Providence, Waterville: 2 townships ask new taxes for repairs, services
10/20/2004Providence and Waterville townships are asking voters to approve new taxes in November.
A five-year, 2.5-mill levy would collect funds for Providence Township to repair its roads and bridges. The measure would raise about $182,740 each year.
If the levy passes, the owner of a home valued at $100,000 would pay about $76.55 annually in extra taxes. A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value.
In past years, the township has relied on county funds and state and federal grants to pay for road improvement projects. However, with more than 41 miles of road in the township, officials say they are falling behind on repairs.
"Every year the cost to fix the roads goes up," said Gail Perry, township clerk. "We've got people calling us and complaining about the roads all the time."
For next year, Lucas County allocated $155,500 to the township for road repairs, Ms. Perry said.
Resurfacing a road costs between $40,000 and $80,000 per mile, township officials said, depending on the road's condition.
Waterville Township voters will face a five-year, 0.9-mill levy that would raise about $56,500 annually for the township to pay for trash collection and recycling services.
The owner of a $100,000 home would pay about $28 each year if the levy passes.
The township is using money from a five-year, 1.2-mill levy passed in 1997 to employ BFI Waste Systems of Ohio and Michigan to do curbside pickups of trash and recyclable materials twice each month. The former levy expired in 2002, and the township will run out of the funds it generated early next year.
The new levy would pay to continue the existing refuse collection services. If voters defeat the levy, the township would be forced to stop trash collection, officials said.
The township trustees mailed surveys to residents in June to determine how large a levy they should request. A majority of respondents said they would prefer to continue the current trash services with a 0.9-mill levy rather than pay less and have no recycling or pay more and have weekly pickup.