SHELBY – Voters in Shelby will decide the future of the city’s roadways and sidewalks in the next election.
Shelby City Council passed a resolution Wednesday that places a 0.2 percent income tax levy continuation on the ballot on May 8. The income tax levy continuation would maintain roadway and sidewalk improvements and repairs.
On Jan. 1, council passed an ordinance declaring the necessity for the income tax continuation. The resolution passed by council on Wednesday directs the Richland County Board of Elections to place the levy on the ballot.
Council called a special meeting for 2 p.m. on Feb. 7. The deadline to submit a ballot measure to the Board of Elections is 4 p.m. on Feb. 7.
“We thought we had a nice timeline for three readings in 30 days on the ordinance and then this would follow, but it was just forgotten,” said Project Coordinator Joe Gies. “We realized it yesterday, so here we are today.”
The need for the income tax levy continuation was first introduced on Dec. 4. A continuation of the income tax levy would mean Shelby residents would continue paying the same tax amount they currently pay, but this time the funds would be allocated to improvements in residential areas.
“We’ve heard it loud and clear that the secondary and side streets need to be the main focus, so that’s what we’ll be doing,” Gies said on Dec. 4. “We need to continue on and get the side streets done.”
Voters in Shelby initially approved the 0.2 percent income tax levy in 2013 for the purpose of roadway improvements and sidewalk replacements. The initial levy paid for the paving of Mansfield Avenue and state routes in partnership with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).
Of the $4.4 million total for both projects, the city of Shelby will only owe $995,618 – roughly 23 percent of the total cost. This advantage is largely because the passing of the initial five-year, 0.2 percent income tax levy allowed the city to leverage for much more money through grants and federal dollars.
The current 0.2 percent income tax levy will be collected through the end of 2018. If the income tax continuation is approved by Shelby voters, it would continue for a period of another five years from Jan. 1, 2019 through Dec. 31, 2023.
Of the income tax collected, 97 percent would be used for roadway improvements and repairs and three percent towards sidewalk replacements.
