Did the levies pass?
Official results from the Delaware County Board of Elections show that each of the three Genoa Township levies have been passed by voters.
Will passing the levies make taxes go up?
The total mills being taxed will remain the same, but there will be an estimated $4.15 annually per $100,000 of value increase to taxes. The dollar cost increase is a result of a 10% State of Ohio tax "roll back" the Police and Fire renewal levies receive that the Parks Levy will not.
How much does each individual levy cost a property owner?
Levy costs by fund:
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Increase/Decrease if Levy Passes
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Cost if Levy passes
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Increase/Decrease in Dollars if Levy Passes
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Police
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-.4 mills
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$118.10 annually per $100,000 valuation
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-$11.25 annually per $100,000 valuation
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Fire
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-.2 mills
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$148.36 annually per $100,000 valuation
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-$5.60 annually per $100,000 valuation
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Parks
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+.6 mills
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$21.00 annually per $100,000 valuation
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+$21.00 annually per $100,000 valuation*
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* There is no additional tax millage when the three levies are considered together. However, the dollar cost increases in the amount of $4.15 annually per $100,000 valuation. The dollar cost increase is a result of a 10% State of Ohio tax "roll back" the Police and Fire renewal levies receive that the Parks Levy will not.
Why reduce funding to emergency services (Police, Fire and EMS)?
Levy revenue is intended to cover expenses without accumulating excessive savings and overburdening property owners. Police and fire levies are being fine-tuned based on a thorough review of the operating budget from the previous five years. Cost saving measures and new revenue streams put in place over the past five years have slightly reduced the police and the fire department's need for operating levy revenue. The Chief of Police and the Fire Chief participated in the cooperative budgeting process.
How does the new police station and the police levy relate to one another?
The new police station is being constructed as a result of a 10-year voter approved bond levy. A property valued at $300,000 contributes approximately $7.03 per month to the cost of constructing the facility. Much like a home mortgage the building construction will be paid-off at the end of the 10 years and property owners will no longer be assessed this amount on their property tax bill.
The current police levy will fund the operating expenses of the department. Operating costs include employee salaries (including two additional officers over the levy term), benefits, vehicles, equipment, and supplies. The operating levy is brought to voters for consideration every five-years. The current operating levy will expire at the end of 2020.
The bond levy and operating levy are accounted for separately. Funds cannot legally be moved between the funds.
Why are three levies on the ballot at the same time and during the Covid-19 pandemic?
Every five years voters are asked to reconsider the police and fire operating levies regardless of current events. Township leaders review the operating budget from the previous term to decide whether to increase or decrease the millage. Levy revenue is intended to cover expenses without accumulating excessive savings and overburdening property owners.
Reduced police and fire levies provided an opportunity to dedicate the "savings" to parks without increasing tax millage.
How will the levies be described on the ballot?
POLICE LEVY
OFFICIAL QUESTIONS AND ISSUES BALLOT GENERAL ELECTION - NOVEMBER 3, 2020
PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL AND DECREASE)
GENOA TOWNSHIP DELAWARE COUNTY, OHIO
A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage
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A renewal of 4.6 mills of an existing levy and a decrease of .4 mills for the benefit of Genoa Township, Delaware County, Ohio for the purpose of PROVIDING AND MAINTAINING VEHICLES, COMMUNICATIONS, AND OTHER EQUIPMENT USED DIRECTLY IN THE OPERATIONS OF A POLICE DEPARTMENT, OR THE PAYMENT OF SALARIES OF PERMANENT POLICE PERSONNEL, INCLUDING THE PAYMENT OF THE POLICE EMPLOYERS’ CONTRIBUTION REQUIRED UNDER SECTION 742.33 OF THE OHIO REVISED CODE, OR THE PAYMENT OF THE COSTS INCURRED BY TOWNSHIPS AS A RESULT OF CONTRACTS MADE WITH OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN POLICE PROTECTION at a rate not exceeding 4.2 mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to $0.42 for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years commencing in 2020, first due in calendar year 2021.
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FOR THE TAX LEVY
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AGAINST THE TAX LEVY
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FIRE LEVY
OFFICIAL QUESTIONS AND ISSUES BALLOT GENERAL ELECTION - NOVEMBER 3, 2020
PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL AND DECREASE)
GENOA TOWNSHIP DELAWARE COUNTY, OHIO
A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage
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A renewal of 5.5 mills of an existing levy and a decrease of .2 mills for the benefit of Genoa Township, Delaware County, Ohio for the purpose of providing and maintaining fire apparatus, appliances, buildings, or sites therefor, or sources of water supply and materials therefor, or the establishment and maintenance of lines of fire alarm telegraph, or the payment of permanent, part-time, or volunteer firefighters or firefighting companies to operate the same, including payment of the firefighter employers' contribution required under section 742.34 of the Revised Code, or the purchase of ambulance equipment, or the provision of ambulance, paramedic, or other emergency medical services operated by a fire department or firefighting company;
at a rate not exceeding 5.3 mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to $0.53 for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years commencing in 2020, first due in calendar year 2021.
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FOR THE TAX LEVY
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AGAINST THE TAX LEVY
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PARKS AND RECREATION LEVY
OFFICIAL QUESTIONS AND ISSUES BALLOT GENERAL ELECTION - NOVEMBER 3, 2020
PROPOSED TAX LEVY (ADDITIONAL)
GENOA TOWNSHIP DELAWARE COUNTY, OHIO
A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage
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An additional tax for the benefit of Genoa Township, Delaware County, Ohio for the purpose of PARKS AND RECREATIONAL PURPOSES at a rate not exceeding 0.6 mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to $0.06 for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for Three (3) years commencing in 2020, first due in calendar year 2021.
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FOR THE TAX LEVY
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AGAINST THE TAX LEVY
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How have parks been funded in the past?
Without a dedicated levy, park maintenance is paid from the General Fund. Ever since the Estate Tax was repealed in 2013 expenses have exceeded revenue within the General Fund. Transfering the expenses of the parks to a special revenue fund will simultaneously extend the General Fund while increasing investment in township parks.
The General Fund is the operating fund of the Township and available for any purpose provided it is disbursed or transferred in accordance with Ohio law. The General Fund is used to pay for the operations of the administration which includes the township administrator, human resources, zoning and development, communications, and parks. Occasionally, it is also transferred to other funds to pay for unbudgeted departmental needs.
How does our current parks spending compare to similar townships?
The Parks and Trails Master Plan compared Genoa Township against four peer communities. Genoa Township ranked the lowest in parks spending.
Community |
County |
Parks & Recs Budget |
Genoa |
Delaware |
$210,543 |
Liberty |
Delaware |
$700,000 |
Orange |
Delaware |
$1,200,000 |
Clearcreek |
Warren |
$600,000 |
Liberty |
Butler |
$800,000 |
How would parks levy funds be spent?
Parks maintenance costs are currently taken from the township's General Fund. Should the measure pass, maintenance costs will instead be paid from the park levy fund. Remaining revenue from the park levy would be used on park improvement projects outlined in the newly adopted Park and Trail Master Plan.
The Parks Advisory Committee and the Board of Trustees together decided that the following projects from the Park and Trail Master Plan will be prioritized should the levy pass:
- Increase trail connections from neighborhoods and parks to existing networks (Goal 4, Activity 1)
- Add restroom to Hilmar and Worthington Road Park- consider year-round heated, remote lock facilities if feasible (Goal 3, Activity 3)
- Coordinate access to Fleur Woods and install hiking trail (Goal 2, Activity 10)
- Study feasibility of stream restoration at Center Green Park.(Goal 5, Activity 2)
- Preserve and restore historic township buildings (Goal 2, Activity 7)
How was the Fire Department able to supplement their budget with additional revenue?
In 2016, the Board of Trustees approved the Fire Chief's proposal to begin billing insurance companies for medical transportation. Insurance companies budget for these expenses, but a billing program must be in place in order to receive the revenue. The program comes at no additional expense to residents. The Fire Department was able to purchase a new vehicle as a result of the billing program. Read FAQ document created at the time of the program's roll-out.