Less than a month before the November Election, the Poland Township Police Department is introducing a new 5-year renewal levy, which will replace it's two current operating levies.

Residents in the township will have the ultimate say on whether the department there can maintain the status quo.

Wilson says the department was forced to bring this issue to voters after the 1978 1978 levy was declared unconstitutional. According to state law, taxes are required to be levied throughout an entire taxing district which would include Poland Village. Although the township has never levied these taxes toward the Village--township trustees decided to eliminate both the 1978 and 1981 levies and combine them into one new levy.

"So we'll be removing those two with the passage of this which will indicate a new levy but there isn't any new millage, the millage will be the same.", said Greg Wilson, Poland Township Police Chief.

This operating levy is crucial to the department's budget...

"We've done a lot of great things here as a police department and we want to continue to do those things without this funding, it would cripple the police department.", Wilson added.

He also tells 21 News they are always seeking out grants and alternative sources of funding which has helped them through inflation