In early February I attended the Ohio Township Association‘s Winter Conference in Columbus. There was a lot of great information shared and helpful resources. As a township trustee, I have learned a lot and continue to see ways we can improve as an area. While Tiffin is often a major focus of Seneca County, our smaller townships allow for more responsive actions because they are closer to the people. As a county commissioner, I want to remain close to the people and be responsive to issues that arise.
In Ohio, townships predate our state government. One handout was an overview of a research report by Wendell Cox for The Ohio Township Association & The Coalition of large Ohio Urban Townships.
Here are some take-aways I found interesting:
• Only 20 U.S. states have townships; Ohio has 1,308 townships
• Townships rely almost exclusively on the local property tax for their funding and are not permitted to collect income taxes. Even so, townships collect little of the total property tax in Ohio, accounting for 5.8% of collections.
• Townships spend less, tax less and borrow less than other local governments.
• Ohio’s efficient townships are saving taxpayers money. With data demonstrating lower spending and taxing from townships than their municipal counterparts, townships across the state can be the epicenter of growth and economic development.