2 townships seek tax dollars through exempted millage

Prairie, Truro could collect more without approval of voters

Monday, July 11, 2005

Kirk D . Richards

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Property-tax bills could go up in two Franklin County townships because trustees are trying to take advantage of a rare opportunity to raise taxes without going on the ballot.

Prairie and Truro townships are seeking permission from the Franklin County Budget Commission to tap into their remaining inside millage that state law allows local governments to collect without voter approval.

The inside millage is exempt from state rollbacks, which means that as property values rise through reappraisals every three years, tax bills also go up.

Local governments are granted up to 10 inside mills, although those mills are shared among various entities within a jurisdiction, including the school districts, the county and adjoining municipalities.

As municipalities annex township land, less inside millage is available for the township to collect for unincorporated areas.

"There isn’t much left anymore," said Judy Williamson, a settlement officer for Franklin County Auditor Joe Testa.

Prairie and Truro townships have submitted the inside-millage requests to the county with their budget proposals for next year.

Prairie Township has 1.6 mills available for collection that will raise $425,000 toward road improvements; Truro Township has 0.05 mills to go toward its general fund. Williamson said Truro could raise $23,071 per year.

"It’s just a source of additional revenue that has been sitting there and never used," Prairie Township Trustee Teresa Keller said. "That’s why we’re doing it."

Keller said the idea came from township Administrator Tracy Hatmaker, who was looking for other sources of funding.

Trustee Douglas Stormont supported the proposal, while Trustee Joe Wharton voted against it.

"I just didn’t think the township was in a good position to raise taxes," Wharton said.

In May, Prairie Township residents approved a 4-mill replacement levy for fire protection that will raise $1.1 million a year.

Resident Neil Distelhorst said the proposal deserved more debate.

"They should’ve tried to rationally explain it instead of trying to ram it through," Distelhorst said. He accused officials of overspending.

However, approval from the budget commission is not automatic.

In Mifflin Township, Clerk Nancy White recalled that the trustees there tried to tap into less than a mill of inside millage that was available a few years ago. But Franklin County declined the request, she said.

"They said you have to show a need." she said. "I thought we did. It was for our road and bridge department."

Jackson Township Administrator Michael Lilly said it would be difficult for his government to take advantage of inside millage because the South-Western school district could show a greater need.

Lilly said he’s surprised that Prairie Township, which also is in that school district, would seek the inside millage.

"You still have to go in and make a justification" to the county, Lilly said.

krichards@dispatch.com