Bellefontaine Parks Superintendent Kris Myers, right, discusses information from a slide Wednesday concerning the upcoming park levy before voters on the March 19 primary election ballot, while levy committee members Justin Dinovo, left, and Pat Ellis look on. (EXAMINER PHOTO | T.J. HUBBARD)
“No one wants to pay more taxes.”
That’s what Bellefontaine Parks Superintendent Kris Myers told attendees at a Wednesday, March 6, town hall-style meeting in an appeal for the need to pass the proposed .267 earned income tax issue before voters on the March 19 primary election ballot.
The levy appeared on last November’s general election ballot, but failed to pass by a small margin of 106 votes.
Myers and park levy committee members in attendance at the Lutheran Community Services building, 820 W. Sandusky Ave., attributed they levy’s failure in November to possibly being overshadowed by the statewide issues on the ballot for the legalization of recreational marijuana and enshrining women’s reproductive rights.
Park levy committee members in attendance with Myers were Jessica Jenkins, Mark Fissel, Keyne Strickland, Trey Daring, Pat Ellis and Justin Dinovo.
A “poor” roll out of information on the committee’s part, confusing ballot language and placement of the park levy on the back of the ballot were other factors.
There was confusion, Myers said on who would pay and how much. Retirees are exempt, as the levy raises taxes on earned income. Residents making less than $25,000 per year also would not have to pay additional taxes should the levy pass later this month.
Park board president Pat Ellis said the levy’s passage would mean a resident who earns $50,000 annually would pay about 38 cents a day or approximately $139 per year.
The park district currently receives about $600,000 — which has not been adjusted since about 2008 — from the city’s general fund, some funding from Bellefontaine City Schools for the maintenance of Blue Jacket Park, and rental income from the use of cabins at Myeerah Nature Preserve.
The levy’s passage would generate about $1.2 million, and allow the city retain the $600,000 it has been allocating to the parks for other purposes.
Asked if he thought 17 parks in a community this size is too many, Myers said that figure is actually about the average and the city’s low 1.33 percent income tax rate makes it difficult to maintain the parks we have.
Some neighboring communities such as Sidney, Kenton, Urbana and Marysville with higher tax rates are also looking to raise additional funds to keep pace with their park maintenance needs.
Some voters mistakenly believed the levy was only for a proposed upgrade to Harmon Field on the city’s west side, the levy group said. In fact, the levy would benefit all of the city’s parks and allow for, among other things, much-needed restroom repairs and upgrades — one of the chief needs cited by the 500 city residents who participated in an independent survey conducted last year concerning an overhaul of the city park system.
The committee believes the benefits of passing the levy will far outweigh the modest increase in taxes and will perhaps help save a long-used public amenity.
Myers estimates the 55-year-old Hoffman Municipal Pool has between two to five year of useful life remaining.
The concrete is failing and the liner — last replaced in 2010 for $125,000 — is on borrowed time, he noted.
While the levy funds are not intended to cover the extensive repairs needed for the pool, a portion of those monies could be used to extend the local landmark’s life until a permanent solution to save it can be devised, he said.
This would allow important child-safety efforts like the pool’s Learn to Swim program to continue, the superintendent said.
Recent studies compiled for Honda show that communities with vibrant and well-maintained parks and green space factor into potential employees’ decisions to locate here for work.
The park head also related that he saw a large group of teenagers playing on the recently installed pickleball courts at Mary Rutan Park in the rain.
The parks remain an important part of “socialization” in our community, he said, especially in an era where parents are struggling to keep their kids active and playing less on digital devices.
Should the levy fail again, Myers says he and his staff will “continue to the best we can with what we have.”
Smiling, he said, “If it passes, I’ll have a lot to do.”
The committee thanked attendees and encouraged them (and all residents) to vote March 19.
For more, visit yesforparks.com.