Paramedic Levy Could Mean Special May 2012 Election

Due to the expiration of a three-year paramedic levy in 2012, is facing the need to place a renewal levy on the ballot next year or face losing revenue from that levy.  

Historically, Avon Lake has placed that levy on during the May Primary election, however the 2012 Primary will be held March 6, which is not providing the city with adequate time to determine the millage.

“We were anticipating a May primary and we ended up with a March and June primary,” Council President Greg Zilka said. Zilka said with the recent removal of the June primary, it left the city with the probable option of having to hold a special election in May.

“We do not have a spring primary in May; we could not rush our decision to do this,” Zilka said.

Zilka said he was aware there was concern over the cost of a special election. The special mayoral run-off election held earlier this month cost upward of $30,000.

The council president noted the city still needed to hold a series of discussions which will include if some of the monies received from ambulance billing, which will total approximately $400,000 this year, should be used to fund the fire department.

Money received from ambulance billing, which began in 2010, are placed into the city’s General Fund, not the Paramedic Fund.

Glen Eisenhardt said the levy currently supports the salaries and benefits of eight firefighters and one secretary in the department

“One third of our force comes off the paramedics’ levy,” Eisenhardt said, as does cell phone communication, operational items and vehicle maintenance.

That fund, which once carried a balance of more than $1 million, has been drained in recent years due in part to the purchase of a fire engine.

Councilman Larry Meiners said he would support a special election in May noting that if the levy failed in November of 2012 it could result in no revenue from the paramedic levy for one full year.

Zilka added that the fund, which generates $400,000 per year, will be facing an approximate $200,000 loss due to a change in state funding formulas.

“In 2002, we received $130,000 from Tangible Personal Property tax,” Zilka said. “That decline has escalated and (income is) virtually $0 this year. Other revenues from the state have resulted in another $70,000 loss.

“We’re realizing a loss of $200,000 that would have gone into that fund,” Zilka said.

Zilka said the discussion would continue in the upcoming months and the public’s input would be welcome. An increase could be possible.

In May 2009, voters approved a 1.25-mill, three-year with a 75 percent approval. The levy resulted in a tax increase of $8.45 per $100,000 of home valuation.