BUCYRUS — When Bucyrus City voters go to the polls May 7, or during early voting, they must decide if they will vote for a .5-percent income tax street levy, or not.
The city’s street levy is funded by a .5-percent income tax that comes up for renewal every six years.
“It is not a new tax. The tax has been renewed in 2001, 2007, 2013 and now on the ballot in 2019. In 2018, the tax generated $1.5 million dollars,” said Garnet “Sis” Love, chairperson of the levy committee and Bucyrus City Council president.
Love said the street levy funds are used to pave city streets and $569,000 was used for paving in 2018.
“It is also used for general maintenance on streets, fixing pot holes, snow plowing, snow removal, salting the streets, street sweeping and leaf removal,” Love said. “It is also used as the city’s portion for various projects.”
Love gave examples of recent projects, including the 2018 Plymouth Street project that was completed in conjunction with the Ohio Department of Transportation. The city’s portion of the project was $216,000.
Love said the money from the levy also is used to pay employees who work in the street department.
“There are three full-time employees in the street department and nine employees from other city departments who work part-time as they are needed,” Love said.
She said prior to the street levy existing, the funding for street work came from the city’s general fund.
“Without the street levy, the street expenses would go back in the general fund,” Love said. “The general fund includes expenses for all offices, including mayor, airport, auditor, law director, service director, council, civil service, zoning, part-time custodian, lands and buildings maintenance, code enforcement and note principal and interest.”
Love said that also in the general fund are street lighting, health department, ambulance service and Aumiller Park and Pool.
Love said the police and fire departments also receive 68 percent of their funding in the amount of $2.8 million from the general fund as well as 38 percent of their funding, approximately $1.5 million, from the safety forces levy.
Love said if the levy fails to pass, street services would be trimmed, and general fund items adjusted to available income.
“We would not be able to participate in ODOT projects because we would not have our share of the project. The EPA mandated storm separation would have to be slowed down until we had funds to repair the streets after the separation was done. The number of streets repaved each year would be drastically reduced,” Love said. “We are asking the citizens of Bucyrus to continue the important tradition of supporting our street levy by renewing it on May 7.”
Love said she volunteered to head the street levy campaign because she knows the great impact this has on keeping the city looking great providing safe streets to drive on.
“Terry Spiegel, recently retired from over 40 years working for the city, volunteered to be the treasurer of the campaign,” Love said. “No city money is allowed to be spent on the campaign. Donations were accepted from a variety of citizens and businesses that know the importance of safe streets.”