Should fire, police levy be ongoing?

City leaders to seek renewal of a 0.25% income tax in November.

By Michael D. Pitman, Staff Writer 9:39 AM Monday, February 13, 2012

MIDDLETOWN — The city is moving forward to place its Public Safety Levy for renewal on the November ballot, but this time leaders want to address whether to ask voters for permanent funds to maintain police and fire protection.

A committee will be formed to evaluate the 0.25 percent income tax that helps fund public safety in the city.

The committee — which will incorporate city staff from the police, fire, finance and legal departments, and the police and fire unions — will serve three functions: advise council on whether the levy should be permanent, gauge the community’s support and run the campaign.

Council will need to approve an ordinance to authorize city staff to work on the committee and campaign, but Councilwoman Anita Scott Jones said she wants to ensure the committee is not staff-heavy.

“We need the input and backing of the community no matter what we do,” she said.

The additional income tax was approved by voters in 2007.

Fire Chief Steve Botts said the message communicated during that campaign was it would maintain — not add — to the police and fire services.

The two departments have a collective 2012 budget of $21 million — $8.95 million for fire and $12.04 million for police. The fund collected $2.2 million in its first year of collection in 2008 and generated roughly $2.9 million last year. The fund expires at the year’s end, but if renewed in November, it’s projected to collect around $3 million for 2013.

Councilman Josh Laubach said he wants to make sure the committee and city develop a Plan B.

“What happens if it doesn’t pass? As a council we have to be prepared to deal with that,” he said.

Botts agreed.

“I think the public needs to know that,” Botts said. “This is what you intend to do, this is what you’re going to do and this is what will happen if it doesn’t happen.”

Council members decided during its Saturday retreat at the city building that it would move forward to place the public safety levy on the November ballot instead of during a special election in August. Councilman A.J. Smith said the city would have greater success in August, possibly because of voter fatigue with federal, state and local races in the upcoming general election. However, the price tag to place a levy on the ballot in August would be $79,000. In November it would not cost the city.

“I think it would be worth spending $79,000 to be by ourselves, or with only one other issue,” Smith said. “Everything is in line for us to win in a special election,” he said, citing the rejection of Issue 2 (Senate Bill 5) in November that would have reduced collective bargaining rights for public employees.

To put the item on the November ballot, Council will need to approve legislation by Aug. 8.

Some of council say economic factors may result in a close vote at the polls. However, Middletown firefighter Jon Harvey, president of Local 336 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, said he is optimistic. “If you give us two or three months to prepare ... it’s got a high chance of passing by a higher margin.”

Council will discuss the issue further at its Feb. 21 regularly scheduled meeting in Council Chambers at the city building, One Donham Plaza.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2175 or michael.pitman@coxinc.com. Follow at twitter.com/mdpitman.