Residents to see eight local ballot issues in November

by Dan Holland

One proposed tax levy renewal, along with five charter amendments forwarded by the Broadview Heights Charter Review Committee and two proposed amendments forwarded by members of Broadview Heights City Council, will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Voters will also have their say on a variety of state and federal candidates, judges, as well as a state constitutional amendment requiring Ohio voters to present government-issued identification when voting at the polls.

Voters also will decide whether to renew Issue 21, a tax levy renewal city residents first approved back in 1971 and reapproved every five years since as a renewal levy. The ballot issue stands to collect $431,701 annually for current expenses at a rate not exceeding 3 mills for each $1 of taxable value. It amounts to $10 for each $100,000 of home market value for five years, commencing in 2026 and first due in calendar year 2027.

The five items forwarded by the charter review committee consist of the following:

  • Issue 22: A councilperson can serve no more than three consecutive four-year terms or 12 consecutive years. Terms served prior to the effective date of the amendment will not be counted.
  • Issue 24: The mayor is authorized to enter into contracts on behalf of the city without prior council approval when the value of the contract is $25,000 or less, provided sufficient funds have otherwise been appropriated by council, with an annual increase in the $25,000 threshold of 3% beginning Jan. 1, 2028.
  • Issue 25: The mayor is authorized to make purchases on behalf of the city without prior council approval when the value of the purchase is $25,000 or less, provided sufficient funds have otherwise been appropriated by council, with an annual increase in the $25,000 threshold of 3% beginning Jan. 1, 2028.
  • Issue 27: Municipal tax levies can only be placed on the ballot for municipal elections held in November of any calendar year.
  • Issue 28: Charter language; gender-specific terms in the charter will be changed to gender-neutral terms upon charter reprintings.

Two proposed amendments introduced by members of city council to appear on the ballot consist of:

  • Issue 23: The mayor can serve no more than three consecutive four-year terms or 12 consecutive years unless one full term or more has elapsed since that person last held the office of mayor. Terms served prior to the effective date of the amendment will not be counted.
  • Issue 26: There will be two fire stations in the city of Broadview Heights, with each fire station having at least one fire truck and one EMS vehicle.

County issues

Cuyahoga County is proposing three of its own charter amendments.

  • Issue 12 would require that county council confirm the county executive’s removal of members of boards, agencies, commissions and authorities.
  • Issue 13 would prevent the county from splitting non-litigation responsibilities between the county prosecuting attorney and county law director. The law director would provide representation on labor negotiations, grievances and arbitrations, non-litigation-related employment matters, public records matters, risk management functions and activities and non-litigation-related contracts, agreements, debt issuance documents, memoranda of understanding and purchase orders. The prosecutor would only handle litigation and court proceedings on behalf of the county.
  • Issue 14 would amend the charter so that instead of the county executive appointing all members of the charter review commission, he or she would appoint four members without county council approval and one with council approval. County council, not subject to county executive approval, would appoint four members.

There are also two levies up for a vote.

  • Issue 10 is an additional tax levy for the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities for program operations and the acquisition, construction, renovation, financing, maintenance and operation of facilities. The county fiscal officer estimates the 2.25-mill levy will collect almost $99.7 million annually, which will cost taxpayers $79 per $100,000 of county-appraised property value. The levy would run for 10 years with first collections in 2027.
  • Issue 11 is a tax renewal and increase for Cuyahoga County Health and Human Services to supplement its general fund. The levy asks voters to renew 4.7 mills and increase it by 2.25 mills, which will generate $261 million annually, according to the county fiscal officer. The total 7.2-mill levy will cost taxpayers $196 per $100,000 of county-appraised property value and run for 10 years with collections starting in 2027.