As people across the country face tax fatigue, city leaders in Warren are asserting that they have used the money from the 2.5% income tax as promised. Now, they are asking voters to support making this tax permanent.
"I believe we have done everything that we promised that we would do with those funds. Making it permanent secures our finances, secures the future of our police and fire departments and our infrastructure, and would also help with our bond rating," Vince Flask, Warren City auditor said.
Flask stated that the rate would not increase. Instead it will give the city stable funding for the long term for road repairs and essential operations throughout the city.
"Nothing will change other than the fact that we won't have to come back to the residents every five years to ask for it," Flask said.
Without the renewal, leaders say the city would see a 20% reduction in their collections.
The tax also helps fund safety services. Flask stated that the revenue represents five million of the seventeen million dollar budget for police and fire.
While Flask could not specify what would be cut if the revenue were lost, he said it would be significant.
"That would be a huge impact on us if it was to not pass. Five million dollars is in a significant amount of what we use to operate the city on," Flask said.
