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Council advances proposal to place municipal income-tax increases on May 5, 2026 ballot
Summary
Council heard second readings of several ordinances and resolutions to continue and allocate portions of the city’s municipal income tax, with Finance Director Dave Lewis saying the measures would generate roughly $6.4 million above the existing 1% and dedicate specified shares to streets, equipment and parks.
Steubenville City Council received second readings of ordinance and resolution packages that would continue and reallocate portions of the municipal income tax and place the measures before voters on the May 5, 2026 primary ballot.
Finance Director Dave Lewis described how the proposals would change the city’s wage-and-profit tax structure. "That's the major income for the city that generates, altogether an additional 6.4 million on top of the 1%," Lewis said, and he explained that of the additional 0.7 percentage points (raising the rate from 1.3% to 2% in one ordinance) $500,000 would be earmarked for street improvements, $300,000 for capital equipment and $100,000 for parks and recreation capital projects, with remaining revenue going to the general fund. Other coordinated measures would continue a separate 0.3% allocation for municipal employee salaries and street improvements.
Councilmembers asked how the set-aside funds are used in practice. Lewis said the $500,000 street allocation frequently serves as the local match to leverage state and federal grants, with typical matches of 10–20 percent. Councilmember Mayo asked whether the $100,000 parks allocation could be used similarly; Lewis replied that park dollars can be used as part of grant matching and that the budget process is the usual place to change or add funds.
The ordinances and resolutions were introduced by the Finance Committee and remain at second reading; the council did not adopt final legislation during the meeting. If advanced and approved by council, the measures would be placed on the May 5, 2026 ballot for voter consideration.
