Washington Township Trustees voted July 13 to place a five-year, 8.25 levy on the November ballot. The proposed levy would renew an existing five-year levy voters passed in 2010 to support Washington Township’s Fire Department.
If approved by voters, the cost of the levy for a property owner would be approximately $243 per $100,000 valuation, resulting in no tax increase.
The levy, if passed, is expected to generate $16.29 million annually, 75% of the department’s anticipated budget. The remaining 25% of the budget is covered by small permanent levies, current savings, fees for services, grants and revenue sharing from the State of Ohio.
Funds generated by the levy will be used for day-to-day expenses to operate 4 fire stations, provide administrative functions, and replace capital equipment, including replacement of a 22-year old ladder fire truck.
Earlier this year, the Trustees have worked to lower Township expenses through the transfers of parks operations to the City of Dublin and Metro Parks, resulting in over $500,000 annually becoming available for fire department operations and capital costs.
Trustees selected to pursue a renewal levy rather than a replacement levy to preserve the rollback tax equivalency payments it is eligible for from the State of Ohio. A replacement levy would have required the Township to relinquish this funding, thereby increasing the tax burden on Township residents.