Xenia City Council Passes Resolution to Restore Local Government Funding
Xenia City Council Passes Resolution to Restore Local Government Funding to pre-Recession levels while asking citizens to contact Governor and Legislators
The Xenia City Council met in Regular Session on April 25, 2019, and passed emergency Resolution 2019-K Strongly Urging the Ohio Governor and Members of the Ohio General Assembly to Restore the Local Government Fund to Pre-Recession Levels.
As the Resolution states, reductions at the state level have resulted in a detrimental loss of revenue of at least $1,000,000 annually for the City of Xenia. The restoration of local government funds to prerecession levels would assist the City of Xenia and all other Ohio local communities to provide crucial services to residents, make improvements in infrastructure, and ensure public safety.
City Council members are strongly encouraging Xenia residents to contact the Governor’s office and their respective State legislators to support the Resolution. The Resolution cites that the Local Government Fund was reduced in 2011 by 50% during the Kasich Administration from 3.68% of General Revenue Funds to its current level of 1.66% of General Revenue Funds, making it difficult for municipalities to provide basic services, rebuild infrastructure, and bolster public safety services to fight the opioid epidemic.
It further cites that tax monies paid to the State that go into the General Revenue Fund and the Local Government Fund come, in part, from the residents of Ohio’s municipalities and such monies should come back to the communities for the benefits of taxpayers.
The Resolution in its entirety and a cover letter has been sent to Governor DeWine, Speaker of the House Larry Householder, State Senate President Larry Obhof, State Senator Bob Hackett and State Representative Bill Dean.
The City of Xenia has created a page on the City’s website, eXploreXenia.com, to inform citizens how to contact the Governor’s office and their state legislators to support the emergency resolution. A certified copy of the resolution can also be found on the website.
Citizens are further advised to call the City of Xenia at 937-376-8904 for specific questions.
