.”

The county general fund has had to subsidize 911 services in the past. Budgeted in 2016 is $456,000 from the county general fund.

If the levy is passed by voters in November, the county general fund would no longer have to subsidize the 911 service, officials have said.

The current 911 levy expires at the end of 2016.

Today’s commission meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. at county offices at 101 N. Sandusky St.

By D. Anthony Botkin

[email protected]

D. Anthony Botkin may be reached at 740-413-0902 or on Twitter @dabotkin.

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