Fostoria council seeks change in rule, taxes

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FOSTORIA — City Council plans to ask voters a second time to replace its strong mayor form of government with a city manager.

Council voted this week to place that question on the November ballot and to ask voters to repeal the city's two 0.5 percent income taxes and replace them with a five-year, 1 percent income tax. Fostoria also has a permanent 1 percent tax.

Councilman Paul Feasel said council and the administration then would formulate a five-year plan aimed at reducing the city's total income tax to as low as 1.75 percent.

A third question may appear on the ballot as the result of a petition drive by local police officers who want voters to decide a charter amendment that would prohibit the city from abolishing a city department, such as the police department, without voter approval. Though city leaders have said they are not looking at eliminating the police department, declining tax revenue has led to layoffs in the ranks.

In November, Fostoria voters narrowly defeated a proposal to adopt a city manager form of government.

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