City officials said if the levy passes, they won’t seek renewal of an existing 3.5-mill public safety levy, which expires at the end of next year. Because of reduction factors over the years, that older 3.5-mill levy costs residents about $18 per $100,000 of appraised value and generates about $504,000 per year, according to the auditor.
The money from the new levy would go toward having adequate emergency response personnel in light of increasing demands for service. This includes increasing frontline EMS units and patrol officers per shift, as resources would allow, the city said. The money also would help sustain (and perhaps expand) the School Resource Officer program in Xenia schools, the city said.
Other targets for the funding would include helping to replace and relocate Fire Station 32 to improve emergency response times for growing neighborhoods in southwest Xenia. The current fire station is “woefully inadequate” to house the city’s firefighters and equipment, city councilman Will Urschel previously told the Dayton Daily News.
“We end up parking equipment outside year round, and it’s an extremely cramped and antiquated station,” he said. “Especially as we start expanding some of the neighborhoods to the south, we’re at the risk of the required response time that we’ve placed upon ourselves.”
Lastly, the funds would cover the city’s possible increased cost of funding public safety personnel’s state-mandated pensions, City Manager Brent Merriman said. Recently proposed legislation would increase those costs.
Top priorities for Xenia law enforcement include combatting growing drug abuse issues, reducing criminal trespassing, homelessness and petty criminal activities; improving traffic safety through expanded enforcement, and seeking to decrease risks of domestic violence.
Some Xenia residents expressed frustration with the potential tax increase, citing the recent property tax revaluation that saw homeowners’ property values soar and average of 36%, with taxes rising an average of 21%.
“There’s no good answer” said Rusty Redmon. “I’d like to vote yes because I do believe we need more law enforcement, fire protection, and emergency services, especially as the city is expanding in several directions. However, like others already pointed out, we’ve just experienced an incredible jump in our property taxes; and insurance is climbing too.”
About the Author
