Bowling Green, Findlay eye income tax increases

Jennifer Feehan

Nov. 1, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Findlay Mayor Pete Sehnert knows it's a tough time to ask voters for new taxes, but like leaders in other financially strapped communities, he's hoping they'll understand what's at stake.

In Findlay, it's a matter of public safety.

"We're at a pivotal point in this community: What are we going to do?" Mr. Sehnert said. "If we don't spend some money to try to invest in our own community, nobody else is going to want to invest in it."

Findlay voters are being asked to approve a three-year, 0.25 percent income tax that would bring the city's income tax rate to 1.25 percent. The 0.25 percent would generate an estimated $3.5 million a year -- enough to keep all four fire stations open, prevent the layoffs of 18 firefighters, and restore services such as leaf pickup, which were eliminated this year.

"We're only asking for three years to get us out of this slump," the mayor said, adding that passage of the tax would not prevent the layoff of 16 other city employees effective Nov. 8.

"We've been very efficient with that 1 percent," Mr. Sehnert said. "Show me somebody who hasn't had a raise for 40 years -- we haven't raised that income tax since 1967."

In Bowling Green, voters are asked to increase the municipal income tax from 1.92 percent to 2 percent for three years. The additional 0.08 percent would raise $600,000 annually.

"With all the cuts we've made, and they are numerous, we don't believe we'll have to lay anybody off whether it passes or fails so what we're talking about are services," Mayor John Quinn said. "What we're talking about are convenience services, not safety services or anything that's going to effect the health and welfare of the community."

If voters reject the tax increase, the city would close the drop-off for grass clippings, reduce the number of times it picks up heavy trash and brush, and cut fireworks funding, the mayor said. Its west- side fire station on Pearl Street likely would become an ambulance service only because there would not be enough staff for fire runs from there.

"This is a small increase that will allow people to have essentially all the same services in 2010 that they had in 2009," Mr. Quinn said.

Hancock County voters will decide whether to keep paying a 0.5 percent sales tax that county commissioners adopted last year to fund county operations and long-term flood mitigation.

Commissioner Phil Riegle emphasized that commissioners are not asking voters to keep a 0.25 percent sales tax adopted last year to pay for a new court building and other capital improvements.

"This is not a new tax. This is a retention and actually the county sales tax rate is going to go down a quarter percent Jan. 1 even with the passage of Issue 4," Mr. Riegle said. "That is something we've tried to get across to people."

Like Findlay's comparatively low income tax rate, Hancock County has enjoyed one of the lowest sales tax rates in the state. Mr. Riegle said it's been estimated that 30 percent to 40 percent of the people shopping in Findlay come from outside Hancock County, which means they help pay for the services they use while working or shopping in the county.

In Ottawa County, commissioners are seeking a five-year, 0.5-mill levy to operate and maintain the county-owned Riverview Nursing Home. If approved, it would generate about $800,000 a year and cost the owner of a $100,000 home $15.75 a year.

Kendra German, administrator at Riverview, said a 0.5-mill levy for the nursing home expired at the end of last year after voters rejected by a slim margin a request to replace and increase it.

"We tightened up our operations here, made some changes to the staffing structure," Ms. German said. "We have been able to break even, but we are not putting money into our building fund."

Proceeds from the levy would be earmarked for building upkeep at the campus in Oak Harbor, which also offers rehabilitation services, a memory care unit, and an adult day program.

Also in Ottawa County, the Ida Rupp Public Library in Port Clinton is making its first request for operating dollars. Like all public libraries that have been hit by state budget cuts, the library has slashed staff, hours, and material purchases to keep its doors open.

The five-year, 0.9-mill levy would bring in about $500,000 a year and cost the owner of a $100,000 home $28.35 per year.

Barbara Wenzinger, president of the library's board of trustees, said the levy would enable the library to restore the services and hours that have been cut.

"We've reduced our operating hours from 63 to 35 hours a week," she said. "We also eliminated six part-time positions and reduced all of our full-time staff hours. We've cut back on story hours and adult programming and held off on all purchases of new books."

Ms. Wenzinger said the library has operated for 100 years without a levy, but with a 40 percent cut in state funding, it needs help.

"We're trying to emphasize that for the cost of one hardback book, $28.35, voters can help us restore library services," she said.

Contact Jennifer Feehan at:

jfeehan@theblade.com

or 419-724-6129.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0203-39346878