City tax hike, treasurer’s race on ballot

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Today is primary election day, the earliest a primary election can be held in May, since elections are held the first Tuesday after the first Monday, and yesterday was May 1.

Many Van Wert County voters will have to stay home, since they don’t have anything to vote on. The only new tax issue on the ballot is the City of Van Wert’s 0.28-percent income tax increase, while Delphos voters will vote to renew a 0.25-percent income tax for the parks and recreation department, and Delphos City School District voters, which includes voters in Jennings and Washington townships in Van Wert County, will vote on a renewal of a 5.5-mill property tax levy used for operating purposes.

Voters in Van Wert’s Precinct 1A will also vote on a request by One Stop, 210 N. Washington St., to sell liquor on Sundays.

The main issue is Van Wert’s 0.28-percent income tax increase for the city’ General Fund. The reason for the requested increase is the loss of approximately $800,000 in state funding, most of that from decreases in Local Government Funds, as well as the elimination of the state’s tangible personal property and inheritance taxes.

City Auditor Martha Balyeat has noted the city departments whose operating money come from the General Fund do a good job of cutting expenses to the minimum.

Furthermore, with police and fire departments making up approximately 70 percent of the General Fund budget, there just isn’t much “wiggle room” in the budget that doesn’t involve cutting police and fire personnel.

Over the past few years, two-thirds of the 0.22-percent Capital Safety Tax has been used a number of times to make up General Fund shortfalls, but continuing to do so could affect safety capital purchases in the future, which could also affect the city’s fire protection rating, as well as overall safety in the city.

If voters adopt the 0.28-percent tax, the safety capital tax can return to use for safety equipment purchases, its original intended use.

The tax increase, if passed today, would cost someone earning $50,000 an additional $2.69 a week or $139.88 a year. In addition, retired senior citizens with no earned income would pay nothing if the tax passes.

The only race on the ballot is one for the Republican nomination for Van Wert city treasurer, a part-time position that involves reviewing the city’s financial transactions.

Incumbent Don Hangartner is a longtime city resident and retired independent insurance agent who is seeking his second four-year term in the position.

Hangartner, an Illinois native, is a graduate of Purdue University who formerly owned HBW Insurance Agency in Van Wert for several decades.

His opponent is Neil Straley, a 1989 graduate of Van Wert High School who earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Indiana Institute of Technology in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Voting locations for those voters with races of issues are as follows:

• Van Wert city voters — Van Wert Council on Aging, 220 Fox Road in Van Wert.
• Delphos city voters — Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3035, 213 W. Fourth St. in Delphos
• Jennings Township voters — Kingsley United Methodist Church, 15482 Mendon Road, Ohio City.
• Washington Township voters — Washington Township House, 22693-B Lincoln Highway, Delphos.