Marysville City Council has moved to delay the implementation of an additional license plate tax.
At Monday night’s meeting the council amended legislation to impose an annual $5 on each license plate registration.
The legislation, as written, would have imposed a $5 increase on vehicle registration beginning in 2021 and an additional $5 increase to becoming effective in 2022. The legislation, as amended, implements both fees in 2022.
According to the Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles, for December, Marysville has 23,078 registered vehicles. City officials said that based on those numbers, if the city raised the license fee by $5 per vehicle, the increase would generate about $115,000 annually for the city and two fees would generate about $230,000. The money could be allocated only to street maintenance or paving streets.
After lengthy discussion among council, administration and the public, Council member Mark Reams proposed the amendment. The amendment got a unanimous vote and was moved to a third reading to be held May 26.
Prior to the motion to delay implementation, Mayor Henk Berbee stressed the disrepair of city streets. He said that if nothing is done, the impact will be noticeable in three to four years. Berbee said well-maintained streets protect property values
“Nobody wants to pay additional taxes,” Berbee said. “On the other hand, when the time comes…they want to see a nice return on their initial investment.”
Council member Aaron Carpenter said he would vote against the legislation as it was initially proposed.
He said he does not want to be known as the council that increased taxes on hurting families during a time of crisis.
“Instead of talking about how to levy an additional tax, we absolutely need to be talking about relief,” Carpenter said.
He said he understands the need for the street funding.
It was Carpenter who first suggested passing the legislation with a delayed implementation.
“My issue is not the legislation, it is the timing of the legislation,” Carpenter said.
He stressed the need to “shift the conversation to relief,” adding that a commuter tax credit should be part of that relief consideration.
Council member Alan Seymour said city residents who lived in the community before the income tax increase “recognize the limits of our community.”
He said those residents know how wisely the city has spent money.
Council member Donald Boerger said he represents the ward with the worst streets.
“I think that our residents will understand the reason we are doing this for our streets,” Boerger said.
Resident Meg Michel said people care more about their monthly bills than they do annual fees.
“I don’t think the $10 per vehicle is much at all, considering how much we are paying for everything else,” she said, adding that residents would “gladly pay” the fee if council would do anything to reduce the burden of water, trash and sewer bills.
Jermaine Ferguson, who opposed the legislation with the phase in beginning in 2021, said he appreciates the compromise and hopes this gives families time to recover financially.
Marysville Pool
At Monday’s meeting, City Manager Terry Emery said that due to the current Stay Safe Ohio order, which runs through May 29, the opening of the Municipal Pool has been delayed.
He said May 30 is “the earliest” the pool could open. The pool was originally scheduled to open May 23.
“We are ready and eager to open once we receive the green light,” Emery told council.
He said the city Fourth of July celebration has also been postponed. Emery said he has been “working closely” with the local American Legion post, which coordinates the festivities as well as the Central Ohio Mayors and Managers Association.
He said 19 cities and 17 townships in the region have all agreed that delaying the Independence Day celebration is “in the best interest of all of these entities.” The city manager said there is concern that if one community holds an event when the others do not, too many people may flood the community and “create more of an issue than that community is prepared to deal with.
“There is interest on the part of all of these entities to try to coordinate a date to try to do it yet this summer,” Emery said.
In other news:
– Emery said City Hall “remains closed to the public until further notice.”
He said the city is “bringing our employees back slowly through this.”
Emery said he would like to have all the city employees back at City Hall by June 1, with the goal of reopening the facility, with restrictions, on June 15.
“Obviously, between now and then, a lot can happen,” Emery said.
He encouraged residents to conduct business by telephone, online or by utilizing the drive-thru drop box behind City Hall.
Additionally, city public meetings — City Council, council committees, boards and commissions — will continue to be held virtually “until further notice” Emery said.
Members of the public are encouraged to continue participating by watching the virtual meeting online or listening by phone and providing live public comment or submitting written public comment in advance.
– Emery will begin looking at the possibility of expanding the Marysville Outdoor Refreshment Area (MORA). The MORA was created to be used for specific occasions to allow Uptown patrons to drink alcohol at certain outdoor city events, inside a certain area. Council member J.R. Rausch said that since the governor has allowed restaurants to open outdoor seating, the MORA would make sense. He said the MORA would allow patrons to visit any restaurant in the Uptown and drink alcohol, even if a specific restaurant does not serve alcohol.
Council members did not implement any expansion of the MORA, but agreed to allow Emery to explore the option.