TOLEDO, Ohio — Toledo voters on Tuesday approved two ballot items benefiting the city's first responders and funding continued road improvements, according to unofficial election results.
Issue 1 is a three-quarter percent municipal income tax renewal, bringing in about $75 million to fund city services including the Toledo Police Department and Toledo Fire and Rescue Department.
Issue 2 is a one-quarter percent income tax renewal, bringing in about $25 million to continue Toledo's various road improvement projects.
Issue 1 has passed every four years since it was introduced in 1982. Its full text is below:
"Shall Ordinance No. 640-23 providing for a continuation of the City's existing temporary three-quarters percent (3/4%) levy on income for the period commencing on January 1, 2025 and ending December 31, 2028, for the proceeds of that levy to continue to be allocated as follows: one-third (1/3) to the general fund for police, fire and other Safety Department responsibilities, one-third (1/3) to the General Fund, and one-third (1/3) to the Capital Improvements Fund, and for the City Council to continue to have authority, upon request by the Mayor, to reallocate proceeds from the Capital Improvements Fund to the General Fund to address financial needs, which tax shall continue to be in addition to all of the City’s other levies on income, be passed?"
Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz at a press conference last week urging voters to pass the tax renewals called Issue 1 "the engine that funds the bread and butter of city operations."
Issue 2 was first introduced and passed in 2020. Its full text is below:
"Shall Ordinance No. 642-23, providing for a continuation of the City's existing temporary one-quarter percent (1/4%) levy on income for the period commencing on January 1, 2025 and ending December 31, 2028, for the proceeds of that levy to continue to be used to provide funds necessary to pay costs of improving the City's system of roads, streets and bridges, including related debt charges, and for all of net proceeds of that tax to continue to be credited to a separate Road Improvements Fund to be dedicated and applied solely for that purpose, and for the transfer or use of any such net proceeds for any other purpose to be prohibited, which tax shall continue to be in addition to all of the City's other levies on income, be passed?"
Doug Stephens, director of the city's Department of Transportation, said Issue 2 has been critical to maintaining Toledo's infrastructure.
"We've been able to do over 100 streets on average a year, we're doing almost 50 lane miles a year," he said. "In the previous five, previous 10, previous 20 years, we would maybe have none, maybe have four."
For full results and more check out our complete election coverage.