(Toledo, OH) Voters across northwest Ohio are casting ballots today.
The May primary election features contested City Council races in Findlay, Fostoria, Port Clinton and Bowling Green.
Several tax issues are up for a vote today, including an income tax hike in Swanton, a levy for a drug task force in Sandusky County and two dozen school and municipal tax levy renewals.
Voters in Swanton will decide two ballot issues today. The first one is a quarter-percent income tax increase to fund municipal operations such as police, fire, parks and rec, streets, and capital improvements. The other ballot issue is an emergency property tax levy renewal for Swanton Local Schools. That five-year levy would generate $825,000 per year for general operations and textbooks.
Bowling Green is among several communities with school levies on the ballot today. BG's one-half percent income tax has been approved by voters every time it's appeared on the ballot over the past 25 years. The five-year renewal levy generates $3.3 million for the district each year and makes up more than ten percent of the school budget.
The Findlay city school board is seeking renewal of a 4.9mill levy that raises about $4 million annually. The money is used for general operations. The district is seeking a continous levy, which means no change in the amount collected, which also leads to more state funding.
Sandusky County voters are headed to the polls today to decide a unique levy. The heroin epidemic is causing the sheriff to ask voters to approve a law enforcement levy that would generate $690,000 per year to help create a county-wide drug task force. The sheriff wants to be more proactive in fighting the opiate epidemic. The levy would cost a homeowner just under 20 bucks per year.
Fremont school officials are attempting their second voter request for a nearly $60 million bond issue to build several new schools.
Polls are open until 7:30 p.m.
Polls are open until 7:30 p.m.
The polls are open until 7:30 p.m.