North Ridgeville council votes 5-2 to place 0.75% income-tax increase on Nov. 4 ballot

The North Ridgeville City Council voted 5–2 on Aug. 4 to place a proposed 0.75 percentage-point city income-tax increase on the Nov. 4, 2025 ballot, moving to add an emergency clause so the measure could meet the board of elections deadline. The resolution puts before voters a proposal to raise the city income tax from 1.00% to 1.75%, effective Jan. 1, 2026, if approved. Council also postponed until Dec. 1, 2025 consideration of the implementing ordinance that would specify credits and administrative details.

Why it matters: council members and residents said the decision affects city services and household budgets and must be decided by voters. Council members who supported placing the issue on the ballot framed it as giving residents the choice; opponents said the city should pursue spending cuts first. The implementing ordinance that would establish a credit for income paid to other municipalities was not on the ballot and will require separate council action after the election.

Council action and next steps: the council adopted Resolution 2025-113 (listed on the agenda as 2025 dash 1 13) to send the income-tax question to the ballot and approved an emergency clause to meet the Aug. 6 board-of-elections deadline. The subsequent ordinance that would set the tax rate and a credit of up to 1.0% for income paid to other municipalities (2025-114) was moved for postponement and will be considered at the Dec. 1, 2025 council meeting after election results are certified. The council record shows final votes on the ballot measure were 5 in favor and 2 opposed.

Public comments and council debate: several members of the public urged opposition or caution. Shelly Kersey, a North Ridgeville resident, criticized recent raises for some city employees and said, “We are handing out big fat pay raises to a certain chosen few,” and asked for restricted use clauses specifying spending priorities such as police, fire and public works. Greg Fanning, another resident, said, “I cannot and will not support any tax increase for any reason,” and urged spending cuts instead. Longtime resident John Vertojnick expressed concern about prior credits for residents who worked outside the city and asked whether council could later rescind any promised credit.

On council, Member Winkle said he supports letting voters decide: “Let the people vote.” Council Member Swank said she would not support placing the implementing ordinance on the ballot that night because she wanted more discussion and to seek spending cuts first. Members Abens, De Vries, Jacobs and Awig spoke in favor of letting voters decide and cited projections that the current 1% rate would not sustain services in future years.

What voters will see: the ballot question approved for the Nov. 4 ballot asks voters whether to increase the city income-tax rate by 0.75 percentage points beginning Jan. 1, 2026. The credit language referenced in draft ordinance 2025-114 (a credit up to 1.0% for income paid to other municipalities) was not included on the ballot; the council clarified that the credit is a separate legislative action that would be considered only if voters approve the increase.

Implications and timeline: if voters approve the increase, council expects to consider and then adopt the implementing ordinance (including any credit provisions) at a later meeting; council postponed that ordinance to Dec. 1, 2025 so it can act after the election is certified. If voters reject the measure, no change to the tax rate will occur. The council did not adopt specific spending restrictions for any revenue in its motion to place the question on the ballot.

Additional context: council members and the mayor said the city has discussed future-year budget shortfalls for several years; supporters argued the vote gives residents the choice to address projected funding gaps, while opponents argued that spending restraint should be tried first.