Fire, EMS levies pass in Strongsville, North Royalton, Olmsted Falls

Ohio PoliticsVoters in Strongsville, North Royalton and Olmsted Falls approved fire or emergency medical service tax levies in Tuesday's election. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)AP Photo/John MinchilloBy Kaylee Remington, cleveland.comcleveland.com Express DeskCLEVELAND, Ohio — Voters in three Cuyahoga County communities approved fire and emergency medical service tax levies Tuesday, providing money to support emergency operations, staffing and other public safety needs.Fire or EMS measures passed in Strongsville, North Royalton and Olmsted Falls, according to unofficial results from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.Strongsville voters approved a new continuing fire levy intended primarily to help the city hire 12 additional firefighter-paramedics, while North Royalton voters approved a renewal and increase of the city’s EMS levy. Olmsted Falls voters renewed an existing fire levy.StrongsvilleStrongsville voters approved Issue 103, a 1-mill continuing levy for fire and emergency medical services.The measure passed with 56.07% of the vote, with all 33 precincts reporting.The levy is expected to generate about $2.3 million annually and cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000 approximately $35 per year.City officials have said a primary reason for seeking the additional money is to hire 12 firefighter-paramedics, strengthening staffing throughout the city and helping staff a new fire station under construction near Royalton and Pearl roads.Revenue from the levy can be used for fire and emergency medical services, including personnel, ambulance and paramedic services, fire apparatus, medical equipment, fire stations and communications systems.The new fire station is being built for about $9.6 million, but the levy is intended to support fire department operations rather than pay for construction of the station.Unlike a levy that must periodically return to voters for renewal, Issue 103 is continuing and does not have a set expiration date.Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached out to the city for comment.North RoyaltonNorth Royalton voters approved Issue 57, renewing the city’s existing EMS levy while also approving an increase.The measure won with 55.68% of the vote, with all 23 precincts reporting.Issue 57 renews the city’s existing 1.7-mill EMS levy and adds 0.3 mill, creating a 2-mill levy that will remain in place for five years beginning with tax year 2027. Collections will begin in 2028.The levy is expected to generate approximately $2.27 million annually for emergency medical services and cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000 approximately $57 per year.The measure replaces an existing five-year, 1.7-mill levy that voters approved in May 2022. That levy was first collected in 2023 and runs through 2027.City officials said additional revenue was needed to maintain EMS operations as costs continue to rise. Before placing the issue on the ballot, City Council considered both renewing the existing levy without an increase and asking voters for additional money.A straight renewal was projected to generate approximately $1.86 million annually. The 2-mill levy approved Tuesday is expected to generate about $410,000 more per year.Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached out to the city for comment.Olmsted FallsOlmsted Falls voters also supported a public safety tax measure Tuesday, approving Issue 70, a fire levy renewal.The measure passed with 60.44% of the vote, with all eight precincts reporting.The result came as Olmsted Falls voters overwhelmingly rejected a separate proposal to increase the city’s municipal income tax rate from 1.5% to 2% and eliminate a longstanding tax credit.Mayor Chad Gluss thanked the voters for passing the renewal levy.Although voters renewed the fire levy, preventing a loss of existing revenue, he said the city will have to work within its current budget rather than pursue additional spending on sidewalks, parks, recreation centers and other community requests.“The people spoke, and the people spoke very loudly,” Gluss said. “We understand, and we will do what we can do with the budget we have.”Kaylee Remington joined cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer in 2016 and is the news organization's Cuyahoga County suburban cities reporter, focusing on the communities surrounding Cleveland. Her reporting...