Voters will weigh in on social and emergency services this election cycle – 

By Patricia Beech – 

Adams County voters will be asked to cast ballots for several levies in
the 2017 election cycle. Eight renewal levies, two replacement levies, and one additional levy will appear on the November ballot in four villages and six townships, while one replacement levy and one additional levy will be subject to a county- wide vote.
The amount of taxes county residents will pay depends largely on the type of levies they choose to support.
A renewal levy remains constant over a specific period of time that is approved by voters regardless of any developments in the local jursidiction, while a replacement levy is based on current property valuations and new construction.
The amount of propertry charges attached to renewal levies remains constant over a prescribed period of time. In contrast, replacement levies generate additional revenue and usually result in higher charges to property owners particularly when there have been a number of new developments in the jursidiction.
Property taxes are measured in mills, and each mill generates a dollar of taxes for $1,000 of a property’s assessed value. Renewal levies maintain the same millage even if the value of the property continues to rise. A replacement levy, on the other hand, takes into account the increased value of a property, and if it is replacing a renewal levy, it will ordinarily raise the tax payable on a property because it does not have the same millage as the renewal levy.
County-wide levies on the November ballot include: a Replacement/Current Expenses levy for Adams County Children Services and Wilson Children’s Home amounting to 1.3 mill over 5 years and a 1 mill / 5 year levy for operating expenses for the Adams, Lawrence, Scioto Counties Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board. The ADAMHS Board contracts with Shawnee Family Health Center, the Counseling Center and FRS, Inc to provide mental health and alcohol and drug addiction services in Adams County.
Village voters will weigh in on four separate levies including: a 5 year /3.5 mills renewal levy for fire protection in Manchester; a 5 year / 3.5 mills renewal levy for current operating expenses in Seaman; a 5 year / 0.5 mill additional levy for the cemetery on Pumpkin Ridge Road; and a 5 year / 2 mill renewal levy for police protection in the village of Winchester.
Voters will be asked to cast ballots in their respective townships for: a 1 mill / 5 year replacement levy for fire and EMS in Bratton Township; a 5 year / 0.7 mill replacement levy for cemeteries in Franklin Township; a 3 year / 0.5 mill renewal levy for cemeteries in Meigs Township; a 1 mill / 5 year renewal of current expenses levy in Oliver Township; a 1 mill / 5 year renewal levy for cemeteries in Tiffin Township; and a 0.8mill / 5 year renewal levy for fire protection in Wayne Township.