Does Avon Lake Need Another Tax Increase?: Letter

Editor's note: The following commentary was submitted by K.C. Zuber, the mayor of Avon Lake from 2008-20012.

To the Editor:

In 2012 the and even a former councilman predicted fiscal disaster for Avon Lake if the citizens did not pass a tax increase. Numerous city programs would end. Branch pickup would end, amongst others, if we did not increase taxes.

Did you know the City of Avon Lake in 2012 received an increase of $900,000 over what was budgeted in income tax? Just under $10 million, only a few dollars short of the annual income tax record set in 2007. The City of Avon Lake also received a windfall of over $300,000 by making you pay more for trash pickup. The city received over $1.2 million dollars more than budgeted. That amount is more than double the tax increase.

The city’s “rainy day fund,” a combination of the unencumbered cash reserves of the general fund and income tax transfer fund, was projected to be just over $4 million at the end of 2012. Now that all the final numbers are in, it exceeds 6.4 $million.

Did we need a tax increase or just more prudent financial
management?

KC Zuber

Avon Lake