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Ohio’s election is already
well underway. There is a lot of attention currently focused
on the Presidential election and the ultra-important Ohio
Sixth District Court of Appeals and Ohio Supreme Court
contests. That’s understandable and right, but be sure not
to sleep on these other significant local issues.
Issue 3 is a renewal of
the city’s .75 percent income tax, which provides most of
its general fund. It is not a new tax. It pays for safety
services like fire and police, and other city services like
leaf collection and neighborhood improvement. We are told
that renewing the levy means that the city can “continue to
provide life-saving emergency services and maintain current
response times.” Failure of the levy could mean mass
layoffs within our safety forces that are estimated to total
“several hundred.”
Issue 3 only taxes earned
income. It does not include tax property, government
allotments, pensions, or social security, which is critical
to our senior citizens.
Issue 4 is a four-year,
.25 percent income tax to fix our roads and is also on the
ballot. The most common complaint among Toledo residents,
perhaps, is the deterioration of our streets. Issue 4
promises to be a big step toward remedying that issue. City
officials state that Issue 4 will enable the administration
to complete five times more roadwork for each of those four
years than will happen without the levy.
Notably, the City listened
to and heard the voters after the defeat of Issue 1 this
past spring. If approved, funds from Issue 4 would be used
only for roads and nothing else. A separate fund would be
created, and all expenses tracked to ensure that the money
is only used for fixing our streets.
Again, because Issue 4
only taxes earned income, it does not include property tax,
government allotments, pensions or social security.
Together, Issue 3 and 4
have been endorsed by the Lucas County Democratic Party.
They are worthy of public support and will help maintain
vital services and fix streets in the community.
There is also another
local issue that requires the community’s attention and
focus.
Issue 17, for the
Metroparks is a property tax of approximately $200 per
$100,000 for ten years.
The Metroparks has
provided careers and well-paying jobs for our community
members and promises to help create additional jobs in these
difficult economic times.
Recently, the Metroparks
opened the Manhattan Marsh Metropark, completing another
promise. Today, there is a Metropark within five miles of
every resident in Lucas County. According to leadership,
very few—if any—park systems in the United States can make
that claim. “Every neighborhood and every community can now
experience the benefits a Metropark offers,” they declare.
COVID-19 has revealed how
important our parks are to our emotional and physical
well-being and our overall quality of life. Park usage has
more than doubled during that time, as people eagerly left
the house to enjoy the peace and fresh air that the parks
offer. Preserving open space for public use is vital to a
thriving community.
Issue 17 will improve our
community in three crucial ways, insists Metroparks’
leadership.
“First, it will improve
every park in the system, benefitting every Lucas County
resident.
Second, it will create a
transformational riverfront park that will provide residents
with the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the river on a
year-round basis. It will also attract visitors and bring
revenue to Lucas County.
Third, it will create
jobs. More than 500 new jobs are created within months of
the levy passing, and further investment is expected to
follow. In fact, just the promise of this Metropark has
spurred investment in the area around the riverfront park.”
While it is a difficult
ask during a difficult financial time, Issue 17
nevertheless, presents an excellent opportunity to make a
promising investment on our riverfront, our downtown, and
our neighborhoods.
Issue 17 is endorsed by
the NAACP, the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, and
the African-American Chamber of Commerce.
As voters think about the
issues facing them on this year’s ballot, I urge them not to
underestimate the importance of Issues 3, 4, and 17 – all of
which deserve support.
Contact Rev. Donald Perryman, D.Min, at
drdlperryman@centerofhopebaptist.org
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