Officials on Friday formally approved the resolution that will levy an income tax on individuals working in the Joint Economic Development District (JEDD) between Jerome Township and the City of Marysville.
The JEDD Board held its first meeting Friday, including approving four resolutions and electing officers.
The JEDD Board governs the district in accordance with the Joint Economic Development District contract signed by representatives from Marysville and Jerome Township in August.
Chris Connelly, who has worked with Jerome Township as part of Taft Law, said JEDDs are useful because they allow unincorporated areas to levy income taxes, which they are generally unable to do, to be used for specific purposes.
Of the monies generated by the income tax, 60% will go to the JEDD Board for infrastructure improvements and administrative expenses; 20% to the city and 20% to the township.
Additionally, he said JEDDs can help protect townships from the threat of annexation.
While areas within the JEDD can still technically be annexed, he said the annexing municipality’s income tax would be added on top of the income tax already levied as a result of the JEDD, which acts as a deterrent.
According to the resolution adopted by the board Monday, the board will levy a 1.5% tax “on the income of persons working and residing within the JEDD and on the net profits of businesses located in the JEDD.”
The tax will be levied beginning on March 15.
Sitting on the board are Marysville City Manager Terry Emery, Jerome Township Trustee Chair Wezlynn Davis, Union County Engineer Jeff Stauch, Landscapes by Terra Owner Jeff Stroupe and The Pagura Company Owner Steve Pagura.
Stroupe and Pagura fulfill the requirement that a Jerome Township business owner and employee serve on the JEDD Board, while the four members collectively acted to appoint Stauch.
As a requirement of the contract to establish the JEDD, the fifth member, Stauch, will act as chair. Davis will serve as vice chair.
The treasurer and secretary of the board are not required to be board members.
Marysville Finance Director Brad Lutz will act as treasurer while Connelly will serve as secretary.
The board also approved a resolution setting its bylaws, which were prepared by Connelly based on the existing bylaws for the JEDD Board between Berkshire Township and the City of Delaware.
A resolution was also approved detailing the JEDD Board’s public records policy.
Connelly noted that the JEDD Board is a public entity and members of the public have the right to file public records requests from the board.
The JEDD contract establishes Jerome Township Fiscal Officer Robert Caldwell as the records officer.
Lastly, the board approved a resolution that allows it to engage Taft Law for legal representation, although Connelly said he does not expect counsel to comprise much of the board’s budget.
Both Emery and Davis said they are excited to implement the JEDD income tax after years of working toward it.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Emery said. “Let’s not look back, let’s look forward.”
A Cooperative Economic Development Agreement (CEDA) between the city and township was approved in 2019. The CEDA, which allows jurisdictions to share resources in order to plan land use and future development, serves as a framework for the JEDD.
It dictates that any non-residential development in the district that requests water or sewer services – provided by the City of Marysville – must join the JEDD agreement.