On the May ballot, voters will either keep or reject the city’s 0.25% income tax. It funds police, fire and EMS. It’s a ten-year renewable that expires in 2024.
Interim City Manager Bryan Chodkowski believes it forces city leaders to prove they are good financial stewards.
“We want to be proactive about the measure, and put it before the citizens now so they have an opportunity to consider the value of the safety services we provided,” explains Chodkowski. “More importantly, we want to make sure the citizens have an opportunity to hold us accountable.”
Even though the current income tax expires in 2024, Chodkowski wants voters to decide on the measure a year earlier. He says if voters reject the measure, this lead time will give the city time to adjust for the lost tax revenue.
Annually, the city income tax generates $2.75 million for emergency personnel, vehicles and equipment. The city has 53 sworn personnel in the police department, including school resource officers.
Forty three certified firefighters and command staff run the fire stations. Huber Heights has a population of about 43,000.
According to Chodkowski, a city's need for income tax is often a complex issue and he admits most government officials don't communicate it well to citizens.
"When citizens write a check to Montgomery County to pay taxes, not all of that money comes to the cities. As a matter of fact, most of that money goes to the local school districts," says Chodkowski. "About 65 cents goes to the school district, 20 cents goes to Montgomery County and Huber Heights only gets about 5 cents."
If voters reject this income tax renewal, Chodkowski says the city will reduce services including the construction of new playgrounds, upgrades to recreational fields and to the Community Center. It will scale back the July 4th fireworks show as well as the summer concert and movie series.
Huber Heights has another 0.25% income tax measure that will expire in 2025. Chodkowski anticipates it will go on ballot before voters in 2024.
