On May 3rd the citizens of Tipp City will be asked to consider a temporary increase in the local income tax to support the repairing, replacing and improving of the City’s infrastructure. The income tax issue is composed of two components. First, a 0.25% increase in the income tax effective July 1, 2011 for a period of 10 years targeted specifically for capital improvements. Second, the continuation of the current 0.25% income tax earmarked for Parks Improvements, also being targeted to capital improvements for a 10 year period.
Two members of the community have volunteered their time and energies to chair the Committee for a Strong Tipp City. Mike McDermott (yours truly) and Adam Blake.
As a member of the 10-year CIP committee, I was able to get very close to the budget numbers and understand how our City funds itself as well as how it takes care of it’s obligations. Through TippNews DAILY and Get Social! Radio I have a unique and effective way to share the facts I have learned with all members of our community which hopefully allows them to make an educated choice on May 3rd. Like everything I do, it’s about empowering people with information that they can act upon. As a local small business owner AND resident I will be voting for a tax that will be levied against both my family income, as well as that of my fledgling business.
The second Co-Chairman for the Committee for a Strong Tipp City is Adam Blake. Unlike myself, Adam is a lifetime Tipp City resident that works in Dayton and pays Dayton City tax. While his decision to support this tax has no financial implication on Adam’s family finances, Adam as a lifetime Tipp Citian, former City Council member and Alumnus understands the need for our City to properly care for and immediately attend-to our aging streets, structures and vehicles. We both live here, and both care deeply for our community.
As Committee Co-Chairs, both Adam and I are committed to making sure residents understand the implications of voting either YES or NO on the May 3rd levy. It is our opinion that these 10-year levies keep the City accountable, and on a short “spending leash” while also committing funds only to those projects that RETAIN the beauty and functionality of our City services and infrastructure.
The Committee will be launching a new website to carry out the detailed communication of this issue, allowing all conversations on the tax levy to occur in one place.
