The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Parks levy not on the ballot in November
Lorain’s possible park levy will not appear on the November ballot.
Meanwhile, some voters in Lorain, Sheffield Township and North Ridgeville will have new places to cast their ballots.
The Lorain County Board of Elections considered the topics during the board’s Aug. 15 meeting, said Paul Adams, director of the Lorain County Board of Elections.
No park levy
Board members Marilyn Jacobcik, Helen Hurst, Thomas J. Smith and Anthony Giardini voted 4-0 to disqualify Lorain’s five-year, 1-mill park levy.
This summer, Lorain City Council members debated whether to ask voters to approve a property tax increase to raise about $817,715 a year for maintenance of the parks and new recreational programs.
On July 29, Lorain City Council approved the legislation to put the levy on the ballot.
It passed 7-3, meaning it would take effect in 30 days, after the Aug. 7 deadline to file issues for the November ballot.
At the time, Lorain Mayor Joe Koziura said the possibility of a city vote was “done.”
But Clerk of Council Nancy Greer said the legislation directed her to file the necessary paperwork with the Lorain County Board of Elections, so she did.
At the elections board, Council’s timing was not the issue, but the vote count was, Adams said.
The elections board consulted with the Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office based on Ohio law about property taxes, Adams said.
In the law, the taxing authority of any political subdivision may propose a public vote on a property tax increase if two-thirds of the voting members approve the request, he said.
Lorain Council approved the resolution, but not by a 2/3 majority, Adams said.
That provision in Ohio law usually involves townships because they are political subdivisions that ask voters for property taxes, he said.
It is uncommon for that legal technicality to affect city issues because city finances often deal with income taxes, not property taxes, Adams said.
Lorain, Sheffield Township
In November, voters in Lorain 4-E, 4-F and Sheffield Township West precincts will have a new voting location, Adams said.
Voters in those precincts will cast ballots at the House of Praise International Church, 4321 Elyria Ave.
The former voting location, Ss. Peter & Paul Lutheran Church, is no longer available to use as a polling location.
North Ridgeville
Voters in North Ridgeville Precinct 1-B will vote at the North Ridgeville Fire Station No. 1, 7000 Ranger Way, Adams said.
Earlier this year, the Board of Elections approved dividing the existing North Ridgeville Precinct 1-B to become the new Precinct 1-B and Precinct 1-E, he said.
The division required establishing a new polling location for the new Precinct 1-B.
Voters in Precinct 1-E will vote at the North Ridgeville Senior Center, 7327 Avon Belden Road.
Voters affected by changes to polling places will receive mailed notices in coming weeks, Adams said.