Section 5705.71 | County levy for senior citizens services or facilities.
(A) The electors of a county may initiate the question of a tax levy for support of senior citizens services or facilities by the filing of a petition with the board of elections of that county not less than ninety days before the date of any primary or general election requesting that an election be held on such question. The petition shall be signed by at least ten per cent of the qualified electors residing in the county and voting for the office of governor at the last general election.
(B) The petition shall state the purpose for which the senior citizens tax levy is being proposed, shall specify the amount of the proposed increase in rate, the period of time during which the increase is to be in effect, and whether the levy is to be imposed in the current year. The number of years may be any number not exceeding five, except that when the additional rate is for the payment of debt charges the increased rate shall be for the life of the indebtedness.
(C) After determination by it that such petition is valid, the board of elections shall submit the question to the electors of the county at the succeeding primary or general election.
(D) The election shall be conducted, canvassed, and certified in the same manner as regular elections in such county for county offices. Notice of the election shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county once a week for two consecutive weeks, or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code, prior to the election. If the board of elections operates and maintains a web site, the board of elections shall post notice of the election on its web site for thirty days prior to the election. The notice shall state the purpose, the amount of the proposed increase in rate, and the time and place of the election.
(E) The form of the ballot cast at such election shall be prescribed by the secretary of state. If the tax is to be placed on the tax list of the current tax year, the form of the ballot shall include a statement to that effect and shall indicate the first calendar year the tax will be due. The question covered by such petition shall be submitted as a separate proposition but it may be printed on the same ballot with any other propositions submitted at the same election other than the election of officers.
(F) If a majority of electors voting on the question vote in favor of the levy, the board of county commissioners shall levy a tax, for the period and the purpose stated within the petition. If the tax is to be placed upon the tax list of the current year, as specified in the petition, the result of the election shall be certified immediately after the canvass by the board of elections to the board of county commissioners, which shall forthwith make the necessary levy and certify it to the county auditor, who shall extend it on the tax list for collection. After the first year, the tax levy shall be included in the annual tax budget that is certified to the county budget commission.
Available Versions of this Section
- September 29, 2011 – House Bill 153 - 129th General Assembly [ View September 29, 2011 Version ]