New Carlisle OKs $450,000 a year police levy

Clark County Sheriff’s Office deputies will continue to patrol New Carlisle’s city limits after residents approved a $450,000 a year renewal levy that will pay for the services for another five years.

According to unofficial election results from the Clark County Board of Elections, about 67 percent of voters approved the tax renewal. The money is earmarked and can only be used to pay for police activity, New Carlisle Mayor Mike Lowrey said.

“As the city as a whole, the police levy was more important to me than anything,” Lowrey said. “My first reaction was that I am really thankful to the citizens supporting the levy because we need our deputies. It is one of the key factors of having a safe and secure city. Without their help we would not be able to provide that.”

New Carlisle doesn’t have its own police force. Instead, it contracts with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office to have four deputies strictly patrol New Carlisle. As part of the contract, New Carlisle is responsible for paying the deputy’s salaries, benefits and other expenses.

The levy is a half-percent income tax that was first approved in 2015. The new levy is a carbon copy of the old levy, Lowery said. Lowrey said the income tax allowed the city to contract four deputies instead of two.

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The renewal vote puts the income tax into effect until 2025, when the city would have to decide whether to request the tax again and voters will decide. Lowrey said he suspects the city will do so at that time, but noted that a lot can change in five years.

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