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Lincoln Heights council debates tax-budget schedules and proposed levy increases; vote to act fails 3–3
Summary
Council discussed Resolution 2025R85 (tax budget) and Schedule A/B estimates for proposed levies, including a proposed 2‑mill increase for the general-fund levy and a 4‑mill increase for a police levy, but a motion to suspend rules and act failed 3–3, prompting plans to brief auditors and possibly hold a special meeting before the Oct. 23 deadline.
Council members spent a substantial portion of the Oct. 14 meeting discussing Resolution 2025R85, the tax-budget resolution the village must submit to the Hamilton County Budget Commission. Manager Brown and Finance Director John Key explained two schedules included with the resolution: Schedule A (current and proposed levies and revenue estimates) and Schedule B (proposed levies only).
Manager Brown and the finance director told council the general-fund levy under consideration is a renewal set to expire this year, with a proposed continuance for five years and an additional 2 mills shown in the packet (presented in the materials as an 18‑mill figure). They also said a proposed police-levy continuance with a 4‑mill increase is shown in Schedule B (presented as 21 mills) and that the schedules display expected revenue associated with those proposals.
Council members asked whether approving the tax-budget resolution commits the village to placing levies on the ballot. Staff explained that the tax-budget submission is a required estimate for the Budget Commission and does not by itself put levies on the ballot; the ballot process is separate. Council discussed scenarios if levies pass or fail and whether the village would accept levy proceeds, and asked for clearer breakdowns. A motion to suspend rules and act failed on a 3–3 roll call, leaving the item unresolved and prompting council to request a finance briefing and potential special meeting to meet the Oct. 23 deadline for the Budget Commission.
Council asked staff to invite representatives from the county auditor's office or the budget commission to explain the schedules and to provide a clearer line-by-line explanation before the council votes.
