JEROMESVILLE — Voters in Jeromesville are on the fence when it comes to whether to support an additional tax levy, triggering an automatic recount.
Officials from Jeromesville sought to raise $34,049 of annual revenue through two separate additional tax levies in the November election. Both would last for five years.
One of them, a two-mill levy, succeeded narrowly — earning a 52.3% majority, according to final, unofficial results from the Ashland County Board of Elections.
The other, a 1.3-mill levy, tied — earning 43 votes for and against. When a tie occurs, state law requires a recount, which is scheduled to occur later this month.
Typically, in the event of a tie or close race, the board of elections waits for any outstanding provisional and absentee ballots to reach the office.
But in this case, neither provisional nor absentee ballots are outstanding for this tax levy, said Amanda Jones, the board of election’s deputy director.
The board has not yet scheduled a recount, but Jones said it would likely occur after the election is certified, which is scheduled for Nov. 17.
Barring any changes resulting from a recount, the additional tax levy would fail, said Michael Donatini, the county’s first assistant prosecuting attorney. Donatini advises officers of the county and its fifteen townships, and is often asked to weigh in on local elections issues.
Unlike elections for candidates, where ties are resolved by coin flips or drawing names, a tied vote on a ballot question or issue means the proposition does not have the majority approval to be enacted. State law requires questions and issues to have a majority, Donatini said.
“So 50% is not a majority. There would have to be at least one more than 50%, then (the levy) would be enacted,” Donatini said.
Andrew Keller, chair of the board of elections, confirmed the recount would happen within 10 days of Nov. 17, when the board meets to certify the election.
“This tie is a reminder to the community that every vote matters,” Keller said. He said many voters take a break in so-called “off-year elections.”
“Yet one vote could have swayed this particular issue,” he said.
Jeromesville mayor not surprised
Jeromesville Mayor Randy Spade said he wasn’t surprised by the outcome of the levies.
“I knew the appetite wasn’t there,” Spade said, adding the community feels burdened with taxes related to Hillsdale’s new school. “People are at their breaking point with levies … So I knew it was going to be close.”
If the tax levy fails?
Spade said the village will continue to operate as it has. The additional levy revenue is earmarked for infrastructure improvements. So if that money isn’t there, it means further delay to those improvements, he said.
But he’s also preparing for possible cuts.
“If we have to make cuts, they won’t be as deep as leaf pickup or other areas that would touch the core mission,” he said, adding personnel cuts are unlikely.
The mayor plans to present more specific options to council in future meetings.
