MANSFIELD – City council is considering increasing the motor vehicle registration fee by $5.
Members discussed the measure at their meeting Tuesday, as well another piece of legislation that would allow the city to restrict funds in the general fund equal to the amount generated by the license tax to be used solely for downtown improvement.
In an effort to reinvent and revitalize Mansfield’s downtown, the city is seeking creative avenues to strategically maximize grants and other revenue streams for improvement projects. The city needs match funds for those prospective grants.
City engineer Bob Bianchi said the $5-increase would generate roughly $220,000 a year.
“The city intends to try its best to leverage grant dollars against these funds,” he said.
“With the potential of leveraging millions of dollars in grant funds, we’re going to see some benefit from this for the downtown. No question.”
Mansfield residents currently pay a $15 annual permissive sales tax fee, just $5 short of the cap set by the Ohio Revised Code.
At-large councilman Cliff Mears said starting next year the maximum permissive sales tax in any single taxing district will be $25.
He also pointed out that the $5-increase would make Mansfield’s tax the highest in the county, noting that communities including Shelby and Shiloh currently pay $15, while communities like Bellville and Butler pay $10. He added that some communities in the Cleveland and Columbus areas pay $20.
Bianchi said he’s already met with the county commissioners, who are on board with the city pursuing the tax instead of the county. The county currently levies a portion of the total $15 fee.
“It’s definitely going to be used in improving and making the downtown area a better place,” Mayor Tim Theaker said.
Assistant law director Chris Brown said the city would not need to take this measure to the ballot but that it does need council’s approval by July 1 of this year in order for it to take effect Jan. 1, 2019.
The bill will receive three readings, with council slated to vote on it June 5.
Fourth ward councilman Butch Jefferson made a motion to amend the ordinance so that the tax expires after 12 years. “That will give the next council in place some options,” he said, as well as the chance to determine if the money has been stewarded effectively, he added.
First ward councilman David Falquette, who was the only councilperson to vote no on the motion, pointed out that council could rescind the bill at any time.
At-large councilman Don Bryant said the state legislature previously passed a law allowing cities to create designated outdoor refreshment areas, allowing people to drink alcoholic beverages in specific zones.
“If we would perhaps tag along this (tax) with that — and this is for me to talk to the mayor and to council about in the future perhaps — maybe that would give the public some kind of assurance that we’re working towards listening to them and giving them what they want,” he said.
Brady Groves, president of the Richland County Foundation, attended Tuesday’s meeting, discussing what a critical part the proposed legislation plays to downtown improvement.
The foundation, he said, has already supported an initiative for improving the downtown by funding a group of 15 people to attend the South by Southwest Conference in March of this year. He said these individuals have already begun the journey of looking at ways to improve the downtown.
“Their single charge is to come back to the community foundation by the end of this year with an investment strategy to improve downtown,” he said.
Theaker shared that by approving this tax, it demonstrates to organizations like Richland County Foundation and other grant donors that the city is “willing to put some skin in the game,” he said.
Also under deliberation is the creation of the Downtown Improvement Advisory Board to guide strategic thinking and provide recommendations for how money generated by the license tax could be utilized for the revitalization of downtown Mansfield.
The advisory board would consist of the mayor and six members appointed by the mayor and confirmed by council.
Prospective members include Jodie Perry, president of the Richland Area Chamber of Commerce; Jennifer Kime, CEO of Downtown Mansfield, Inc.; Chris Hiner, president of Richland Bank; Matthew Stanfield, owner and principal architect at FiELD9: architecture; Scott Cardwell, co-owner of the Phoenix Brewing Company; and Ben Davis, representing the general public.
Three of the members appointed by the mayor (Perry, Hiner and Cardwell) would serve initial terms of two years each, and the three remaining members (Kime, Stanfield and Davis) would serve initial terms of four years. Terms would commence July 1, 2018.
Stanfield addressed council Tuesday, voicing his support of the tax.
