Mechanicsburg officials pondering next move after street levy fails

Village of Mechanicsburg officials have yet to decide what steps to take a week after more than 60 percent of voters rejected a proposed 3-mill, three-year levy that would have helped pay for street repair.

The measure failed 198-377, according to final, unofficial results from the Champain County Board of Elections. Voters rejected the levy the previous two times it was on the ballot, so the most recent outcome was no surprise to Village Administrator April Davis, she said.

“I didn’t really expect it to go the other way no matter what we’d done,” Davis said of the outcome.

Had it passed, the levy would have raised about $59,000 a year for street repairs, and cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $95 annually.

Now, officials are expected to meet within two weeks to determine their next step. In the past, village officials have discussed several options, including reducing services such as leaf and brush pickup.

Village officials tried several ways to get their message across, Davis said, including creating a Facebook page to interact with voters and hosting a chili dinner to answer questions voters might have. It isn’t clear why the levy failed, but Davis and others said many residents are unwilling to pay more for the repairs.

Even some residents who voted in favor of the levy said it was not an easy decision.

“I voted for it and I’m sorry it failed,” said June Weindel. “We can’t really afford it but the streets need to be fixed.”

Kenneth Timmons, who also voted in favor of the levy, said he simply believes the streets need to be repaired.

It’s not yet clear whether village officials will place the levy on the ballot again in the spring, Davis said. In the meantime, the village may have to cut back on plowing snow, leaf pickup and other services.

“Hopefully we have a mild winter like we did last year where we didn’t have much snow,” Davis said.

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