By SYDNEY KENT
An additional tax rate will apply to some Jefferson Township homeowners outside of Ossian next year.
The increase will help pay for a new fire truck in 2026. The rate was discussed during a special meeting Wednesday evening with the Jefferson Township Advisory Board and trustee Larry Heckber.
AJ Springer, board member, motioned to approve the rate, which would be in addition to the debt fund levy that is currently paying off an old fire truck. In conjunction, some taxpayers will pay $58.73 per $100,000 in assessed property value for 2025. In 2026, that cost will drop to $33.33.
Member Tim Baker could not vote due to his virtual presence, and Board President David Haiflich said he was against it. Heckber, as the tiebreaker, voted yes.
“It’s going to save the taxpayers a lot of money in interest,” Heckber said. “After the one year, it’s going to be very smooth sailing.”
Heckber clearly proposed four potential financing options to accumulate the funds for the new fire truck. Of the four options, raising the rate next year would allow taxpayers to save over $20,000 in interest on the tanker.
During the meeting, member Tim Baker outlined his issues with the additional tax rate next year. Baker insisted that the money from the raised rate would not be collected until 2026, rather than in 2025 as Heckber had estimated.
“It will be in the budget in 2026,” Baker said. “That’s when we’re going to buy the tanker, and you’ll need a loan. We aren’t going to gain anything.”
However, Heckber said that he spoke with several people on the topic who assured him the township would receive the funds next year.
“So, you’re taking more money from taxpayers now and less later on to do the same thing?” Baker questioned.
“Yes, if I take it from them now, I save them (in) interest,” Heckber explained again. “If you guys don’t mind paying interest, then go ahead. There are different options. If you don’t want to raise the rate, you don’t have to, but you have to pay more (in) interest.”
County Council member Todd Mahnensmith a confirmed he also believed the process worked this way.
President of the Ossian Police Commissioners Caleb Chichester said that, as a taxpayer, he does not want to pay interest.
Baker also took issue with the potential for rates to change based on assessed value. Heckber cited data from the last five years, which showed value had increased rather than decreased. Baker explained that farmland assessments are based on a number of factors that don’t affect homeowners.
The board also discussed the ongoing topic of guidelines that would set stricter limits on assistance people could receive.
“I don’t want to see someone getting more (assistance) than someone else,” Springer said. “I want to see an equal playing field so they know this is the max (and) this is how many times they can get assistance. The township can set further limits than what the state has.”
A meeting to discuss and finalize the guidelines is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on April 10 at LPL Financial.
sydney@news-banner.com
