Jeanne Houck, jhouck@communitypress.com 11:04 a.m. EDT September 30, 2016
Residents who live in Columbia Township’s Ridge Fire District will vote Tuesday, Nov. 8, on whether to increase the 6.77-mill property-tax levy they pay for fire and emergency-medical services by 3.4 mills.
If approved, the hike will cost homeowners in the Ridge Road-Highland Avenue area an additional $119 per $100,000 of the assessed value of their homes annually, according to the Hamilton County auditor’s office.
The auditor’s office also says the levy – if approved – will generate just over $149,000 a year to pay the Golf Manor Fire Department, with which Columbia Township contracts for fire services in the Ridge Fire District.
Other areas of the township are served by other fire departments and are not be affected by the levy on the ballot.
Columbia Township Administrator Michael Lemon says the fire levy needs to be approved because revenue generated by the current levy in the Ridge Fire District has been less than the cost of the township’s fire-protection contract with Golf Manor for several years.
Columbia Township has a three-year contract in which it will pay the Golf Manor Fire Department $355,000 this year, $360,000 next year and $370,000 the last year for fire and emergency-medical services in the township’s Ridge Fire District.
The Ridge Fire District includes The Ridge Road and Highland Avenue business district, the Ridgewood subdivision and township streets off Kennedy Avenue.
Streets involved are Blueridge Avenue, Brackenridge Avenue, Charloe Street, Cliffridge Avenue, Crestridge Circle, Dogwood Lane, Donald Drive, Highland Avenue, Hill and Dale Drive, Kennedy Avenue, Kenoak Lane, Losantiridge Avenue, Lucille Drive, Monardi Circle, Ridge Circle, Ridge Road, Ridgewood Avenue and Viewpoint Drive.