City Council introduced two resolutions at its June 20 meeting needed in order to place a levy on the November 7 election. The five year, 1.7 mill EMS levy would replace the current 1.7 mill levy which expires at the end of 2018. If passed, the new levy will then take the place of the old levy. The new levy will raise taxes, as it will be a replacement, rather than a renewal. This would be the second time that this issue would be on the ballot. The levy continues to help pay for the program, helping to fund the salaries of the city’s thirty firefighters/paramedics, equipment and operation of that part of the Fire Department.
Last November, the five-year, 1.7 mill EMS levy, Issue 73, did not pass, with 7,293 voting for and 7,435 voting against the levy. It would have replaced the current 1.7 mill levy which expires at the end of 2018. The collection for this levy would then have begun in 2019.
The levy was started in the late 1980s, when the North Royalton Fire Department was expanding their department to include Emergency Management Services (EMS). The original millage was passed by voters at 1.2 mills. The levy was renewed in 2002, began collection in 2003, and expired in 2008. At that point, voters were asked to pass a replacement levy at 1.7 mills, which started collection in 2009. North Royalton voters last passed the levy in May, 2013, which was a renewal.
This is the only five-year levy that the City of North Royalton is currently running. There are police and fire levies that are continuous. None of these levies are voted upon. They were offered to the voters that way so they didn’t have to keep coming back to them for more funding.
Last year, there was some discussion about making the EMS levy a permanent, continuous levy as well. “We had a brief discussion on making it continuous. A continuous levy would lock the city into collecting roughly the same amount in perpetuity. Council felt like a five-year levy would give the city an option to renew the rates back to the original amount if needed,” said North Royalton Finance Director, Eric Dean.
The levy continues to help pay for the program, helping to fund the salaries of the city’s thirty firefighters/paramedics, equipment and operation of that part of the Fire Department.
The first resolution was unanimously adopted that requests certification of the County Fiscal Officer to certify the city’s total current tax valuation and the amount of money that would be generated by the replacement of an existing 1.7 mill levy for EMS service. The second resolution was introduced that would submit to the city’s electors, the question of a 1.7 mill, five-year replacement levy for EMS Service was placed on second reading. Council will vote on this measure some time this month, as the deadline to place the measure on the November 7 ballot is August 9.
By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK
Contributing Writer