Special election called for on Middletown safety levy

By Michael D. Pitman, Staff Writer Updated 9:41 AM Thursday, April 5, 2012

MIDDLETOWN — Voters will be asked in August if they want to supplement the police and fire departments by renewing the city’s 0.25 percent income tax public safety levy.

Council voted 4-1 Thursday to place the measure on the ballot, but not before a brief discussion on whether it should be a continuing levy, which was what passed, or have a five-year sunset provision. Mayor Larry Mulligan and Councilman Josh Laubach were excused from the meeting.

“I think that we need to consider a five-year sunset on this to give it the greatest chance of passing,” said Councilman Joe Mulligan, who voted against the legislation.

The current 0.25 percent public safety levy expires at the end of the year, and with it would go an estimated $2.9 million collected annually for the police and fire departments. The police and fire budgets are a collective $21 million.

A resident earning $50,000 a year currently pays $125 a year toward the levy, or less than $10.50 a month. That payment would continue if the tax is approved by voters.

Council needed to pass three ordinances — to allow the city to impose the income tax, place it on the August ballot and pay for the special election — before April 9 so the legislation could take effect by the May 9 deadline to place the items on the Aug. 7 ballot in Butler and Warren counties.

Mulligan said there will likely be three types of voters in August: those who won’t support any tax, those who would support a continuing levy, and those who would support a levy with a sunset provision but not the continuing levy.

“Our success will be in those last two segments,” Mulligan said.

Councilman A.J. Smith, chair of council’s public safety subcommittee, disagreed. He said the voters will be “die-hard fans” of public safety, those who vote against any tax and thee uninformed voters who Smith added he feels can be convinced of the need.

“August is our best chance to get it, a continuing levy would make the most sense,” Smith said.

Councilwoman Anita Scott Jones supported Mulligan in asking for a sunset provision, but a motion to change the proposed legislation from a continuing income tax to a tax with a five-year sunset clause failed.

“I think it needs to be publicly said that there are people who have an issue with the continuing (levy) at this point ... They don’t have a problem with the renewal,” Scott Jones said. “Everyone knows I’m a supporter of police and fire, but we also sometimes have to take our personal opinions out and speak as the voice of those we represent.”

Councilwoman Ann Mort said a continuing levy “wasn’t my first choice, but I believe it is the best choice at this point.”

The anticipated cost of the election is estimated to be between $50,000 and $80,000 by the Butler County Board of Elections. The exact cost will be billed after the election.

The public safety subcommittee will meet at noon Tuesday to discuss the levy campaign on the second floor of the Middletown City Building, One Donham Plaza.