Greene voters to decide on new tax requests, commissioner’s race

Voters in Greene County may see some new names for the commissioners race this year, and at least two communities and one school district will be asked to approve tax issues.

Greene County Commissioner Alan Anderson is up for re-election and has already submitted his petitions for approval by the elections board, according to Greene County Board of Elections Director Llyn McCoy. Anderson, a Republican, is currently serving his third term on the county board of commissioners.

Susan Lopez, director at the Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Family Resource Center, has announced she will challenge Anderson for the seat. Lopez and Luke Steven Bujenovic, both Democrats, have pulled petitions and each will be working to collect and submit at least 50 valid signatures by Feb. 7 in order to appear on the May primary ballot, according to McCoy.

Yellow Springs Schools Board of Education approved a resolution Tuesday morning to seek a new tax levy and an income tax increase to pay for a new school building for students in grades 7-12.

The 4.7-mill levy will pay for a $12.7 million bond issue over 37 years, costing property owners about $164 annually per $100,000 in property value, according to Yellow Springs Schools Treasurer Dawn Bennett.

Voters in Yellow Springs will also see a request for a .25 percent income tax to pay for the rest of the capital project, generating an estimated $18.5 million, Bennett said.

Bellbrook City Council approved a resolution Monday to place a 1.75-mill levy on the May ballot.

The new tax request is a reduction of the 3-mill levy that voters narrowly rejected in November.

In Beavercreek, council is considering a resolution to ask voters to approve a continuous police levy in November, according to City Manager Pete Landrum.