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Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce and Toledo Area Small Business Association (TASBA) vote to support the TARTA, 9-1-1 Emergency Services, Lucas County Children Services and Toledo Zoo Levies; oppose Imagination Station and Toledo Lucas-County Public Library Levies (Toledo, OH) The Board of Trustees of the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Directors of the Toledo Area Small Business Association (TASBA) have voted to support four and oppose two of the six Lucas County property tax levies that will appear on the November 8 ballot. TARTA (Issue 18) is a 10-year 1.5 mill renewal levy for general expenses including personnel, facilities and maintenance. The Chamber Board and TASBA Board support the TARTA levy. Sixty-five percent of TARTA’s ridership utilizes its services for getting to-and-from work making it an important asset for the region’s employers and employees. Additionally, as the Toledo Region competes with other metropolitan areas for talent, providing access to a variety of transportation options will be vital to attracting Millennials who live a “multi-modal lifestyle” which includes driving, public transit, biking and walking. 9-1-1 Public Safety Communication Systems (Issue 19) is a 5-year 0.7 mill renewal for operational system maintenance and capital improvements. The Chamber Board and TASBA Board support the Emergency Services 9-1-1 levy. The agency has instituted several system upgrades and enhancements since its last renewal in 2011. Future improvements planned include improved reliability for cellular users and implementing text services. Lucas County Children Services (Issue 20) is a 5-year 1.4 mill renewal and .4 mill increase for support, placement and care of the children in Lucas County. The Chamber Board and TASBA Board support the renewal and increase for Lucas County Children Services. Due to the severity of heroin and opiate addiction in our region, the agency is now serving more children (in numbers almost equal among the City of Toledo and surrounding suburbs) and for longer periods of time. These at-risk children are our region’s most vulnerable citizens today as well as our workforce of tomorrow. Toledo Zoo (Issue 23) is a 5-year 0.75 mill renewal and decrease for maintenance and operation. The Chamber Board and TASBA Board support the renewal and commends the Zoo for the decreased millage request. By finding ways to increase non-tax revenue as well as lower costs, the Zoo has been able to decrease the overall percentage of their budget dependent on tax dollars. They also recently experienced their best year ever in attendance and revenue and have experienced a general upward trend in visitors and revenue for the past three years. The Toledo Zoo should be commended and serve as an example for seeking non-tax revenue to support operations and to reduce the burden on taxpayers. Imagination Station (Issue 21) is a 5-year 0.17 mill renewal for operation and maintenance. The Chamber Board and TASBA Board did not support the renewal. The current levy does not expire until the end of 2017, but is eligible to be on the ballot this year. While non-levy sources of revenue have increased and now represent a larger percentage of their overall budget, which the organization should be commended for, the millage requested has remained the same. The Imagination Station should consider reducing its request for taxpayer support as it increases earned revenue. Toledo Lucas-County Public Library (Issue 22) is a 5-year 2.9 mill renewal and .8 mill increase for current expenses. The Chamber Board and TASBA Board did not support the renewal and increase. The current levy does not expire until the end of 2017, but is eligible to be on the ballot this year. Since 2007 the requested annual taxpayer support has increased from 2.0 mills to 3.7 mills. This would make it the second most expensive non-school district levy in Lucas County and the most expensive library property tax levy when compared to other metropolitan counties in Ohio. The escalating burden on taxpayers of supporting additional infrastructure, staffing and services (some of which are already being provided by other local workforce development, economic development and community development agencies) needs to be addressed before an early renewal and increase of this levy should be considered. Each levy was reviewed by the Chamber’s Levy Review Subcommittee, which researches and studies levy requests and makes recommendations to other Chamber committees, culminating with the Chamber and TASBA Boards. This process ensures that levy requests are examined by a broad cross-section of the Chamber’s membership and reflect the views of the business community. The Chamber’s comprehensive levy review process includes presentations by the agencies making the levy request, an examination of the impact of the levy request on both the agency and taxpayers, and a review of agency financials to better understand the need behind the request. Lucas County residents currently pay a combined rate 25.17 mills on a total of 12 non-school district property tax levies. This is the second highest rate in the state when compared to other Ohio counties with metropolitan cities. The new property tax rate of 26.27 mills, should all six levies pass, could make Lucas County the highest in the state (pending the results of other county elections.) As the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce and TASBA work to foster economic growth and prosperity of the region, this could have a serious negative impact on individuals and businesses choosing to locate in Lucas County. About the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce The Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce fosters economic growth and prosperity by connecting businesses with resources and opportunities, advocating for a thriving business environment and leading the charge to promote the assets of the region.