Ross Twp. wants to continue fire department improvements with levy renewal request

The township could capture new valuation if it went for a replacement levy, but if the expiring levy is disturbed, taxpayers would lose their state-paid Homestead Exemption tax rollbacks.

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“We’ve stayed within our budget, we ran the department wisely, we did the things we wanted to do, we hired the full-time people, we’re providing the 24/7 coverage in two stations,” Willsey said. “We’re doing all the things that we do and we don’t feel the loss of the Homestead exemption tax is worth the difference. It would put a big burden on our people.”

Mike Stein, the tax accounting manager in the Butler County auditor’s office, said the average home in Ross is valued at about $192,000, so the 2.75 mill renewal tax amount is $147. The tax on the average home price would jump to almost $165 if the trustees chose to replace the levy. An owner-occupied taxpayer would lose nearly $18 if the township went for a replacement levy.

Township Administrator Bob Bass said the 2.75 mill levy was voter-approved in 2014 as an additional levy so the township could increase staffing to counter the part-time firefighter shortage and expand coverage.

“We had one fire station open all the time and the other fire station was open five days a week. Just to be able to have both stations open 24/7 to provide better coverage,” Bass said. “Plus we were having trouble finding part-time people so we put on three full-time people to help out with that burden.”

Bass said the township has another 3-mill levy that will also expire in a couple of years. That levy generates $536,270. He said when that happens the trustees might consider consolidating the two levies to “make it easier on the voter.”

Fire Chief Steve Miller said the department could always use more people but their budget is in “good shape.”

“We’ve come to the conclusion we’re only going to ask for what we need,” Miller said. “Our budget forecast looks good for the next six or seven years out so there’s no need to ask for any additional money at this time.”