Voters OK increase for repairs, policing

HEATH

Heath voters have approved a 0.5 percent permanent income tax increase to generate revenue for repairing city streets, hiring more police officers and other city expenses.

With all votes counted, the tax increase passed 54 to 46 percent in final, unofficial results.

The increase will raise the city’s income tax rate to 2 percent. It will generate about $2.2 million annually.

Approximately $1 million of the additional revenue will go toward repair and repaving of city streets and curbs. Money also will be made available to the city’s capital improvement fund for replacing aging city equipment, including snow plows and dump trucks, as well as providing for future staffing needs for the city’s street department.

Revenue also will be used to hire and equip additional police officers.

The income tax rate in the Licking County community hadn’t changed in nearly 30 years. Local leaders have said state cuts to local government funding have negatively affected Heath and other Ohio cities, and the tax increase was necessary to maintain the quality of life in the city.

Heath Mayor Mark Johns thanked community members for supporting the measure at the polls as well as those who campaigned for the tax increase.

“The majority of the people that I’ve come to know in the city of Heath take great pride in living in Heath. They want and expect Heath to be a cut above most communities,” Johns said. “That Heath pride that we have in this community is reflected in the results that we see tonight.”