MIAMI COUNTY — Voters will decide whether to replace a tax levy that pays for a Miami Valley parks district.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 6, the Miami County Park District is asking voters to approve a new 1.4-mill levy that would cancel the existing 1.5-mill levy.
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Voters approved the current 1.5 mill levy that costs the taxpayer almost $30 per year on a property valued at $100,000, according to the Miami County Parks website.
The park district says it needs to increase it just enough to keep up with inflation.
The levy helps fund Miami County’s 15 parks and 2,200 acres of land.
It supports maintenance, law enforcement, and programming for facilities and community events like the Earth Festival, Fall Farm Fest, and the Holiday Lights at Lost Creek Reserve.
86 percent of the park district’s funding comes from the levy.
The increase will cost homeowners about $19 more per $100,000 valuation.
Scott Myers, Miami County Parks District Executive Director, said that he understands that people may not want their property taxes to increase. But he said the parks district worked thoroughly to come to a number.
“We didn’t want to ask for more than we needed, so doing a new 1.5 to replace our old one was going to be more than we needed,” he said. “So, this will be a new 1.4 mil levy.”
Myers said that 60 percent of the voters approved of the 2017 levy.
If the proposed tax levy passes, it takes effect on Jan. 1, 2027.
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