Pataskala Voters Could See Issue On May Ballot

Pataskala City Council members appeared to support funding the transportation department with an income tax at a special meeting Monday night.

With a vote of 4-1, council agreed to listen to the first reading of an ordinance placing a 1.75 percent income tax with a .75 percent credit on the May ballot.

The proposed tax is expected to generate approximately $2.3 million, which would be enough to fund the street department and the police department, with money to spare.

Money from a 2.5 mill transportation levy was being used to pay for the upkeep of streets and bridges, but that levy has expired, which means that the city will stop collecting money from it at the end of 2006.

In recent years, council has placed three income tax issues on the ballot, but voters defeated all three.

According to the Licking County Board of Elections, council has until February 16th to place an issue on the May ballot.