Beavercreek residents voted to not implement a 1 percent income tax initiative that was placed on the May 3, 2022 ballot by city council.
If the proposed income tax passed, city council was prepared to terminate five existing property levies, totaling 8.1. mills, which equates to approximately $134 per $100,000 of home value. Because the income tax was not approved, the five property levies will remain in place.
“I am certainly disappointed by these results,” said Mayor Bob Stone. “Council listened to residents who say their property taxes are too high. Council took that feedback and vowed to terminate additional property taxes to try and lessen the city’s tax burden on property owners.”
The city planned to use funds generated by the income tax to replace revenue from the nearly $7 million in terminated property taxes, hire five additional police officers and five additional public service workers, fund general city operations, and address the city’s estimated $200 million backlog in infrastructure projects.
“Without additional funding, reductions will be necessary, even as the normal inflationary rate outpaces city levy revenues,” said Beavercreek City Manager Pete Landrum. “Not only will the city not be able to add five additional police officers and five public service workers, but the city will also not be able to maintain its current service levels as requests for services continues to climb. The need to increase city service levels and address the city’s backlog of infrastructure projects is urgent. These issues will become more evident to residents as the city’s infrastructure continues to age and the demand for city services grows.”
It has been eight years since the city received new funding for the Beavercreek Police Department and six years for the city’s streets fund.
“Over the next few months, city council and staff will review all available funding options for the city, but we know our options are limited,” said Landrum. “The need to fund city services and infrastructure expenditures still remains.”
“Ultimately, voters decide how the city is funded,” Mayor Stone said. “City council will continue to do our best to provide city services with the limited funds we have.”