Bellbrook officials outline 2.2‑mill Issue 3 levy to close $610,000 public safety gap

Summary

City staff and Mayor Mike Schuler told residents at a public information session that Issue 3 would add 2.2 mills to property taxes to raise about $610,000 annually, dedicated solely to police, fire and EMS; officials said the money would preserve current service levels and that failure would force roughly $600,000 in cuts from the general fund.

Staff member, the city manager, opened a public information session on Issue 3 by saying the measure is "a tax for 2.2 mils to provide funding for strictly public safety, public safety being fire, EMS, and police." The presentation explained the levy was designed to close an estimated $610,000 annual funding gap and maintain current public safety service levels rather than expand them.

The nut graf: City officials said Issue 3 would be restricted by the ballot language to public safety uses only and would not fund new city services or general capital projects. "Even though it's long, it says nothing but everything public safety," the city manager said, adding the levy is intended to preserve the service level residents currently receive.

Officials described how the levy amount was calculated. The city manager said a 2.2‑mill levy would generate about $610,000; the presentation broke that amount into an approximate $420,000 subsidy for police and $190,000 for fire and EMS. The city manager explained how mills work and said the levy would first take effect in calendar year 2026 (collected on 2026 tax bills).

Council and…

Bellbrook officials outline 2.2‑mill Issue 3 levy to close $610,000 public safety gap

Summary

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