Questions & Answers
What are the Boardman Township Trustees asking voters to approve?
The Trustees are seeking approval of a 2.75-mill, five-year Safety Services Levy structured to generate a fixed annual amount. The levy is intended to maintain current police and fire services—not expand them. The additional revenue will help address rising health care and operating costs, maintain staffing and equipment, and address projected budget deficits in 2027 and 2028. Revenue from the levy will be divided equally between the Boardman Police and Fire Departments.
How much money will this levy generate?
The levy is projected to generate $3,772,795 annually for five years.
Is this a renewal, a replacement, or an additional levy?
On the ballot, this is an additional levy. The proposed levy will provide a dedicated source of revenue specifically for Boardman Police and Fire services, with the funds divided equally between the two departments. These funds will not be used to support other General Fund operations such as zoning, roads, or other administrative functions.
How much would the levy cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000?
Approximately $8 per month, or about $96 per year.
If property values increase, will the Township automatically receive more money from this levy?
No. The levy is structured to generate approximately $3,772,795 annually. The levy is designed to collect a fixed annual amount rather than automatically generating additional revenue simply because property values increase. This provides taxpayers with greater predictability while providing Police and Fire with a defined amount of annual funding during the five-year levy period.
Will the Mahoning County Commissioners' 2.5% property-tax reduction help offset the cost of this levy?
Yes. The County's one-year 2.5% property-tax reduction may help Boardman homeowners offset a portion of the cost of the proposed levy during that year. cost.
Are property taxes the Township's only source of revenue?
No, but property taxes are one of the Township's primary locally controlled revenue sources. Boardman Township also receives revenue from sources such as state-shared funds, grants, fees, and service-related income. However, these sources are not sufficient by themselves to fund the Township's Police and Fire operations. Unlike cities, Ohio townships have more limited options for generating local tax revenue. As a result, voter-approved property-tax levies are commonly used to support essential public safety services.
Can Boardman Township implement a sales tax or an income tax?
No. Under Ohio law, townships do not have the same local taxing authority as counties and municipalities. Counties and certain regional authorities may levy sales and use taxes as authorized by state law, while municipalities may levy municipal income taxes. Townships cannot independently impose a local sales tax or municipal-style income tax. As a result, property taxes and voter-approved levies remain important sources of funding for Township services.
When was the last time Boardman Township voters approved a levy providing new money?
2011 — 15 years ago.
That was the "United Against Crime" 3.85-mill Police Levy.
Since then, Boardman Township has relied on existing revenues and voter-approved renewals while the costs of providing Police, Fire, EMS, equipment, health care, and other essential services have continued to increase.
Do nonprofit organizations in Boardman Township pay property taxes?
Some do, while others may qualify for property-tax exemptions.
Under Ohio law, property owned by nonprofit organizations may qualify for exemption when it is used for certain charitable, educational, religious, or public purposes. When property is exempt from taxation, it generally does not contribute property-tax revenue toward Township services in the same manner as taxable residential and commercial property.
Are the Boardman Police and Fire Departments attracting qualified candidates?
Yes. Boardman Police and Fire continue to attract skilled and professional employees dedicated to serving our community. The greater challenge is retaining experienced officers and firefighters. Increasingly, Boardman can become a steppingstone for employees who later accept positions elsewhere. Losing experienced personnel means the Township must recruit, hire, train, and equip replacements. Turnover can also create staffing challenges, increase overtime costs, and make it more difficult to maintain consistent Police and Fire coverage. Maintaining competitive staffing is an important part of maintaining the level of public safety services Boardman residents expect.