Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Tax Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Arcanum council discusses property tax elimination and potential threat to fire funding
Summary
Council members discussed state-level proposals to eliminate property tax and the possible consequences for local fire funding; Fire Chief Mark Gibson said local departments are 'extremely worried' and may last only about a year without property tax levies.
Council members on April 14 discussed the potential local effects of proposals to eliminate property tax and replace revenue with higher income or sales taxes.
Councilman Burns asked whether eliminating property tax would affect the feasibility of forming a future Fire District. Village Administrator Marcus Ballinger responded that elimination would "affect it drastically," noting local fire departments rely on property tax levies for funding. Fire Chief Mark Gibson told the council that local fire departments are "extremely worried" and that some departments have said they may be able to last only another year without property tax funding. Ballinger said the Governor had indicated income tax could rise to about 17% and sales tax to around 23% under the plan.
Council members discussed fiscal implications including possible layoffs and service cuts if property tax revenue disappeared. The council did not take formal action on the topic during the meeting; it was discussed as part of the Planning Committee's broader review of income tax preparation for a November ballot measure.
