Council advances income tax and places renewal levy on November ballot

Buckeye Lake's council moved several local tax measures forward on June 8, 2026. Council read Ordinance 2026-20 for a second time; the ordinance would establish a municipal income tax at a rate of one and one-half percent (1.5%) per year, effective Jan. 1, 2027, and authorize the mayor and fiscal officer to execute an agreement for participation in a regional tax-administration arrangement. Council agreed the ordinance will move to a third reading.

Resolution 2026-05, which would provide for submission of a 1.5% income-tax question to village electors, and Resolution 2026-06, addressing property-tax levies should the income tax be adopted, also were read for second reading and scheduled to move to third reading.

Separately, Councilor John Lemmon moved and Councilor Tom Wolfe seconded a motion to add Resolution 2026-10 to the agenda and hold a first reading. Resolution 2026-10 seeks renewal of a levy in excess of the ten-mill limitation for current operating expenses and would submit that question to electors at the Nov. 3, 2026 election; the motion to add the resolution passed 6–1 with Councilor Lemmon recorded as abstaining.

The Finance Committee reported it is "leaning towards doing a renewal of the current levy" and left the municipal income tax on the agenda for further consideration. No final voter submission or tax adoption occurred at the June 8 meeting; the measures were advanced for further readings or placement on the ballot as specified.