A look at the March 19 tax requests for Stark County townships & villages

Benjamin Duer, Canton Repository
·4 min read

Several Stark townships and villages are asking voters to approve tax issues on March 19.

They are Jackson Township, Lawrence Township, Lexington Township, Pike Township and Perry Township, and Meyers Lake and Beach City. All but two would support road maintenance in those communities.

School levies: Four Stark County school districts seek tax requests on March primary ballot

The other requests are for police and fire operations.

Here's a closer look at the ballot issues:

Jackson Township seeks replacement levy for police protection

Jackson Township is asking voters to replace an existing 5.75-mill levy to fund police operations.

The five-year measure (Issue 16) is not a new tax but revenue would be based on current property valuations if it is approved. It would generate $11.3 million annually.

The cost to a homeowner would be $201 for every $100,000 in property valuation, a $75 increase, according to the Stark County Auditor’s Office.

Jackson Township officials and Police Chief Mark Brink are asking voters to renew a police levy, Issue 16, on the March 19 ballot.
Jackson Township officials and Police Chief Mark Brink are asking voters to renew a police levy, Issue 16, on the March 19 ballot.

Police Chief Mark Brink said the levy pays for vehicles and equipment, communications, facilities and salaries. He said it won't allow the department , which has 70 employees, including 55 full-time officers, to increase workers.

"We've run on the same money for the last 10 years," Brink said. "It's just so much more expensive than it was."

Meyers Lake is offering residents a tax break with new road levy

Meyers Lake officials are hoping residents want a property tax break.

Instead of seeking renewal of the current 5-mill road levy - first passed in 2013 and renewed in 2018 - the village wants less money this time around.

The renewal request has less millage (1 mill) and would generate $22,000 annually if approved. Issue 5 would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $22 a year, almost $100 less than the current levy, said Council President Justin Greenfelder.

Meyers Lake has a renewal levy on the March 19 ballot that seeks less millage and generates almost $90,000 less annually for village roads. The current levy amount is no longer needed, Council President Justin Greenfelder said.
Meyers Lake has a renewal levy on the March 19 ballot that seeks less millage and generates almost $90,000 less annually for village roads. The current levy amount is no longer needed, Council President Justin Greenfelder said.

Greenfelder said the existing levy, which generates about $112,000 annually and costs homeowners $121.64 a year, isn't needed anymore. He said nearly all village roads have been improved or resurfaced.

Greenfelder said the smaller 1-mill levy should be enough to maintain streets over the next levy cycle.

"The village held several town halls with residents to discuss our options and heard many residents’ concerns with their increasing tax burden."

Perry Township Issue 18

Perry Township is seeking to replace an existing 1-mill road levy and increase it by 6.8 mills via Issue 18.

If it passes, the five-year, 7.8-mill levy would generate $5.78 million annually and cost the owner of a $100,000 home $273 a year.

In February, officials told The Canton Repository the money would be for paving, snow removal and drainage projects and the hiring of two additional road maintenance employees,. They estimated 100 miles of township roads could be paved within five years.

The road department operates on $1.2 million generated by a 1-mill levy and a 2-mill levy, which expires in 2025. Combined, those taxes cost the owner of a $100,000 home nearly $46 a year. If the 7.8-mill levy passes, officials have pledged to let the 2-mill levy expire and not seek new taxes on roads for at least 10 years.

Lawrence, Lexington and Pike seek additional tax revenue for roads

Lawrence Township is asking its voters for a second time to approve new tax dollars for road operations, maintenance and repairs. If approved, the five-year, 1.65-mill road levy would generate another $421,000 a year for roads, and cost a $100,000 homeowner nearly $58 a year.

A similar tax request was rejected in November.

In Lexington Township, officials are asking for an additional five-year, 1.5-mill levy for road operations and maintenance. If it passes, the levy would generate $183,000 a year and cost the owner of a $100,000 home nearly $53 a year.

Pike Township voters are asked to approve an additional five-year, 1-mill road levy on the primary ballot. The measure would generate $163,000 a year and cost the owner of a $100,000 home an extra $35 a year, auditor's figures show.

In January, Trustee Paul Mosberger told the Canton Repository that Pike needs the levy due to the higher cost of salt, gravel, asphalt, equipment and supplies.

Beach City wants to keep its existing fire levy

In Beach City, village officials are asking voters to renew a 3-mill fire levy for five more years. It is not a new tax. The levy generates $33,000 annually and costs the owner of a $100,000 home about $84 a year.

Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com. On X (formerly Twitter): @bduerREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Jackson, Meyers Lake, Perry and others have tax levies on March ballot