Trustees approve motor vehicle license tax

A $5 permissive motor vehicle license tax recently passed by the Concord Township trustees will provide additional revenue to aid road maintenance projects and related equipment.

The adoption of the resolution was unanimous by Trustees Chris Galloway, Connie Luhta and Paul Malchesky.

The anticipated annual increase of approximately $19,995 will go toward the township’s road repair program, administrator Andy

Rose detailed during the Aug. 22 meeting.

“We currently receive an average of $59,986 per year in vehicle registration fees,” Rose said. “This is the average over the past three years. These additional funds will go directly to our road repair program to help offset rising

costs and matching funds for grants through the Ohio Public Works Commission.”

In the current year, the township has allocated $1,314,500 for road improvements, materials and equipment maintenance, an amount that does not include the work related to Auburn-Crile-Capital Parkway enhancements. Over the past three years, Concord has averaged $1,132,098.30 for roadwork and related equipment.

Both sums include grant funding from OPWC.

Rose said township officials do not take the decision to levy additional funds lightly.

“We evaluated our appropriations and expenditures over the past three years and factored in planned improvements for the future,” he added. “Road salt increase is 40 percent for upcoming season.”

Over the next two years, project costs, including OPWC funds, are estimated to be $975,000 in 2019 and $1,175,000 in 2020.

Galloway said that in the last couple of years the township has had a lot of weather that’s been very challenging on the roads.

“This is my 13th year as trustee, and I’ve had more requests from our residents for us to do more road work, and to spend more dollars on roads, than I have in my previous years,” he said. “We’re actually doing a record amount of road work in the township. We do have an extensive road (repair) program planned out years in advance that does modify as we re-review the condition of the roads on an annual basis.

“People want us to do more road work, and we need more money to do it,” Galloway said. “There’s no magic pot otherwise. Everybody believes their road is the worst in the township, and I assure you, it is not. With this tax, more dollars allows us to do more work. In an era of shrinking state dollars, in terms of the local government fund, it’s another way for us to get those dollars in. Nobody likes paying taxes, but I’m happy to do that for township roads.”

The anticipated annual increase of approximately $19,995 will go toward the township’s road repair program, administrator Andy Rose detailed during the Aug. 22 meeting.