The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Lorain voters OK Port levy
The replacement levy for the Lorain Port and Finance Authority was approved by voters in the March 19 primary.
Issue 24 passed 3,649 to 2,815, according to unofficial results from the Lorain County Board of Elections.
“We’re excited and we appreciate the support,” said Tom Brown, executive director of the Lorain Port and Finance Authority. “It’s our 60th anniversary so it’s a big year for us.
“It’s never easy coming back for a replacement, so we just appreciate that people are recognizing what we’re trying to do here.”
There is a 1-mill levy in place that generates about $850,000 per year for the Port Authority.
The new levy will generate $1,022,000 per year for the next five years, before it will go up for renewal.
The owner of a $100,000 home previously paid about $27 per year for the levy, and that will be bumped up to about $35, according to the Lorain County Auditor’s Office.
“We’re managing about 125 acres and everything has gotten more expensive and we haven’t asked for a replacement in 20 years,” Brown said.
“We thought it was time and we want to make sure that we deliver excellence.”
Brown said the extra funds will help keep the Port Authority’s properties clean and maintained but also allow them to host more entertainment and events.
One of the Port Authority’s current big projects is the renovations for the stage at Black River Landing, 319 Black River Lane in downtown Lorain.
Last October, Brown said the renovations would cost around $10 million.
The project, which will add a green room and new amphitheater was supposed to get underway in 2023, but was postponed to fall 2024 due to financing issues.
Brown said the decision to halt the project was due to the fact that construction would not have been completed before the 2024 concert season began.
The Port Authority now intends to keep the old setup for the 2024 concert season and complete the renovations during the 2024-25 offseason.