If approved, the levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $92 a year and generate $59,000 for road repairs.
“There’s never been a levy here for streets,” Davis said. “It’s always relied on the general fund, but the general fund is down.”
Voters have twice rejected similar attempts to pass a street levy in the past. But village officials have said a decrease in Local Government Funds provided by the state, among other issues, means there is less money available in the general fund for projects such as street repairs.
“This is kind of a buffer in case of an emergency,” Davis said.
In addition, the village is seeking a five-year, 4-mill renewal levy to provide fire services. That levy generates about $74,00 a year.
There is only one other levy submitted for the fall ballot so far, according to information from the Champaign County Board of Elections.
Union Twp. will ask voters to approve a replacement of a four year, 1.5-mill levy and add an additional 2.5-mill levy for fire protection services. The cost of providing fire and Emergency Medical Services has increased, and voters will have to decide what level of service they are willing to pay for, said Charles Dooley, a union Twp. trustee.
The cost for those services increased by 60 percent in the most recent contract between the township and the city of Urbana. Several townships are also working with the Ohio Fire Chiefs Association on a study to determine if it makes more financial sense to create a new fire district covering a handful of the townships.
“I just hope they see the need for their EMS services and fire services,” Dooley said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0355 or msanctis@coxohio.com
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