Letter to the Editor

Requesting Fire/EMS levy support

To the editor,

On March 19 township voters will be asked to approve a levy for our fire/EMS services. This 2.66-mill continuing levy will replace a 2.85-mill 3-year levy that expired last December.

We approved last year a new Fire/EMS contract with the Village of Richfield that goes through 2026. Annual contract costs are (rounded) $646,000, $665,000, and $685,000, respectively. If the levy passes, initial property tax receipts are expected to be about $651,000 annually. EMS insurance reimbursements and increased revenue from our Joint Economic Development District and additional homes should offset any shortfalls in the foreseeable future.

This levy deserves your support because:

The professional Fire/EMS services we receive are of the highest quality.

The replacement levy with decreased millage will take some of the sting out of the high property value reappraisals we all received.

Continuing levies are advantageous for two reasons; we will not need to vote on future levies as often, and they protect residents from tax increases caused by future reappraisals. This is because, in most cases, Ohio law freezes the dollar amount of the tax to the amount when the levy is passed. Our police levy, which was passed in 2014, is a continuing levy and provides a good example of both advantages.

We respectfully ask for your support of this levy on March 19.

If you want more information, please check the township website, https://richfield-twp.org/, or contact the township office at 330-659-4700.

Richfield Township Trustees

Janet Jankura

Don Laubacher

Robert Luther ∞