Published July 21, 2008 09:36 pm - Village residents will see a new fire levy on the November ballot, but the cost to tax payers will not increase, Mayor Frances Cervas said in Monday’s regular meeting.
GOTL levy won’t fire up voters
By MARGIE TRAX PAGE - Staff Writer - mtrax@starbeacon.com Star Beacon
GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE - Village residents will see a new fire levy on the November ballot, but the cost to tax payers will not increase, Mayor Frances Cervas said in Monday’s regular meeting.
The 1.78-mil levy will replace the current 2-mil levy, which has expired, bringing in exactly the same revenue for the Geneva-on-the-lake Volunteer Fire Department, but allowing council to use it in more ways, Council President Mike Baker said.
“The old levy is very restrictive about what the money can be spent on,” Baker said. “The new levy will allow us to use the funds available in more ways, but again only for the fire department.”
This flexibility allows for the purchase of equipment, buildings, water supply sources and for the payment of firefighters, the levy reads.
Cervas said the important message is that there is no increase to the taxpayers and the reduced millage represents adjustments for inflation.
“We can do more for the fire department this way at no increased cost to the tax payers based on current valuation,” she said.
The life of the levy is r five years. Councilman Don Woodward said a tax levy has supported the fire department since 1979.
Council will submit the proposed levy, which passed by emergency and unanimous council vote, to the Ashtabula County Auditor Roger Corlett for certification of valuation, village Solicitor Kyle Smith said.
“The auditor will simply confirm the value or the estimated income of the levy and then it can be placed on the ballot,” he said.
In other Election Day news, both polling precincts will now report to the new Village Safety Service Center to vote, as the fire hall was determined unsuitable because it is not handicapped accessible, Baker said.
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