AVON LAKE, Ohio — Avon Lake voters will be considering a new way to pay for the city’s roads and infrastructure. Issue 13 proposes a 0.4% increase in earned income tax on the May ballot.
The revenue generated would go into a dedicated fund for roads and capital improvements.
“The number one complaint we get is roads… well, number one is speeding and number two is the conditions of the roadways,” said Avon Lake Mayor Mark Spaetzel.
The mayor said the rising costs of materials and labor have made it difficult to afford maintenance on the city’s 112 miles of roads. He said the 2025 estimates to fully replace one mile of roadway topped $4.1 million.
“We looked at - how can we cut expenses, how can we increase revenues? We did both of those things, and yet, there’s still a shortfall because infrastructure costs a lot of money,” Spaetzel said.
It’s why Avon Lake voters will see Issue 13 on the May ballot.
The additional 0.4% municipal income tax would change the tax rate from 1.5% to 1.9% for five years.
A household earning $100,000 would see a $400 increase.
If the measure passed, the city would stop collecting on a 1.5 mill property tax. Its elimination would save the homeowner of a $100,000, almost $23 annually.
You can click on this link to calculate your estimated Avon Lake taxes if Issue 13 passed.
The new income tax would not apply to retirement income, including social security, pensions or annuities.
Retirees Monica Thomas and Jim Otto said they would save some money if Issue 13 passed, but they planned to support funding for roads, regardless.
“Someone has to pay for repairs. We use the roads, everyone uses the roads, so I think we all have to pay some share of that,” Thomas said.
Avon Lake resident Alice Eastwood said she also lives off of retirement investments, but she sees things differently.
“There’s too many people with their fingers in the pie, getting money for this and that and no, I’m against [Issue 13],” she said. “No new taxes, let’s cut the tax. Let’s all guard the money as if it were our own money and our own home,” she said.
The idea of using income tax to pay for road repairs comes as many Ohioans see soaring property values and many communities have rejected new property tax levies. The mayor said Issue 13 won’t compete with schools and libraries for property tax revenue and he hopes voters see its appeal.
“It’s about the quality of life that a community expects,” said Spaetzel.
If it passed, the city estimates Issue 13 would generate an annual $6.6 million for the dedicated Roads and Capital Improvements Fund. It would last for five years.
Catherine Ross is the Lorain County reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on X @CatherineRossTV, on Facebook CatherineRossTV or email her at Catherine.Ross@wews.com.
