Plain Township Trustees Postpone Road Levy Increase on November Ballot, Affecting Property Owners and Road Department Revenue
Plain Township Trustees have delayed the proposed road levy increase on the November ballot by one year, impacting property owners and road department revenue, as they amend the resolution to take effect in 2024 if approved by voters.
Plain Township Trustees delay the proposed road levy increase on the November ballot by one year, shifting the effective year to 2024 and relieving property owners of the higher levy until 2025, as reported. (PHOTO: Plain Twp Board of Trustees via Youtube)
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Plain Township Trustees Vote to Delay Road Levy Increase Amid Concerns Over Double Taxation for Voters
In a recent development, trustees in Plain Township have made changes to the proposed road levy increase scheduled to appear on the November ballot. The alteration entails a one-year delay in the implementation of the increase, should voters approve the measure. According to reports, the new resolution modifies the first year of the five-year 1.5-mill road levy replacement and 0.5-mill increase, pushing it to 2024. Consequently, Plain Township property owners will not bear the burden of the higher road levy until 2025, and the road department will not receive the anticipated additional revenue of nearly $1 million until the same year.
During a meeting on Tuesday, Trustees Scott Haws and Brook Harless voted to amend the road levy resolution. Trustee John Sabo was absent during the session, as reported. The decision to alter the resolution came after concerns were raised about the potential clash between the proposed levy and the current road levy, renewed by voters in 2019. If the language of the resolution approved on July 11 had been accepted by voters, there was a risk of property owners being double taxed, paying the last year of the current road levy and the first year of the new levy in the same year.
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Plain Township Trustees Strategize New Levy Approach to Address Concerns and Support Road Maintenance Amid Rising Costs
To avoid such a situation, the trustees opted to withdraw the prior resolution and replace it with a new measure that postpones the collection of higher amounts from the road levy replacement and increases by a year. The move allows the trustees more time to address the levy issue should voters reject the proposed increase on November 7. The deadline for local governments to place levies on the November ballot is August 9 as reported in CantonRep.
Plain Township officials have emphasized the urgent need for a higher levy due to the rising costs of resurfacing and maintaining roads. Stark County auditor’s data shows a $33.25 yearly increase for a $100,000 homeowner if the higher road levy is approved. This would result in a total annual cost of $102.12 for supporting the township’s two voter-approved road levies, compared to the current $68.87.
