President Pro Tem Sheri Theis asked Clerk of Council Linda Chancey to read the first ordinance in line for consideration during a last week’s Circleville City Council meeting.
“An ordinance replacing the 0.5% income tax rate increase allotting for the purpose of operating and maintaining the safety forces in the City of Circleville … with a 0.4% annual income tax for a five-year period beginning January 1, 2025 and ending December 31st, 2029,” reported Chancey.
The ordinance, if approved by Council, would put this renewal levy for the safety forces on the November 5th ballot.
Councilman Tom Duvall said that the terms of the levy were the same as those on the March 19th ballot.
If passed, the income tax for wage earners working within the city limits would change from 2.5% to 2.4%. If not passed, the income tax rate would go from 2.5% to 2.0%. In either event, there will be a tax reduction effective January 1, 2025.
The renewal levy will now go before the voters for a third time. The March vote was close with 1,249 voting in favor and 1,300 voting against.
One of the upcoming procedural steps will be to ask Frank LaRose, the Ohio Secretary of State, to provide the official ballot language. The March 19th ballot contained this wording:
Proposed Municipal Income Tax City of Circleville
A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.
Shall the Ordinance providing for a 0.4 per cent levy on income for operating and maintaining the safety forces for 5 years, commencing January 1, 2025, and expiring December 31, 2029, be passed?
__ For the Income Tax
__ Against the Income Tax
Some voters said that they believed this language called for an additional 0.4% income tax and so they voted against it. The Mayor and Council will now wait to learn what ballot language LaRose will approve for the November 5th ballot.
During the period allowed for open comments from the public, William Haddox asked if the Mayor and the Council were familiar with what was happening in Springfield, Ohio, where immigrants, primarily from Haiti, have been arriving in large numbers without any advance notice or planning. Haddox stated that this large influx has placed stress on the police, emergency services and schools.
“If, potentially, something like that were to happen here, we would need a plan in place on how to deal with it,” said Haddox.
In the 2020 census, the population for Springfield was 58,662; in 2010, the population was 60,500. Officials have said that determining the number of recently arriving immigrants is difficult. While some estimates have been as high as 15,000 to 20,000, other estimates were in the 6,000 to 8,000 range.
Mayor Michelle Blanton responded that she has a friend who is there and is aware of the situation. Blanton stated a willingness to discuss this matter further with Haddox.
In other news, earlier in the meeting, Blanton stated that she had participated in a “needs assessment” with PICCA as part of their strategic plan process. She indicated to Council that she had some data from the meeting that she could provide.
Council also approved an ordinance allowing the Circleville Police Chief to live outside the city limits, but within Pickaway and adjacent counties.
Mayor Blanton informed Council that the alley just to the east of R&M Tires is now a one-way road, heading north and away from Main Street.
Acting Police Chief Kenny Fisher invited all Circleville residents to celebrate National Night Out on Tuesday, August 6th. There will be a free cookout and entertainment at Ted Lewis Park from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
President Pro Tem Theis reminded everyone that there is an opening on the Downtown Redevelopment District and applications will be accepted up until July 31st. Theis said that the board only meets twice a year, so it is a very light time commitment.
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