To the Editor:

As a Piqua resident for 20 years, I would urge everyone to join me in voting Yes for the Piqua Street Levy Renewal on March 17, 2020. A yes vote simply renews the 0.25 percent income tax that has been in place since 1991, but needs to be renewed every 10 years. There is no increase in cost to taxpayers.

Our roads are subject to harsh winters, aging surfaces and other problems, and this levy is our main source of funding for repairs. The levy also allows the City to apply for Federal and State grant money when constructing new roads and repairing old ones.

The tax is an income tax, so residents living on social security payments, pensions, military pay, unemployment compensation, alimony, capital gains, parsonage or are unemployed are exempt from this tax, however you can still vote yes to help to keep our streets repaired!

If this levy fails to be renewed, the only work on our streets for 10 yearswould be to fill potholes and some basic maintenance, as that is all the normal city street maintenance fund can support. Plus we miss the opportunity to apply for grant money! Since the levy passed in 2011, Piqua has secured over $14 million to support projects such as resurfacing roads and reconstruction projects. Please, help us continue this positive trend!

In a perfect world it would be delightful to have every street and alley in Piqua newly paved, but that’s simply not realistic. Without this levy however, we lose our ability to keep up the momentum. Let’s continue to improve our roadways, vote Yeson March 17!

— Mary Frances Rodriguez

Piqua