In all, 40 issues to appear on Licking County ballots
Friday,  October 23, 2009 10:24 PM
ThisWeek Staff Writer
The Licking County Board of Elections has a combined 40 issues to place on various ballots Nov. 3.

Three are state issues, but all others are specific to Licking County. They are as follows:

Heath, issue 5

Heath residents will see issue 5, a charter amendment to "limit the use of photo-monitoring devices to detect certain traffic-law violations."

Residents submitted a petition to put the issue on the ballot after Heath installed the cameras in June 2009. Heath City Council voted in December 2008 to install cameras along Hebron Road at Putnam Road, Heath Road, Irving-Wick Drive, Hopewell Drive and Coffman Boulevard and at 30th Street and Andover Road. Warnings were sent after cameras began working in June but the 30-day warning period ended June 30, and violation notices were sent to offenders.

Residents have been fighting against the cameras since then, petitioning successfully to have the issue placed on the ballot and regularly attending council meetings to speak against the photo enforcement.

Ronnie Kidd, one of the people who oppose the cameras, said he believes people should vote to have the cameras taken out because police officers should be the ones giving tickets.

Heath police officers review each violation to confirm it is a violation before Redflex Traffic Systems Inc., the company that installed the cameras, sends a notice.

Kidd said he also has issues with the appeals process. People who appeal violations go before a judge hired by the city to hear appeals. If they want to appeal the judge's decision, residents may petition Licking County Common Pleas Court.

Kidd also said recent figures obtained from the city show traffic counts are down and businesses are suffering.

"They (the cameras) do not promote safety. They make money," Kidd said.

Heath Mayor Richard Waugh is asking people to vote against issue 5 to keep the cameras in place. He said the cameras were installed to improve safety by reducing the number of violations and accidents.

Figures from the city show accidents are down, Waugh said, and the number of violations is decreasing.

"I thought it would take a year's worth of data, but it's proven itself in four months," Waugh said.

Violations are civil and carry a $100 fine. The violation fine is split between Heath and Redflex. Redflex takes $31 of each of the first 150 violations and $21 of subsequent violations.

The cameras track drivers' speeds and red-light violations.

Thus far, the city has collected more than $700,000 from Redflex since July 1.

Waugh said he has recommended to Heath City Council that in 2009, any funding from Redflex should be split as follows: $100,000 should go into the general fund; $100,000 should help pay for safety items, such as the two police cruisers the city is purchasing, signs and a portable speed trailer; and the rest should be used to reduce the city's debt.

Waugh said he also is recommending that council consider hiring one police office and one firefighter in 2010 after the city determines what its average revenue stream should be. Revenues spiked after the first month of operation but have dropped since violations have diminished. Waugh said revenues likely would continue to decrease.


Pataskala, issues 7, 39 and 40

Issue 7 is another income-tax request to raise money for Pataskala's police operations and street department.

The city is requesting a 1-percent income tax with a 1-percent credit for those who work outside the city in 2010, a 1-percent income tax with no credit in 2011 and a 2-percent income tax with a 1-percent credit for those who work outside the city in 2012 and beyond.

Estimates show the city could expect to collect $136,001 in 2010, $1,676,720 in 2011 and $2,420,677 in 2012, according to city finance director Jason Carr.

Pataskala has no permanent funding source, collecting less than 13 percent of total property taxes paid in the city annually. The city failed to pass a streets levy two years ago, and the police levy expires at the end of this year, with collections ceasing after 2010.

Council committees had determined the city would need a 3-mill streets levy and an 8-mill police levy to fully operate both departments. No council members were willing to support such a high millage for the ballot, though.

After months of discussing the pros and cons of various tax options, council voted 4-1 in August to put an income-tax issue on the November ballot. Per council member Brian Raybourne's suggestion, the legislation was amended to start with a reduced collection rate in 2010, anticipating better economic times after that year.

Even if issue 7 passes, the city will have to work within a limited budget through 2010 while collecting the last year of the current police levy, city officials have said.

Carr spoke last week during the Pataskala Chamber of Commerce meeting about the city's budget and the income tax. He said issue 7 in 2011 would collect enough money to continue to staff the police department with 16 officers.

City officials have said that because the police levy expires this year and the seeming inability to find a permanent funding source, a police department might have to be eliminated. If the police department were dissolved, the Licking County Sheriff's Department would be asked to take over coverage of Pataskala.

Ken Oswalt, Licking County prosecuting attorney, also spoke during the chamber luncheon. Though he did not say he supports issue 7, he said it is important for the city to maintain a police force.

"If Pataskala wants a permanent police presence, you've got to figure out a permanent funding source," he said.

Oswalt said the sheriff's department could provide good coverage, but it would not be free.

He also said the city can't keep good employees if it doesn't have funding to pay them.

"If you want law enforcement, you need to find a way to pay for it. You cannot keep good, quality firefighters, police officers, even secretaries if they are wondering where their next paycheck is coming from," he said.

This will be the city's eighth attempt in seven years to pass an income tax.

Also of interest to Pataskala voters are issues 39 and 40.

Issue 39 is a 0.49-mill, five-year additional levy for the Pataskala Public Library.

Library director Matt Nojonen said the levy would cost $17.15 annually for every $100,000 of assessed property value. It is estimated to generate $281,780, which would be used for operating costs.

Information on the library's Web site states that state budget cuts would result in library funding being reduced to the same amount the library received 12 years ago.

Nojonen said the library has suspended a renovation program and might have to start reducing staff if issue 39 fails.

Issue 40 is a 2-mill, five-year West Licking Joint Fire District levy renewal.

Fire Chief David Fulmer said the fire board voted April 9 to ask voters for the 2-mill renewal and chose not to try for renewal of another 1-mill fire levy.

Currently, the district's $8.5-million budget comes from revenues collected through several levies and from entities within its coverage area. The fire district covers 109 square miles in Etna, Harrison and Jersey townships, the villages of Kirkersville and New Albany and the cities of Pataskala and Reynoldsburg.

Fulmer said issue 40 would cost a total of about $200 annually for every $100,000 of assessed property value.

It is estimated to generate $1,793,107 annually for department operations.

"There is no millage increase, and this will generate almost one quarter of the operating budget for the district," Fulmer said.


School levies

Four school issues will appear on the ballot.

Issue 34 is an additional 1-mill operating levy for CTEC.

Superintendent Ron Cassidy said the district has been operating on the 2-mill operating levy since 1976.

Information from the district states enrollment is increasing and state funding for career and technology education is frozen for the next two years. Teachers already agreed in their contract to freeze wages and step increases, and administrators accepted a wage freeze and took 10 days of unpaid leave.

The levy is expected to generate an estimated $3.7-million annually and is expected to cost an additional $30.63 annually for every $100,000 of assessed property value.

Issue 36 is an additional 8.9-mill emergency levy for Lakewood Local Schools.

Superintendent Jay Gault said it would replace revenue lost via state-collected tangible personal property tax. The district has estimated that the district stands to lose about $3.5-million in revenue with the loss of that tax. When the district passed a 5.8-mill operating levy in March 2008, it was considered to make up for only half of that loss in taxes.

The 8.9-mill levy is estimated to generate $3,198,530 annually and is estimated to cost an additional $272.56 annually for every $100,000 of assessed property value.

Issue 37 is an additional 1.99-mill permanent-improvements levy for Licking Heights Local Schools.

Superintendent Thomas Tucker has said Licking Heights is paying 9 mills for two bond issues that constructed Licking Heights High School and the West and South elementary schools. The millage needed to pay for the construction would drop in 2010 from 9 mills to 6 mills, meaning homeowners would pay $92 less per $100,000 of assessed valuation annually. If the proposed levy is approved, the owner of a $100,000 home would experience a net decrease of $31 annually, he said.

Issue 38 is a renewal of a 1-percent income tax for North Fork Local Schools.

District treasurer Jack McDonald said the issue is a tax on earned income only. It is expected to raise $1.5- to $1.55-million for the district's operating costs.


Liquor options and other issues

Seven liquor options also will be on the ballot. Issue 6 is for Sunday sales at the Heath Walmart. Issues 13 and 14 are for sales at the Hebron Kroger . Issues 16 to 19 are for sales at the U.S. Route 40 restaurant in Etna Township.

The other issues on the ballot in November are as follows:

  • Issue 4: a 0.9-mill replacement and 0.3-mill increase for five years for senior services and facilities.
  • Issues 8 and 9 are for Buckeye Lake. Issue 8 is an additional 1-mill levy for current expenses; issue 9 is a renewal of the 3-mill police levy.
  •  Issues 10 and 11 are for Hanover. Issue 10 is a 1.5-mill replacement levy for Hanover fire and emergency medical services; issue 11 is a 3-mill streets-walkways renewal levy.
  • Issue 12: a 2-mill Hebron fire levy renewal.
  •  Issue 15: a 1-mill Bowling Green fire levy replacement.
  •  Issue 20: a 2.75-mill replacement levy for Granville Township roads and bridges.
  •  Issue 21: a 1-mill renewal for Harrison Township roads and bridges.
  •  Issue 22: a 1-mill, five-year Hartford Township fire levy replacement.
  •  Issue 23: a 2-mill Hopewell Township road levy renewal.
  • Issue 24: a 3-mill Jersey Township roads-bridges levy replacement.
  •   Issue 25: a 1-mill Licking Township fire levy replacement.
  •  Issue 26: a 1.5-mill Mary Ann Township fire levy replacement.
  •  Issue 27: a 1.3-mill McKean Township fire levy renewal.
  •  Issue 28: a 1-mill Newark Township fire levy renewal.
  •  Issue 29: a 1-mill Newton Township roads-bridges replacement levy.
  •  Issue 30: a 1.5-mill Perry Township fire levy replacement.
  •  Issues 31 to 33 are for St. Albans Township. Issue 31 is a 3-mill St. Albans Township fire levy replacement. Issue 32 is a 3-mill fire levy replacement. Issue 33 is a 2-mill roads-bridges renewal.
  • Issue 35: an additional 1-mill for the Granville recreation district.
  •  
Polling locations changed

Voters in Newark and Pataskala should remember that their polling location might have changed.

"It's just polling locations," said Sue Penick, director of the Licking County Board of Elections. "There was no change in precincts."

Penick said the board reorganized polling precincts by consolidating and centralizing voter locations. She said the board intends to increase the speed of delivery by reducing the number of voting sites.

The consolidation also is expected to make it easier for voters because an entire precinct is in one building now. Previously, different sections within precincts were in different polling locations. For example, Penick said, a person voting in ward 1 of Newark no longer has to figure out which location his or her section is in because that entire precinct is in one location.

"We will still have the same amount of poll workers because we didn't eliminate precincts; we just eliminated locations," she said.

Newark went from 19 polling locations to seven, and Pataskala went from three to two.

In Newark, the new precincts are as follows:

  • Precinct 101, sections A to D: Carson Elementary School, 549 E. Main St.
  • Precinct 102, sections A to D, and precinct 104, sections A to E: YMCA Mitchell Center, 470 W. Church St.
  • Precinct 103, sections A to E: Cherry Valley Elementary School, 1040 W. Main St.
  • Precinct 105, sections A to F: Legend Elementary School, 1075 Evans Blvd.
  • Precinct 106, sections A to E: Liberty Middle School, 1055 Evans Blvd.
  • Precinct 107, sections A to D: Temporary location of John Clem Elementary School, currently meeting in the former Roosevelt Middle School, 621 Mount Vernon Road.

In Pataskala, the new precincts are as follows:

  • Precinct 3201, section A; precinct 3202, sections A to C; and precinct 3203, section A: Licking Heights High School gym, 4000 Mink St. Southwest.
  • Precinct 3201, section B; precinct 3203, sections B and C; and precinct 3204, sections A and B: YMCA western branch, 355 W. Broad St.

The rest of the precincts in Licking County are unchanged, Penick said. Residents were notified of the change by mail a few weeks ago, she said.

Though this is a municipal election, with several candidates running for office, Penick said, it traditionally has low voter turnout. She said 25 to 30 percent of the county's 110,000 registered voters likely would vote Nov. 3.

As of Oct. 21, the board already has accepted 1,100 absentee ballots in the office and had mailed another 4,000.

Penick said few questions have come up during this election. Some people have questioned whether a candidate could use the term, "re-elect," if he or she currently is not holding that position. Penick said candidates may use the term "re-elect" if they have held that position at any time.

Another question surfaced after the Oct. 15 death of Paul George, who was running for Etna Township trustee. Six candidates are vying for the two open seats. The two with the most votes will win. Penick said votes for George would not be counted in that race.



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