State issues, county levies
State issues
Issue 1
Voters in Greene County
felt similar to voters across the state, who all voted overwhelmingly
for the Ohio Initiatives Deadlines Act. Statewide, the constitutional
amendment that imposes earlier deadlines for statewide ballot initiatives
won 68 percent of the vote, or 3,032,571 votes, while 1,379,353, or
31 percent voted against the measure. In Greene County, 41,720 people,
or 69 percent of voters, approved the measure, while 18,436 voters,
or 30 percent, rejected it.
Issue 2
Environmentalists came out across Ohio and Greene County to
pass the constitutional amendment that would authorize the state to
issue bonds for environmental revitalization and conservation of natural
areas and farmland. In Ohio the measure passed with 3,179,521 votes
for and 1,419,251 against. Across the county, the measure passed with
40,175 votes, or 64 percent for, and 21,707 votes, or 35 percent against.
Issue 3
Voters also support the private property rights that Issue
3 will give property owners who live near lakes, waterways and other
water areas. Statewide, 71 percent of voters approved the measure, while
28 percent voted against it. While in the county, 42,100 voters (69
percent) approved the measure, while 18,277 voters (30 percent) rejected
it. Issue 3 was proposed alongside the Great Lakes Water Compact, a
regional effort of Great Lakes states to safeguard the lakes’
water supply.
Issue 5
The state and the county also strongly passed the referendum
that will establish a cap of 29 percent on payday loans from Ohio lenders
and limit borrowers to 30 days to pay back those loans. Ohio approved
the measure with 63 percent voting for and 36.41 percent voting against.
In the county, 42,011, or 66 percent voted for Issue 5, and 21,392,
33 percent, voted against it.
Issue 6
There was clear opposition across the state and Greene County
to the measure that would have approved the construction of a privately
owned gambling casino outside of Wilmington. The casino measure was
shot down by the 62 percent statewide who voted against it, versus the
37 percent who voted to approve it. Of Greene County voters, 39,713,
or 61 percent, voted against, and 25,380, or 39 percent, voted for it.
County levies
Issue 21
Greene County voters were split over the Greene County Children
Services Board levy but fell on the side of rejecting the levy. Against
the 1.5-mill replacement levy that provides care and protection of abused
and neglected children were 31,923 voters, or 51 percent, compared to
29,904 voters, or 48 percent for the levy that would have added an additional
$12 per year increase per $100,000 valuation of a home.
Issue 22
The Greene County electorate passed a 0.5-mill renewal levy
that will help fund a range of services for Greene Memorial Hospital
and will not increase taxes. The measure passed with 37,100 votes for
and 26,109 votes against.
Issue 23
Voters also handily passed a renewal levy for operating funds
for the Greene County Board of Mental Retardation, which again will
not raise property taxes. For the tax levy were 38,898 votes, to 24,442
against it.
Issue 24
The Greene County Mental Health and Recovery Board will not
see an increase in operating funds this year, as 35,385 voters, or 56
percent, throughout the county voted down the mental health services
replacement levy that would have added a $2 per month increase for the
owner of a home valued at $100,000. There were 27,484 voters, or 43
percent, who voted for the levy.
