Mineral City seeks income tax increase

On May 5, the village of Mineral City will ask residents to approve an income tax increase of 1% to help fund street maintenance and general operations. Residents voted down the measure in May and November last year.

Village officials believe the votes were due to a lack of information among residents about why the increase is needed and what village services it will cover. The village held a community meeting to inform voters before the last election, but it was not well attended.

“The village has never asked residents to approve a tax increase,” Mayor Laurie Green said. “Our residents have paid the same tax rate since the 1950s when it was originally implemented.”

According to Green, Mineral City has one of the lowest income tax rates in the county. With the state continuing to cut funding to cities and villages, Green said the village has to find new sources of revenue.

“Most people probably think their property taxes are a large source of revenue for the village,” Green said. “The fact is we only receive 19.5% of the tax collected from homeowners.”

A postcard recently sent to all residents provided the following estimated annual expenses from the general and street department funds, where the income tax dollars will go:

Keeping more than 80 streetlights operating: $15,000.

Paying for basic utilities in village buildings, including electricity, security lighting, water and sewer, natural gas for heat, telephone, internet and trash pickup at two locations: $20,000.

Fueling street department vehicles: $7,000 or more, depending on the price per gallon.

Repairing street department machinery and equipment: $2,200.

Purchasing operating supplies for the street department: $15,000 per year.

Retirees and others will remain exempt from paying income tax

“I think it’s important for people to understand that only working employees who earn an income will be affected by the increase,” Green said. “That includes nonresidents who are employed in the village.”

Green added that certain segments of the population will remain completely exempt and will not be affected by the tax increase.

“Retirees, the unemployed and anyone receiving disability or other nonworking income will not pay a penny in income tax,” Green said.

Green said the village holds two cleanup days in the spring and fall when residents can get rid of things they no longer need or use that are taking up space in basements and attics or cluttering their lawns.

“Residents don’t pay anything for this service,” Green said.

She also reminded residents that no tax funds are being used to build the new park with its playground, pickleball and basketball courts.

“We applied for and received $197,000 in grant funding from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and our local Reeves Foundation,” Green said.

Green said village officials and council members understand what it means to ask citizens for additional tax money.

“We live here, too,” she said. “We have family members who live and work here. We wouldn’t ask anyone to do something we aren’t willing to do ourselves.”

Green said passing the tax increase will allow the village to continue providing residents with the services they have come to rely on and to build up Mineral City in ways that will attract new residents.

For more information on the proposed tax increase, contact the mayor’s office at 330-859-2222.