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London City Council moves to certify renewal levy for November ballot
Summary
The council adopted a resolution (162-26) asking the Madison County auditor to certify valuation and revenue for a general-fund levy renewal (an item described as “in excess of the 10-mill limitation”); council suspended the three-reading rule to expedite certification and set a second meeting to place the measure on the November ballot pending auditor figures.
The London City Council on Thursday voted to request a county audit of expected revenue for a renewal property levy, taking the first procedural step needed to place the measure on the November ballot.
Acting President Greg Giese, the council pro tem, said the resolution—numbered 162-26 and sponsored by Josh Peters—asks the Madison County auditor to certify the city’s current property valuations and the dollar amount the levy would generate. Giese said the item is a renewal, not a new tax rate: “This is not an increase. This is not a replacement,” he said. He added the renewal preserves the city’s general-fund millage as it has been applied in prior years.
Raquel Davis, the city’s law director, said the process requires two separate legislative steps and that the county auditor’s certification is the first. “It requires two pieces of legislation,” Davis said. “If this passes tonight, it does require a second meeting, which then would be a vote to put it on the ballot.” She told council the county auditor contacted city staff after the deadline was missed, prompting the special meeting.
Council members moved to suspend the three-reading rule so the council could act on the single-item resolution during this special meeting. The suspension motion was seconded and approved; the council then voted to adopt the resolution requesting certification. The chair said the council expects to meet again Thursday to complete the second piece of legislation, contingent on the auditor’s report and the board-of-elections deadlines.
Council members and staff discussed the procedural limit at issue—the so-called 10-mill limitation under state statute (ORC)—and stressed they were relying on the auditor and legal counsel for statutory interpretation. The law director and council members emphasized that certification from the auditor is required to calculate the levy’s dollar yield and to draft the ballot language.
Next steps: the council directed staff to seek certification from the Madison County auditor and to return to the already-noticed Thursday meeting, where council members expect to vote on placing the renewal on the November ballot if certification is received.
