Lucas and Wood County businesses facing possible late payment of first-half property taxes as a result of COVID-19 or other hardship are encouraged to contact their county treasurer’s office to discuss options for avoiding penalty and interest. The payment deadline for first-half property taxes is January 31 for Lucas County property owners and February 12 for Wood County property owners.

​​By Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

​At its regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 5, Toledo City Council is expected to vote on two ordinances that would facilitate FCA’s proposed construction of a 250,000 square foot vehicle customization facility near its Toledo Assembly Complex. Ordinance 8-21 would approve the sale of 40.67 acres of city-owned property that includes the former Textileather and MedCorp facility sites to FCA for $1.00. Ordinance 9-21 would establish a tax increment financing arrangement to fund improvements on the site with FCA making service payment into a fund for such purposes in lieu of property taxes for a period of 30 years. According to the city, the project would support production at the Toledo Assembly Complex and involve total investment of $23 million and creation of more than 300 jobs.

​At its regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 15, Toledo City Council will likely vote on Ordinance 496-20 which would approve adjustments within the 2020 approved budget. Changes would increase the estimate for general fund revenues by $20,043,238. Notable individual revenue adjustments include increases of $6.4 million from income tax collections and $16.8 million from excess Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation rebates, and a decrease of $4 million from the traffic photo enforcement program and court fines. Changes would also increase the estimate for general fund expenditures by $965,395. The ordinance would also make a number of other city fund adjustments.

​​By Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz’s proposed 2021 operating and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budgets are expected to be referred to committee at Toledo City Council’s regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 1. Ordinance 470-20 estimates operating expenditures of $283,118,577 which is $14.2 million higher than the amended 2020 budget that included adjustments in response to COVID-19. It is balanced using a transfer of $11 million from the CIP fund and almost $23 million from general fund reserves. Income tax revenue is expected to generate $178.4 million, which is $7.7 million higher than the amended 2020 budget, but still lower than estimates prior to COVID. Separately, $17 million in new revenue for roads is expected from the additional 0.25 percent income tax approved this year. Ordinance 471-20 includes CIP expenditures of $18.7 million for residential roads and $20.3 million for other capital projects in 2021. Hearings on both the operating and CIP budgets, which can be view here, are scheduled for December 7 at noon, December 14 at 5:00 p.m., and December 16 at 5:00 p.m. The proposal sets January 19, 2021 as the target date for passage of the budgets, while the statutory deadline for passage is March 31, 2021.

​​By Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

At its regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 17, Toledo City Council is expected to vote on Ordinances 281-20 and 283-20 which would amend the city tax code with renewal of the city’s temporary 0.75 percent income tax, and a new temporary 0.25 percent income tax for roads and bridges, following both measures being approved by Toledo voters at the November 3 general election. Beginning January 1, 2021, the income tax for those living and working in the City of Toledo will be 2.50 percent.

​By Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

At its regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4, Toledo City Council is expected to vote on Ordinance 441-20 which would approve the sale of a 6.5 acre city-owned parcel in the Triad Business Park to Louisville Title Agency for N.W. Ohio, Inc. for $292,950. The offer is on behalf of an un-named company proposing to locate manufacturing operations to the site that could involve construction of a $12 million facility and creation of 20 full-time jobs. The property is located within the Maumee-Monclova-Toledo Joint Economic Development Zone.

​By Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

​At its regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 20, Toledo City Council is expected to vote on Ordinance 397-20 which would approve a new lead-safe program for residential rental properties with one to four units and childcare homes built prior to 1978. The ordinance would require such properties to obtain a lead-safe certificate by passing a visual lead hazard and dust wipe inspection. The certificate would be valid for five years, but fully abated properties would be eligible for a 20-year certificate. The ordinance would task the Department of Neighborhoods with coordinating the program, the Division of Code Enforcement with enforcing the program, and the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department with issuance of certificates. The compliance deadline for properties in high-risk census tracts would be June 30, 2022, and a five-year phase-in schedule would be established for remaining properties.

​The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced changes to the H-1B visa requirements.

​By Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

An ordinance that would approve a new lead-safe program for residential rental properties with one to four units and childcare homes built prior to 1978 is expected to be given first reading at Toledo City Council’s regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 6. Ordinance 397-20 would require such properties to obtain a lead-safe certificate by passing a visual lead hazard and dust wipe inspection. The certificate would be valid for five years, but fully-abated properties would be eligible for a 20-year certificate. The ordinance would task the Department of Neighborhoods with coordinating the program, the Division of Code Enforcement with enforcing the program, and the Toledo-Lucas County Health Departments with issuance of certificates. The compliance deadline for properties in high-risk census tracts would be June 30, 2022, and a five-year phase-in schedule would be established for remaining properties.

​By Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

At Toledo City Council’s regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22, individuals recently selected by Lucas County Probate Court Judge Jack Puffenberger to serve as temporary replacements for four previously vacant seats will be able to attend a meeting and vote for the first time. Those individuals include John Hobbs III who will serve on the District 1 seat, Vanice Williams who will serve on the District 4 seat, Tiffany Preston Whitman who will serve on an at-large seat, and Cerssandra McPherson who will serve on the other vacant at-large seat. Mr. Hobbs is a self-employed barber and pastor at Dominion Fellowship Church, Ms. Williams is a consultant at First Light Consulting, LLC, Ms. Whitman is the Director of Academic Innovation & Testing Services at the University of Toledo, and Ms. McPherson is a paraprofessional at Toledo Public Schools.