South Point voters down police levy

Published 12:00 am Thursday, November 7, 2002

In January, three South Point Police officers will turn in their badges.

On Tuesday's ballot,

voters in the village had the choice between higher property taxes and fewer police officers. They chose the latter.

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Forty percent of voters approved the three-mil levy, but approximately 60 percent turned it down. The village will go from having three full-time and three part-time police officers to one part-time and two full-time officers at the first of the year.

"The people said what they wanted," Mayor Bill Gaskin said. "It was on the ballot for them, and they said they didn't want it. We'll make do with what we have."

"It's unfortunate," Police Chief Carl Vance said. "We have good police officers and we hate losing them, but we have no money to keep them. It's going to be thin around here."

"I feel sorry for all the officers," Assistant Chief Matt Vance, said. "The two part-time officers have their other jobs, but the full-time officer does not."

Grants supporting the police department expired in September of 2000 and the village has been keeping the officers on the payroll longer than what it has been able to do, officials say.

Village administrator Patrick Leighty said some of the voters may change their minds when the officers are gone.

"I think that people will probably respond differently when they lose some of their police protection," he said.

However, he and one member of the village council said they may try to find another means of funding to keep the officers.

"We put this on the taxpayers, and we understand," Leighty said. "But police protection is important. We've got to find some other way to keep it, but I'm not sure how we can do this."

"We've got to find a way where everyone pays, not just property owners," David Classing, village councilman, said. "Right now, property owners pay for all children's educations and fire protection, and we asked them for money for the police department. We thought about a half-percent sales tax, but that didn't fly. Until we find another method, we'll have to make do with what we have."

Auxiliary volunteers may be used to make up for the time when there would be no officers available, Carl Vance said.

"People don't have extra money for police until they need it," Village Councilman Bob Armstrong said. "When they have the need, they can afford it. When there's no need, then there's no extra money."