City Council

ISSUE 5 Renewal Levy Information and Resources

 

Issue 5 - ZERO INCREASE

We feel it is critical that every voter is armed with the information needed to make a good decision for Bellbrook.  To do that, we are committed to being Open, Honest, and Transparent to provide factual and accurate information about the City at any level.  Review this page to get the facts you need to make an informed decision.  If you receive misinformation from an anonymous source, or you have questions regarding ISSUE 5, Get The Facts by contacting the City directly at 937-848-4666, or visit and review this page.

The Basics:

On November 2, voters of the City of Bellbrook will be asked to vote on ISSUE 5 a 1.3 mill Renewal Levy for the purpose of current operating expenses to support Safety and City Services.  The Levy was originally effective in 2007, and the November 2 Renewal is NOT a new tax with NO INCREASE to current taxes.  It will generate $225,000 for the City with the funds purposed for:

  • Fire Department Subsidy
  • Police Department Subsidy
  • Interior Street Paving Program
  • Storm Water and Drainage Management

Effective Tax Rate is 13% less than the 2017 Renewal

 

Click the chart above for Greene County Auditor data

 

12.5% Rollback Credit is provided to homeowners with this renewal.  If not renewed, placement of a new millage rate would result in loss of the credits and an increase of 12.5% to the taxpayer. If a new millage rate has to be placed, there is no increase to funds paid to the City regarding the 12.5% increase cost to the taxpayer.

Renewal is for 5 years allowing voters to hold the City accountable to do what it says it will do.

Promises made...promises kept

Official ISSUE 5

Ballot Language

 

 

   

Maintain High Quality Safety and City Services

Keeping our local safety and city services modern and efficient is the key to quality and a city priority. Investing in our safety and city services is necessary to sustain our low crime rate, emergency response times, pedestrian and vehicle safety, and to safeguard property and land to maintain a high quality of life in Bellbrook.  As the needs change for our community, the city needs to continue to be innovative and efficient.

Some key points about our Safety and City Services

  • Fire Department rated in the top 3% nationwide by the Insurance Services Office.
  • Police Department certified by the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board.
  • Both Fire and Police have excellent response times, modern equipment and quality training for keeping up with changing demands in service.
  • Fire and Police provide community safety education and programs to benefit all ages and groups within the community.
  • Public Services Department has repaired and repaved over 31,000 additional feet of roadway in the past four years, establishing a sustainable interior street paving program.
  • Public Services has restored and improved over 6,000 feet of surface and storm water draining and replaced four main culverts in the past four years.

What The Renewal Will Provide - Promises made...Promises kept

ISSUE 5 Renewal is estimated to provide $225,000 of funding to the city for current operating expenses supporting Safety and City Services.   This equates to about 20% of the General Fund portion of the budget for the city.  The following is a breakdown of how those funds are used, and what services would be reduced should those funds not be renewed.  When talking about funding for specific safety and city services, and reductions if funding is not maintained, it is always a double-edged sword.  The city is committed to being specific and not vague, making sure all information is provided for an informed decision.

  • $50,000 subsidy to the Fire Department to allow for purchase and maintenance of rescue equipment, training and education of firefighters, and community education. 
  • $100,000 subsidy to the Police Department to allow for purchase and maintenance of safety equipment, staffing of personnel for community education and school visits, and advanced training.
  • $50,000 contribution to the interior street paving program making up 25% of the program.
  • $50,000 contribution to maintenance, restoration and improvements to the surface water and storm water draining system.  This amount would be an increase over the past four years to allow for better system maintenance programming and needed enhancements in key problem areas.
Fiscal Responsibility

The city prides itself on being fiscally conservative, responsible, and transparent.  For more information on city finances, go to the Finance page.

Conservative Leadership 

  • No additional property tax levies have been passed by the city since 2009.
  • Property tax rates have not changed since the replacement police levy passed in 2011.
  • Bellbrook does not have a city income tax.

Responsible Management

  • Water rates have not increased since 2011.  If rates had been increased just 2% per year, water customers would be  paying $40 more per year.
  • Waste collection rates have decreased from $17 per month in 2011.  This has resulted in an average annual savings of $48 per year for residents.
  • Aggressive use of alternative funding such as grants and State funding has benefitted various projects.

Transparent Reporting

  • The city has a history of clean financial audits.  The city is routinely awarded the Auditor of State Award for clean audits and quality fiscal management and reporting.
  • Financial records such as quarterly updates, annual budgets, and the most recent financial statement are available on the Finance page.