On the ballot in the Ohio primary, voters will vote on an additional 2.55-mill levy for a continuing period of time to support the Mifflin Township Division of Fire, and a replacement levy to support the Mifflin Township Division of Police in the unincorporated area. For your convenience, we have compiled commonly asked questions and answers we receive from residents about the levies.
Mifflin Township Division of Fire Levy
What will the funds go towards? An additional 2.55-mill levy for a continuing period of time would support the Mifflin Township Division of Fire. The funds will be used to sustain the ongoing day-to-day operations of the division, such as staff and equipment, to maintain the four professional fire stations in the city of Gahanna and the unincorporated area of Mifflin Township.
How much it will raise annually? How much will it cost the homeowner? According to the Franklin County Auditor’s office, this levy will generate about $3.2 million annually. This will cost homeowners $89.25 per $100,000 of property valuation (which is approximately 35 percent of the value).
What is the fire department’s strength now? How many full-time? How many calls for service were there last year?
The Mifflin Township Division of Fire serves approximately 35,726 residents in the city of Gahanna and approximately 3,000 residents within the unincorporated Mifflin Township. The division operates from four strategically located fire stations, employing approximately 82 full time firefighter/paramedics and 13 full and part-time 9-1-1 dispatchers. Mifflin Township firefighters respond on average to 11,000 calls annually for emergency medical services (EMS) and structure fires in 2021.
Mifflin Township employs professional fire fighters who are cross trained as paramedics. This is an important asset to the department as it allows for staffing to be adjusted and, more importantly, ensures that when a Mifflin Township Division of Fire emergency apparatus is called to the scene of an emergency, the same level of care can be provided by all staff members.
The Division of Fire is staffed 24/7 by firefighters and utilizes key personnel who work a weekday schedule for positions such as fire prevention and administration.
Historically, Gahanna and Mifflin Township’s Fire Division is one of the busiest in the region,” said Fire Chief Frederick Kauser. “We believe our firefighters did an outstanding job these past two years during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s critical to continue providing our citizens that same level of excellence. Training, equipment and state-of-the-art apparatus helps us to do our job the best that we can, whether that’s responding to an accident on I-270, a patient with breathing issues or a home fire. It was 2011 the last time we came to the voters to ask to fund our operations. This levy is about maintaining the current class of service our residents have come to expect for the next decade.”
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Mifflin Township Division of Police Levy
On the Ohio primary ballot you will see a 3-mill replacement levy for Mifflin Township Police Services.
What will the money pay for if the levy passes? This levy is not a request for additional tax dollars. It is a wording change on a recently passed levy. The wording change permits Mifflin Police to use the funds for all Police purposes, such as personnel, equipment and training.
The funds will not go to any other department or the general fund, but will stay in the unincorporated community for Police Services.
It will not eliminate the previous levy should this levy fail.
Where does Mifflin Township police provide service?
The Mifflin Township Division of Police has been in operation since 1961 and serves the unincorporated portion of Mifflin Township. In November 1981, the voters passed a tax levy, creating a full-time division. The division has five full-time officers and maintains 24-hour police protection. Two part-time officers, who receive the same police academy training that is required of full-time officers, provide additional manpower. The division operates out of a building located behind the fire station on 2455 Agler Road. The department patrols the unincorporated area of the Township—approximately 3.9 square miles with a population of about 3,000.
General Tax Levy Information
What will this cost me as a homeowner?
If you want to know your exact cost, log into the Franklin County Auditor’s website http://www.franklincountyauditor.com/
- Click the link for Online Tools in the upper right hand corner of the website Home page.
- Find the icon for Levy Estimator.
- Search by address or parcel number and click the Search
- Once you have found your property, scroll down the page to see Proposed Levies for Upcoming Election.
- This box will show you how the police levy will affect your property tax bill and what you will pay for annually.
If I rent, am I taxed?
No, only the property owner pays the tax.
Does a “mill” mean a million?
Many state and local jurisdictions raise money from property taxes based on the value of the land that each person or business owns. The mill represents how much of the property’s taxable value will be charged in real estate taxes. Each mill represents a tax on one-thousandth of a dollar of the assessed value of the property. This is why we typically explain the cost as based on what it will cost the owner of a property valued at $100,000. It is an easy way to show the millage. If your property is worth less, say $50,000, your cost will be half.
