DELAWARE COUNTY — Voters in Berlin, Concord, Harlem, Orange and Oxford townships will decide on tax levies supporting fire and emergency medical services, roads and bridges, and parks and recreation this November.
Five of the six proposals would renew existing levies. Orange Township is also seeking an additional road levy that would cost property owners $35 annually for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s market value.
Each issue requires a majority vote for passage. The revenue and property tax estimates below come from the ballot language.
Berlin Township: Fire and emergency medical services
Berlin Township voters will decide whether to renew a five-year levy supporting fire and emergency medical services.
The levy would continue funding the fire department’s staffing, equipment and ongoing operations, Fire Chief Brian Taylor said. He noted the renewal would not increase what homeowners currently pay.
“The department has been fiscally responsible with the funds that we are provided which has allowed us to build for the future while remaining financially solvent,” Taylor said.
At a rate not exceeding 2.95 mills, the levy would generate an estimated $1,409,427 annually, according to the ballot language. Its listed annual cost is $103 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s market value.
The renewal would begin in 2027, with taxes first due in 2028.
If voters reject the renewal, the department’s budget would essentially be cut in half, affecting staffing and operations, Taylor said.
“The most important piece of information is that this is not an additional levy, and there is no new money with this renewal,” he said. “This levy is renewed every five years to continue to collect at its current rate.”
Concord Township: Roads and bridges
Concord Township is seeking a five-year renewal of a levy funding road and bridge construction, reconstruction, resurfacing and repairs.
At a rate not exceeding 1 mill, the levy would generate an estimated $325,427 annually. The listed annual cost is $11 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s market value.
The renewal would begin in 2027, with taxes first due in 2028.
Township Trustee Bart Johnson said the funding supports snow removal on 52 miles of roads, pavement improvements and drainage maintenance, including culverts, catch basins, curbs and gutters.
The township spends an average of $500,000 annually repaving and improving roads, he said.
If the renewal fails, snow removal and road maintenance would be delayed, Johnson said. The township could turn to chip sealing instead of repaving, and delayed drainage work could contribute to flooding and other water issues along roads.
“Road maintenance will be delayed, and road conditions will deteriorate,” Johnson said.
Harlem Township: Fire and emergency medical services
Harlem Township is seeking a four-year renewal of a levy supporting fire protection and emergency medical services, including firefighters, equipment and facilities.
At a rate not exceeding 4 mills, the levy would generate an estimated $956,658 annually. The listed annual cost is $97 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s market value.
The renewal would begin in 2026, with taxes first due in 2027.
Township Administrator John Pritchard said the levy supports firefighter and EMS staffing, fire engines and ambulances, protective and communications equipment, training, station facilities and other operating costs.
That funding also helps maintain trained crews available to respond to fires, medical emergencies and vehicle crashes, while keeping emergency vehicles ready for service, he said.
If voters reject the renewal, trustees would need to evaluate how to operate with reduced funding, including potential effects on staffing, equipment and facilities, Pritchard said.
“This is a renewal intended to keep existing fire and EMS funding in place and is not a new tax increase,” he said.
Orange Township: Roads and parks
Orange Township voters will decide on two separate five-year levies supporting township roads and parks and recreation.
The proposed 1-mill road levy would generate an estimated $2,279,352 annually and cost property owners $35 per year for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s market value, according to the ballot language. It would begin in 2027, with taxes first due in 2028.
Although the ballot identifies it as an additional levy, the proposal would replace two existing 0.5-mill road levies set to expire at the end of 2027, said Sydney Herbert, Orange Township’s communications manager.
Revenue would support resurfacing, repairs and maintenance of township roads, along with purchasing and maintaining equipment used for services such as snow removal.
Herbert said the township maintains 113 centerline miles of roads and needs additional revenue to keep pace with growth and rising costs for materials, equipment and maintenance.
“Without the additional funding, the township would face challenges maintaining the 113 centerline miles of roads it currently services at a safe and effective level,” Herbert said.
The separate 1-mill parks and recreation renewal would generate an estimated $1,372,814 annually, with a listed annual cost of $20 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s market value. It also would begin in 2027, with taxes first due in 2028.
The parks levy supports maintenance and improvements at the township’s seven parks and North Orange Aquatic Center, including replacement of aging playground equipment and new amenities. It also funds construction and maintenance of approximately 21 miles of shared-use paths, Herbert said.
Without the funding, the township would face challenges maintaining those facilities, and the aquatic center could close, she said.
The proposal renews a levy originally approved in 2007 without increasing its millage rate, Herbert said.
Oxford Township: Roads and bridges
Oxford Township voters will decide whether to renew a five-year levy supporting road and bridge construction, resurfacing and repairs.
At a rate not exceeding 1.2 mills, the levy would generate an estimated $44,807 annually, according to the ballot language. Its listed annual cost is $30 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s market value.
The renewal would begin in 2026, with taxes first due in 2027.
Township Trustee Steve Lewis said the renewal would continue existing road funding without increasing taxes. It supports chip sealing, resurfacing and preventive maintenance, while helping the township qualify for grants requiring a local contribution.
Lewis pointed to the approximately $288,000 Strine Road resurfacing project — an Ohio Public Works Commission grant provided $216,000, Delaware County contributed $54,000 and the township paid approximately $18,000, he said.
If the renewal fails, reduced funding could require the township to delay projects or scale back planned work, Lewis said. Delaying preventive maintenance can allow small cracks to become deeper pavement damage, requiring more expensive repairs.
“Road maintenance is about protecting the investment taxpayers have already made in our infrastructure,” Lewis said. “Addressing problems at the right time can extend a road’s useful life and delay more expensive repairs.”
