By Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce
At its regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. on December 10, Toledo City Council is expected to vote on Ordinance 543-19 which would approve Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz’s request to submit for the March 17 ballot an increase of the city’s temporary income tax from 0.75 to 1.25 percent. If ultimately approved by Toledo voters the tax would be for a period of 10 years and bring the city’s total income tax rate to 2.75 percent effective July 2020. The proposal would allocate 40 percent of the revenue from the 1.25 percent tax for capital spending and the remaining 60 percent for operations, and would eliminate the ability to transfer the capital portion of that revenue for operating expenses. It would not change the existing allocation associated with the 1.50 percent that is permanent. Council must act on the ordinance by December 18 in order for the issue to be placed on the March ballot.
Council is also expected to vote on the following items:
Ordinance 613-19, which would approve the mayor’s proposed 2020 city operating budget, is expected to be referred to Council’s Committee of the Whole. The budget estimates general fund expenditures of $281,811,593 which is more than $12 million higher than estimates for 2019. It is balanced using a transfer of $7,837,332 from the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) fund and $7,044,451 from general fund reserves. The budget estimates income tax collections, the city’s largest revenue source, to generate a record $190,657,120, which is more than $5.5 million higher than estimates for 2019. The budget must be approved by Council no later than March 31, 2020.
Ordinance 614-19, which would approve the CIP budget for years 2020 through 2024 and appropriate $20,802,463 for 2020 capital projects, is also expected to be referred to the committee. Those projects include $5.8 million for major roadways; $4 million for residential roadways; $1.5 million for IT updates, and $1 million each for improvements for the final phase of Levis Square, the seawall along the Maumee River at Promenade Park, and city sidewalks.
All Council meetings, including committee hearings, are held in Council Chambers on the first floor of One Government Center located on Jackson Boulevard in downtown Toledo.
- Ordinance 536-19 which would authorize a 10-year property lease agreement with Arms Dock, Inc. for enclosed storage of the city’s bulk salt in an existing building at 1900 Summit Street. Arms Dock would be paid in annual payments of $105,000. The bulk salt is currently stored along the Maumee River near downtown where the new Nautical Mile project will be completed.
- Ordinance 541-19 which would prohibit discrimination against natural hair types and styles or wraps associated with race, culture or religion under city employment, housing, and public accommodation discrimination code. The ordinance would add these categories to existing discrimination classes under these sections.
- Ordinance 559-19 which would classify food and beverage retail locations that occupy less than 11,000 square feet as convenience stores. Current zoning code classifies as convenience stores locations that occupy less than 5,000 square feet. The ordinance is aimed at expanding regulation to larger stores in the city that operate under a convenience store business model.
- Ordinance 569-19 which would prohibit any other establishment than a retail vapor specialty business from engaging in the sale of vapor or electronic smoking products and devices. Penalties for violations would include a fourth degree misdemeanor for an initial offense and a third degree misdemeanor for a subsequent offense, along with fines.
- Ordinances 608-19, 609-19, 610-19, and 611-19 authorizing the assessment of estimated costs for various city services in 2020 including $23,375,406 for sweeping, cleaning and snow removal for streets and alleys; $3,573,149 for street lighting outside of downtown; $248,423 for street lighting within downtown; and $5,189,356 for tree maintenance.
Ordinance 613-19, which would approve the mayor’s proposed 2020 city operating budget, is expected to be referred to Council’s Committee of the Whole. The budget estimates general fund expenditures of $281,811,593 which is more than $12 million higher than estimates for 2019. It is balanced using a transfer of $7,837,332 from the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) fund and $7,044,451 from general fund reserves. The budget estimates income tax collections, the city’s largest revenue source, to generate a record $190,657,120, which is more than $5.5 million higher than estimates for 2019. The budget must be approved by Council no later than March 31, 2020.
Ordinance 614-19, which would approve the CIP budget for years 2020 through 2024 and appropriate $20,802,463 for 2020 capital projects, is also expected to be referred to the committee. Those projects include $5.8 million for major roadways; $4 million for residential roadways; $1.5 million for IT updates, and $1 million each for improvements for the final phase of Levis Square, the seawall along the Maumee River at Promenade Park, and city sidewalks.
All Council meetings, including committee hearings, are held in Council Chambers on the first floor of One Government Center located on Jackson Boulevard in downtown Toledo.
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