Letters to the Editor

Vote for police levy now before situation becomes dire

To the Editor:

When we vote on the police levy, the question is not simply, “Do we want another tax?” The real question is, “What level of police protection do we expect – and are we willing to provide the resources necessary to sustain it?”

We rely on officers to respond when minutes matter, deter crime, patrol our roads and protect our neighborhoods, schools and businesses. We also expect the department to recruit and retain qualified officers and equip them with the training, technology and tools required to serve safely and effectively.

The township has not approved a new police levy in 25 years. The four levies passed in 1983, 1989, 1991 and 2001 generate a fixed $1.6 million in revenue. As the township has grown, the cost per household has declined, but the cost of providing dependable police protection has not.

Despite responsible cost cutting, the department is projected to continue operating at a deficit at the end of 2026. Fuel, vehicles, technology, evidence management, training, salaries and cybersecurity all cost substantially more than they did when voters last approved a levy.

A strong police department is not an extra; it is a basic investment in the safety, stability and quality of life of our community. Waiting until services must be reduced or emergencies go unanswered is not the responsible choice. I will vote for the police levy, and I urge my neighbors to protect the community we all value by voting for it as well.

Jim Bialosky

Sandy Creek Trail

Retain Hinckley’s safe community status

To the Editor:

The Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #15, which represents members of the Hinckley Police Patrol Division, strongly supports the Hinckley police levy. Passage is imperative to maintaining staffing levels for the police department. The last levy for the police department was passed in 2001. Expenses have exceeded revenue since 2020.

Hinckley Township is ranked as the third-safest community in Ohio, largely due to the Hinckley Police Department. We strongly urge you to join us in supporting the Hinckley Township police levy so that the police department of Hinckley can continue to provide the superb protection and services to which the residents have become accustomed.

Dennis J. Soltis

President, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #15