As Ohioans Push Back on Property Taxes, Will Franklin Township Residents Push Back With Their Votes?

FRANKLIN, OH — Across Ohio, rising property-tax bills have sparked calls for reform, caps on future increases and even an effort to eliminate property taxes altogether. Against that backdrop, Franklin Township voters heading to the polls Nov. 3 will notice they are still being asked to pay taxes.

Some township property owners are being asked to continue paying not one, but two separate property-tax levies for senior services — a countywide Warren County levy and another levy imposed specifically by Franklin Township on the majority of the township.

The two taxes do not necessarily pay for the same services. But their coexistence raises a reasonable question for taxpayers at a time when Ohioans are demanding greater scrutiny of property taxes:

Why does Franklin Township need a separate senior-services property-tax levy when residents already pay a county senior-services levy?  And, why does it not include everyone who is part of Franklin Township?

Two senior levies for some Franklin Township taxpayers

Issue 7 is the renewal of Warren County's 1.21-mill Senior Citizen Services Levy. That levy supports Warren County's Elderly Services Program, which helps older residents remain safely in their homes. Services can include:

• home-delivered meals, 
• personal care, 
• homemaking assistance, 
• transportation, 
• emergency-response systems and other support. 

For many residents, programs such as Meals on Wheels provide a readily identifiable public service financed through the county levy.

Issue 8 asks voters to renew Franklin Township's separate 0.25-mill senior-services levy for another five years. But its official description contained an important qualification:

“Franklin Township (excluding Middletown City).”

What does the township levy pay for?

Franklin Township says its Senior Services Tax Levy provides funding for the Walter & Audrey Deardoff Senior Citizen Center and includes a transportation program for older and disabled residents.

The history of the levy is closely connected to Deardoff Senior Center which its records say township levy proceeds support both the center's operating fund and senior transportation.

Ohio law permits townships to spend public money providing and maintaining senior-citizen services and facilities and, under certain circumstances, to financially assist nonprofit organizations providing services to older residents.

Why doesn't every Franklin Township property owner get to vote on and pay the township levy?

The Franklin Township's senior levy expressly excludes the incorporated portion of the township that is in the City of Middletown. These residents vote for Franklin Township Trustees and are considered to be in the township.

The other incorporated communities within Franklin Township, such as Carlisle and the city of Franklin, have historically participated in the senior levy. Warren County election records show the levy appearing on ballots in Carlisle, Franklin and Springboro School District precincts.

Middletown, however, was carved out when the levy was created in 2007.

At the same time, Franklin Township describes its senior transportation service as available to all Franklin Township residents age 60 and older or residents who are disabled. The township's published eligibility requirements do not say a resident must live within the senior levy taxing district.

(The Warren County Post was unable to find an explanation in publicly available online records for why the Middletown portion of Franklin Township is excluded from the senior-services levy at the time of this writing  and will be submitting the question to the Warren County Board of Elections. This story will update if additional information becomes available.)

The county levy is much easier to identify

For the Warren County levy, taxpayers can see an extensive list of services provided through the Elderly Services Program. Those include programs intended to allow seniors to remain at home rather than enter institutional care.

Since this county wide program serves residents throughout Warren County, Middletown property owners who live in Warren County do pay the Warren County Senior Levy property tax

Voters in Franklin School District are also considering a school tax

Some Franklin-area voters will see another significant tax question this November involving Franklin City Schools. This proposal should not be confused with the two senior property-tax levies.

The school district is requesting a five-year, 1.25% earned-income tax, not an additional property-tax levy. The district says it intends to reduce an existing property-tax levy by one mill if voters approve the income tax.

Retired residents living solely on Social Security, pensions, retirement-account withdrawals and investment income would not pay the proposed Franklin City Schools earned-income tax. Retirees who continue to earn wages or self-employment income would pay the tax on those earnings.

Your vote does count!

Nevertheless, all three questions arrive during a period in which household budgets and taxes are receiving increased scrutiny.  At a time when Ohio residents are questioning property taxes more aggressively than they have in years, Franklin Township voters will be making some major decisions at the ballot box.

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