Ballot Issue 12 Information Sheet

  1/2 Mill Replacement Levy for Bridges, Culverts & Roads

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R    The Fairfield County Engineer�s Office is currently responsible for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of 352 miles of county road and the 327 bridges and over 2,700 culverts on those roads.

R     There are 61 County maintained bridges currently posted below the 100% legal load limit that need attention as funds become available.

R     Since the current � mill Bridges, Culverts and Roads levy began in 2000, the County Engineer�s Office has used levy funds to replace 21 bridges with 8 more bridges already scheduled to be replaced before the levy runs out at the end of 2004.

R     In recent years, the County Engineer�s Office has used levy funds to aid in renovating an average of 10 miles of county roads and their associated bridges and culverts annually.

R     The County Engineer�s Office is able to assist townships and municipalities with their road, bridge and culvert projects when funds permit. Over the last four years, the township governments have been allocated $468,079 and $204,500 has been contributed to municipalities for improvements on roads and bridges used by County citizens thanks to levy funding.

R     The current levy generated $1,046,000.00 in 2003, nearly half the amount budgeted by the County Engineer�s Office for road repair and renovation projects in that year.

R     The levy being sought is a � mill replacement levy.  This is the same millage as the previous roads and bridges levy. Increased revenue is generated by the replacement levy due to updated property valuations.  The replacement levy will generate revenues based on property values in the year 2005, the year it is to go into effect.

R     The new levy is expected to generate $1,250,000 in 2005, the first year it is in place.

R     If the levy is not passed, the amount of funds currently budgeted for county road and bridge contracts in 2005 will be cut to nearly half of what was available in 2004.

R     The replacement levy funds must be used exclusively for road, bridge and culvert projects. 

R     Many times levy funds are used as matching funds that permit Fairfield County to seek grants to undertake road and bridge projects co-sponsored by other agencies, further leveraging taxpayers� dollars.

R     Due to increases in property valuations since 2000, the replacement levy will cost the owner of a $100,000 home $15.33 per year, which represents an increase of only $2.39 per year over the cost of the current levy.

The continued safety of the motoring public, school buses, emergency vehicles, farm machinery and the free flow of commerce are extremely important issues to the people of Fairfield County.  This levy is vital to maintaining the safety and the quality of life in Fairfield County.

Fairfield County roads and bridges data provided by the Fairfield County Engineer's Office.  Levy cost data provided by the Fairfield County Auditor�s Office.