Village officials in Waynesburg are considering asking voters to approve a tax increase in an attempt to get more financial support for the police department.
The issue would be on the Nov. 8 election ballot if officials decide to move forward. It would replace the existing 6-mill levy.
Currently Waynesburg village residents pay a total of $53,881 annually – the replacement levy would raise the amount to $91,254.
Waynesburg Village Council approved a resolution to have the Stark County Auditor determined what the new tax issue would produce.
If a replacement version is approved, homeowners of a $100,000 home would pay $210 annually – right now owners pay $100 annually.
Scott Anthony, the president of village council, does not support the replacement levy.
“I feel that asking our residents and business owners to pass levy that will more than double their taxes should be the last option for us,” Anthony said. “I have said from the beginning that this is not a good idea, I don’t support this idea and that I don’t think it will ever pass. I am 100% against this idea without one, crunching numbers and coming up with a yearly dollar figure on what it will take to operate our dept in the years to come and adjusting a levy millage that fits and two, looking into other possible options for our Police Dept, and we haven’t done either of those things yet.
Anthony said he believes discussions need to be had about forming a joint-police district or contracting officers from other departments.
“It’s not something that is going to happen overnight but setting up a meeting and gathering opinions and ideas from all entities is a good starting point,” he said. “Maybe it wouldn’t work out, but we owe it to our residents and business owners to exhaust every option before taxing them.”