Reynoldsburg officials give income-tax bump another try
By Jim Woods THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Reynoldsburg voters will be asked a second time to raise the city?’s income tax to 2 percent from 1.5 percent.
The City Council voted 5-2 last night to put the measure on the Nov. 7 ballot. Voters Aug. 8 rejected the same request 1,923 to 1,388.
City officials said if the measure fails, there will be service cuts and employee layoffs in 2007.
Councilman Ron Stake, chairman of the finance committee, said it?’s a question of numbers. Reynoldsburg generates $9 million a year from its taxes, the lowest amount per resident in Franklin County.
The $3 million-a-year tax yield would be used to hire more police officers and restore street resurfacing projects.
If the tax should lose, Reynoldsburg could see ''a declining quality of life and declining property values,?’?’ Stake said.
Councilman Doug Joseph and Councilwoman Donna Shirey voted against the tax. Both said they felt the voters made their positions known.
''I think we need to listen to them,?’?’ Shirey said after the meeting.
Tom Eller, a Reynoldsburg resident, said the city seems to have a ''spending problem rather than a revenue problem.?’?’ He said that spending has exceeded the rate of inflation during the past 10 years.
''The problem is City Council doesn?’t get it,?’?’ said Tom Gratz, another Reynoldsburg resident. ''We?’re not happy with the way money is spent. We?’re tired of tax-and-spend politicians.?’?’
Joan Curnutte of the Reynoldsburg Concerned Citizens group, said her survey of about 100 residents found that they are distrustful of city government. She said many didn?’t like the East Main Street streetscape project, which cost about $10 million.
''They?’re saying we don?’t believe we are going to get more police in the neighborhood or more roads,?’?’ Curnutte said.
Mayor Bob McPherson said the city has consistently done more with less than any other suburb and there has not been a tax increase since 1982.
Lawyer Donald Hallowes said he campaigned against the tax increase in August because it should be decided in a general election. He said he is now inclined to support it.
Hallowes said a city official called his office before the August vote to ask about the signs against the tax increase. He said that amounted to intimidation.
McPherson apologized, though Councilwoman Antoinette Newman said the city official?’s action sounded proper to her.
Service-Safety Director Sharon Reichard said she called Hallowes?’ office to say only that election law required a statement identifying who sponsored the signs.
jwoods@dispatch.com
