Fire tax on Liberty ballot

FINDLAY — Liberty Township voters in the May 6 primary election will consider continuing a 0.9-mill, five-year property tax for fire protection. Though it is the same rate and term as the current tax which will expire at year-end, it is being labeled on the ballot as an "additional" tax. That's because this time the tax could be used for purchasing and maintaining buildings, which the tax revenue currently cannot be spent on. The township is "looking at a possible building expansion" for its volunteer Fire Department, Township Trustee Evan Stump said. It also will likely be providing more training for firefighters and installing more hydrants. The real estate tax would generate an estimated $248,000 per year, according to the County Auditor's Office. For the owner of a $100,000 home, the tax would cost $32 per year; for the owner of a $200,000 home, the tax would cost $64 per year; and for the owner of a $300,000 home, the tax would cost $96 per year, County Auditor Charity Rauschenberg said. The need to continue the tax is strong, Stump said. "Liberty Township, we're growing at an extremely fast pace," he said. "Our call volume has gone up, I think, close to 60% in the past nine years, so just daily operations." Tax revenue also would be used to finish paying for a $1.8-million, 107-foot ladder truck, purchased in 2023. The fire department still owes about $795,000, Stump said. The fire tax fund currently has about $450,000, which can be used to pay down the obligation. The rest of the obligation would be met with funds generated by the tax proposal voters are considering. The ladder truck was acquired with a down payment of about $1 million, most of which was from a federal grant, Stump said.