The Council may, without a vote of the people, levy taxes on property assessed and listed for taxation according to value, for the purpose of paying the current operating expenses and for the purpose of any other expense which may lawfully be included within the general levy for the general fund of the City and in addition to the purpose of police and fire pensions not to exceed four and eighty-hundredths (4.80) mills per dollar of assessed valuation.
If in any year authority is obtained to refund bonds within the ten (10) mill limitation for the purpose of reducing the total tax rate for county, school and municipal purposes, thereby releasing millage for current operating purposes within the ten (10) mill limitation, the limitation of the Section or Article may be exceeded in such year by the amount of such millage reduction.
The Council shall annually levy a sufficient sum to pay the interest and bond retirement fund charges on all bonds and notes of the City of Wickliffe lawfully issued, and the expenses incident to the management of the bond retirement fund, which entire levy shall be outside of limitations provided in this Charter, but subject to limitations imposed by general law, and placed before and in preference to all other levies. Amounts certified under the laws of the State as necessary for such purpose shall not be subject to change by Council.
The Council may at any time at least sixty (60) days prior to a November election, declare by resolution, adopted by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of all members elected thereto, that the amount of taxes which may be raised within the limitations of this Charter will be insufficient to provide an adequate amount for the necessary requirements of the City for current operating expenses, and other expenses payable from the general fund of the City, and such permanent improvements and equipment as shall have an estimated useful life of five (5) years or more, and that it is necessary to levy taxes in excess of such limitations, in addition to the levies authorized and limited by this Charter, for the municipal purpose or purposes specified in such resolution. Such resolution shall specify the additional sum, which it is necessary to levy, the purpose or purposes thereof, the additional rate estimated to be required therefore and the date of any proposed election thereon. Such resolution shall be effective upon its adoption and shall be certified within five (5) days thereafter to the election authorities, who shall place such question upon the ballot at the next succeeding November election. If a majority of those voting thereon vote for the approval of such additional levy, the Council shall immediately make such levy, or such part thereof as it finds necessary, pursuant to such approval and certify the same to the County Auditor, to be placed on the tax list and collected as other taxes.
The authority of the Council to submit additional levies to a vote of the people under authority of the Constitution or laws of this State shall not be deemed impaired or abridged by reason of any provision contained in this Charter.
Provided, however, that the City shall not levy a tax on income at a rate in excess of one- half percent (½%) without having obtained the approval of the excess by a majority of the electors of the City of Wickliffe voting on the question at a general, special or primary election. The Council of the City of Wickliffe shall file with the Board of Elections, at least sixty (60) days before the day of the election a copy of the ordinance, together with a resolution specifying the date such election is to be held, and directing the Board of Elections to conduct the election.
The Council may, by ordinance or ordinances passed from time to time, allocate the annual proceeds of any tax on income levied by the City for use to pay costs of general municipal functions of the City, including current operating expenses, costs of permanent improvements and debt charges on indebtedness and other obligations incurred to pay costs of permanent improvements; provided, however, that the Council shall allocate not less than twenty-five percent (25%) of the proceeds of any such tax in excess of a two-percent (2%) income tax rate to pay costs of permanent improvements, including debt charges on indebtedness and other obligations incurred to pay costs of permanent improvements. The proceeds of the tax allocated for use to pay costs of permanent improvements shall be placed in a separate fund for that purpose.
(Approved by voters November 7, 2017; Ord. 2017-49. Passed 7-17-17.)