Miami Twp. voters are considering whether to renew two local levies, one for police services, the other for trash pick-up, on Nov. 6 ballots. The renewals would increase local tax bills about $56 a year for every $100,000 of property value.

If approved, police and trash pick-up services would go unchanged in the township. Otherwise officials say residents could see layoffs in the police department and changes in trash pick-up schedule and services.

With passage, annual tax bills for the two services would increase from $594.13 to $650.78 per $100,000 of property valuation, according to the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office.

Township property owners pay two garbage levies and two police levies. In addition to those up for renewal, a 1.2-mill garbage levy, expected to raise $705,652 a year, expires in 2013, and a 4-mill levy expected to raise $2,352,175 a year, expires in 2014.

On n the Nov. 6 ballot, township voters are also considering proposed levies for Miamisburg or West Carrollton schools, and library services in Montgomery County.

“That makes it hard. Some of these are going to be a hard sell,” said Tom Jonak, a Miami twp. resident and chairman of the successful 2009 Five Rivers Metroparks levy campaign.

Police services

The police renewal, Issue 54, seeks a five-year levy with an increase from 3.65 mills to 5 mills. For each $100,000 in property value, taxpayers can expect to pay another $41.35 and a total of $153.13 a year, if the renewal is approved by voters.

It would raise an additional $793,859 a year more than the five-year levy expiring at the end of the year, and a total of $2,940,218 for general police operations, according to the auditor’s office.

Police Chief Chris Krug predicted local voters would “make personal choices,” after surveying the range of tax issues and elected offices on their ballots.

Like Jonak, Krug expressed hope that township voters would back local issues.

“I would like to think our registered voters will look at all the issues from the president on down, really look at what their beliefs, their needs, there desires are, and vote accordingly,” Krug said.

The police levy renewal comes with the department’s deputy chief, Major John DiPietro, on paid administrative leave after two months of investigation surrounding the decontamination of a 17-year-old girl pepper-sprayed by township police in July.

DiPietro, a long-time township officer, hosed down the girl, while she was naked, in a sallyport at the department offices, according to authorities. Supporters have noted his contributions to the community and more than two decades with the department, and suggested the action could be justified as necessary to counteract the effects of pepper spray.

“I don’t think it will have a major impact,” Krug said, predicting voters would focus on personal pocketbook issues and the department’s overall performance.

According to department records, township police answered 32,036 calls last year, 2,321 more than in 2010; while arresting 114 more suspects and logging 110 more incident reports.

The proposed increase in millage is expected to offset a decline in property values and phasing out of personal property taxes, Krug said.

This year, the department budget is $5,552,021. Earlier this year, officials said they would make up a projected $476, 409 shortfall with reserve funds.

The top salary for a township police officer after four years of service with the department is $55,681.60, excluding overtime and pension pick-up, Krug said. That is below the average Ohio police officer salary of $65,649, as of January 2011, according to a spokesman for the Ohio Police and Fire Pension fund.

There is no organized opposition on either levy proposal.

Trustees approved taking both issues to voters by 2-1 votes. In both cases, Trustee Deborah Preston cast the dissenting vote. Trustee Mike Nolan said he delayed the decision on the police levy so that Trustee Charlie Lewis could be in attendance to cast the deciding vote.

Preston said she supported the police department, but declined to ask voters for additional levies in light of the township’s multi-million commitment to RG Properties’ development at Austin Landing.

Trash pick-up

Trustees are asking voters for the trash levy renewal after surveying residents and studying alternatives to the current system for weekly collection of trash and recyclables, and seasonable yard waste pick-up. Survey respondents embraced continuing the existing pick-up schedule, handled through a contract with Waste Management, and weighed in on tax rates they were willing to pay for the service, officials said.

The annual fund budget is $1.8 million.

The existing 0.9 mill levy, expiring this year, costs homeowners $27.56 a year for every $100,000 in property value. A 1.5 mill levy also considered by the trustees would have added $45.94 to tax bills.

The proposed five-year, 1.4 mill renewal would cost property owners another $15.32 a year, increasing the annual tax bill for the levy to $42.88 for every $100,000 of property value. Each year, it would raise an additional estimated $294,022 - and a total of $823,261 a year - for trash pick-up services.

With existing levies, Finance Director Joe Fowler projects the township will overspend the garbage fund by $106,000 in 2012. With renewal, Fowler projected the township would be able to stop using reserve funds to balance the budget in 2014, a year later than with the 1.5 mill levy also considered by trustees.