To address potential financial strain, Smith has asked Lima City Council to approve a voluntary early retirement incentive program for eligible city employees. The proposal would apply to employees with at least 25 years of service. Smith says if all eligible staff choose to participate, the move could substantially reduce labor costs and improve operational efficiency.
The Ohio House and Senate have officially passed the state's new two-year operating budget and sent it to the governor.
The Ohio Senate passed its version of the budget on Wednesday, mostly along party lines. Senators are pushing to flatten Ohio’s income tax rate with the new budget bill.
Elida mayor Darryl Nichols is clarifying the language of the village's income tax levy ahead of election day. The levy will ask Elida residents to vote on a .35% increase in their income tax from the current .75% to the proposed 1.1%. Mayor Nichols says Eida has not had an income tax increase since 2006 and adds the proposed increase will be used for police protection and street maintenance.
St. Marys City Council approved the language of a renewal income tax levy residents will vote on next year. Currently, St. Marys residents pay an income tax of 1.5%. With this renewal income tax levy, St. Marys voters will decide if they will renew the 1.5% income tax they already pay. It is important to note that this levy will not increase taxes, and it is a renewal levy that happens every 10 years after the original income tax levy passed in 1985. After council, we spoke with the Mayor of St. Marys, Joe Hurlburt Jr., on how the collected tax is used.
The Village of Bluffton began their public discussions with residents about a proposal to increase income taxes for safety services. According to the Bluffton's 20-Year Safety Services Funding Forecast, just under $42 million of expenses will be needed by the village to support fire, EMS and police vehicles, capital items, and a Bluffton full-time EMS. On the flip side, 20-year projections only forecast a revenue just shy of $13 million leaving village administrators to come up for almost $29 million of funding. Thus, the village is looking to increase the income tax by 0.4% for Bluffton residents in order to keep up with current and future demands.
Unofficial results for Hancock issues on November 8th election.
The federal extension deadline to file taxes is approaching and the City of Lima Tax Department is holding Saturday hours.
St. Marys city council is looking to discuss putting an income tax issue onto an upcoming ballot. Council will be discussing putting the tax onto the May primary ballot for voters to decide on.
