By CRAIG MAUGER, Courier-Times
cmauger@thecouriertimes.com
The message coming from New Castle City Council chambers on Monday night couldn't have been clearer.
The city wants to keep its public safety staffing at its current level and to do so, it needs the County Option Income Tax Board to adopt a 0.5 percent income tax hike.
The City Council has 36 of the 100 votes on the income tax board, and on Monday, the council voted unanimously to cast its votes in favor of adopting two additional tax rates with a combined amount of 0.5 percent.
Now, the question is whether other government entities like the County Council, which has 44 votes on the board, will go along with the city. Of the 100 votes, 51 would have to go in favor of the income tax hike for it to occur.
The County Council already voted 4-3 against the same proposal in December. But another vote could happen in August. The other 20 votes on the board are divided among Henry County towns.
Of the two rates that would be added under the proposal, a 0.25 rate would come in the form of property tax replacement. According to city officials, county residents would pay an additional 0.25 percent in income tax but pay less in property taxes.
The .25 added income tax rate would benefit emergency services in the county.
On Monday night, officials said if the County Option Income Tax Board doesn't adopt the new rates, city emergency personnel will be laid off.
Mayor Jim Small said the city expects to receive about $500,000 for its emergency services from the income tax increase. Without it, there may have to be 10 layoffs, he said.
At one point during the meeting, council President Sandy York said if the rates aren't adopted, there will be fewer firefighters, EMS personnel and police officers on the street.
"When you call them, folks, they're not going to be there," she said.
The crowd in City Council chambers was also supportive of the new rates. At one point, City Councilman Vaughn L. Reid III asked crowd members to raise their hands if they supported the proposal. The wide majority did.
Members of the crowd also applauded the City Council when its members voted unanimously for the increase.
One crowd member, Paul Davis, told the council he had friends whose lives were saved by New Castle firefighters.
"I think that is very foolish for us to even think about cutting public safety," Davis said. "It's not worth someone's life just to save a couple of dollars."
Firefighter Tom Dalton told the council that fire departments across the county are hurting for the money that would be produced through the tax increase.
And he said the city was playing "Russian roulette" with lives at its current fire department staffing level.
Two people spoke negatively about the income tax increase.
Tim Mundell, a Middletown Town councilman, said he was "dead set" against it.
Another member of the crowd said it was more than just about the New Castle Fire Department. "If you think this is the right time for a tax, then you vote for it," he said, referring to the country's economic recession.
Now, after the City Council's vote, the proposal will be sent to town councils and the County Council for their votes.
But the odds of the County Council passing it could be slim. Last year, the vote was 4-3 against it, and one of the supporters, Commissioner Kim Cronk, is no longer a member of the council. He has been replaced by Jerry Manis, who has spoken out against the tax increase.
After the City Council meeting, Dalton said if the county doesn't pass it now, it will have to eventually.
He said, "It's time to answer one question: How much public safety do you want."