Staff report
news@wbcowqel.com
While there may not be an abundance of contested races for local office for voters to decide Tuesday, there are several levies and two will have a county-wide impact.
The first is a renewal of the criminal justice services levy. This is the first time the levy has come up for renewal since voters approved the 2.75-mil levy back in 2009. While that levy was projected to produce revenues of $1.8 million per year, the real take has been about $1.4 million due to a decrease in local property values. The renewal, like the original levy, would be for five years if passed.
The other levy on the ballot for the entire county to decide is the Crawford County Council on Aging levy to fund services for senior citizens. This is a combined 1.0-mil levy. Of that, 0.8-mil is a renewal and the other 0.2-mil is additional money. The combined levy, if approved by voters, would be for five years.
The fate of another completely new-money levy will be determined by voters in the Crestline school district. The levy is a .75-percent levy on earned income. It is expected to generate more than $570,000 per year for the school district if passed. This is a continuing levy with the money going for current expenses.
Voters in the four counties served by the Pioneer Joint Vocational School, which includes Crawford County, will vote on a replacement levy. This levy combines two existing levies totaling 1.7 mils. This levy would also be a continuing levy if passed.
Several other levies will be voted on in just portions of the county. There is a 1.-0-mil renewal levy in Bucyrus Township and a renewal levy for 3.0 mils for five years in Jefferson Township. Cranberry Township has placed a 1.0-mil, five-year replacement levy on the ballot.
Elsewhere in the county, some voters will get to vote on a renewal levy for the Mohawk Community Library, an additional tax for Tri-Rivers Vocational School, and a bond issue for the Willard School District/Huron County Community Library.