After previous failures at the ballot, Macedonia and Munroe Falls appeared ready to pass income tax increases with most of the vote counted in Tuesday’s special election.
But a similar attempt in Lakemore fell short.
While many Summit County residents had no reason to head to the polls, it was an important day for several area communities.
• In Macedonia, voters were looking favorably at an income tax increase. With more than two-thirds of the vote counted, the issue was winning with 69 percent of the vote.
The income tax issue was arguably the most contentious item on any Summit County ballot Tuesday, with elected city leaders on both sides of the argument.
The mayor and some council members supported increasing the city income tax from 1.75 percent to 2.25 percent for road improvements, parks and recreation and general operations and maintenance. The current income tax rate of 2 percent is scheduled to roll back to 1.75 percent on June 30 if the measure didn’t pass.
Two council members actively fought against the issue.
• In Munroe Falls, with 83 percent of the vote counted late Tuesday, two new tax issues were passing.
Voters had rejected two identical issues in November.
One issue — which proposed increasing the income tax rate from 2 percent to 2.25 percent with an estimated $276,000 yearly in added revenue — was ahead with 56 percent of the vote late Tuesday night.
The other was a 2.8-mill, five-year police levy.
Munroe Falls Mayor James Armstrong said the increases were necessary to avoid cutting police personnel.
Failure of either issue would probably result in yet another attempt in November, Armstrong said.
• In Lakemore, voters defeated an issue that would have boosted the income tax from 2 percent to 2.25 percent. The increase would have raised $92,000 a year, with money aimed at repairing roads and buying new equipment.
Because Lakemore offers a 100 percent income tax credit, residents already paying 2.25 percent in Akron and other higher-rate communities would not have been affected.
• In Springfield Township, with 80 percent of the vote counted, a property tax renewal and increase that would have raised more money for police was failing by a handful of votes. The township had hoped to use the money to add one or two new police cruisers.
A second issue to raise money for parks was also losing by a more substantial margin.
• In Coventry Township, voters easily passed a property tax renewal and increase to provide additional money for policing services, and a renewal for township fire services.
• In Portage County, Brady Lake residents voted 106-88 to dissolve their small village and become part of Franklin Township.
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/paulaschleis.