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Issue 2: A Crucial Levy on Springfield City Ballot

Dan Gummel

Springfield wants to temporarily increase taxes by point four percent. If approved by voters, the five-year levy would generate 6.5 million dollars annually.

That’s money City Manager Jim Bodenmiller says is critically needed, “This issue is about three things, safety, streets and it’s about jobs.”

If the levy does not pass, the city will be forced to close a fire station, cut ten police officers and reduce funding to parks and recreation, and Bodenmiller says the city will have fully depleted its reserve funds by the end of 2017.

“We’re at a point where we will either have to increase revenue or have to drastically reduce services.  We’ve held out as long as we can.”

Bodenmiller says the city didn’t attempt to raise taxes earlier because they were hoping an economic recovery would boost city income levels.

The city is now planning to host a number of community information sessions in the coming weeks. The first will be held at Culture Fest in downtown Springfield on September 24th.

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