## The Service Department Overview
The department employs **seven full-time employees** and one seasonal worker. They are responsible for:
* **Roadways:** 45 lane miles of collector and subdivision streets.
* **Cemeteries:** Maintenance of Polk Grove (20 acres, ~40 burials/year) and three inactive cemeteries (Quaker, Chitwood, and Pine Grove).
* **Facilities:** Maintenance of the Service Garage, Government Center, Township Hall, and the old police station.
* **Community Services:** Brush drop-off events (275 loads/year) and weed/junk abatement on private properties.
### Funding Structure
The department is funded by six distinct sources, each with strict usage limitations:
| Fund Type | Usage Restrictions |
| :— | :— |
| **Capital Only** (Motor Vehicle, Gas Tax, Permissive License) | Street maintenance, equipment, vehicles, and buildings. |
| **Personnel & Operations** (Road/Bridge, Road Levy) | **Only** funds allowed to pay for employee salaries and benefits. |
| **Cemetery Fund** | Specific to cemetery maintenance and seasonal labor. |
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## The Financial Crisis
State budget changes (specifically the loss of tangible personal property taxes and utility deregulation) have severely impacted the funds used for personnel.
* **Loss to Date:** Over **$119,724.00 (12%)** lost from the Road/Bridge and Road Levy funds since 2010.
* **Projected Impact:** By 2015, the township will be unable to sustain seven full-time employees; staffing may be cut to **five**.
* **Paving Costs:** The township currently paves one subdivision per year. Over the last three years, 23 streets were repaved at a cost of **$527,820.00**.
### Recent Major Paving Projects
* **2010:** Brantford Meadows (7 streets) – $223,393
* **2010:** Turtlecreek Plat (2 streets) – $58,000
* **2011:** Irongate Plat (8 streets) – $174,727
* **2012:** Downing Plat (6 streets) – $71,700
* **2013:** Various streets (Furnas, Jackson, Antioch School, Kley, County Line) – $330,000
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## The JEDZ Proposal (August 6th Ballot)
The proposed Joint Economic Development Zone would implement a **1% income tax** on employees and employers within specific business districts (Miller Lane, York Commons, etc.).
> "The passage of the JEDZ is also critical to the Service Department funding. The Township Trustees have committed to the residents that they will use the funding gained from the JEDZ to fund the Police Department and the Service Department."
**Key Facts of the JEDZ:**
* **No Property Tax Increase:** It is an income tax, not a property tax.
* **Targeted:** Only affects those working or operating businesses in the designated zone.
* **Exemption:** Residents who do not work within the specific zone are not taxed.
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## Public Opposition
A reader comment from **Ben Jones** highlights the primary argument against the JEDZ:
> "The absolute worst kind of tyranny is when one group of people are allowed to levy a tax against another group of people for the benefit of a third group of people… these Trustees are asking the Citizens that elected them to give them the authority to tax the earnings of your fellow Americans — and your fellow Americans have NO SAY in the matter."
**Opposition Points:**
* **Lack of Representation:** Workers in the zone who live outside the township cannot vote on the tax.
* **Timing:** Criticism of "special summer elections" (August) as an attempt to pass sensitive issues during low voter turnout.
* **Moral Objection:** View of the tax as a violation of individual liberty and property rights.