DevelopOhio

After months of heated debate and two postponed votes, Grove City Council in Franklin County recently voted to approve a joint economic development district (JEDD) agreement with Scioto Township and the Village of Commercial Point, both of which had already approved the agreement, ThisWeek Community News reports (See our Sept 10, 2013, blog post – "Commercial Point Village Council votes to join proposed JEDD"). Under the agreement, Grove City will impose its two percent income tax rate on a designated area within the Village of Commercial Point and Scioto Township, the latter of which as a township cannot levy its own income tax. Grove City will then receive 10 percent of the income, while Scioto Township will receive 88 percent and the Village of Commercial Point will receive two percent, the article said. The district includes two state prisons, the workers from which do not pay a local income tax and were adamantly opposed to the JEDD as a tax grab. While proponents insist the JEDD is a way for Grove City to help Scioto Township and the Village of Commercial Point fund their fire and other emergency services so that the city's resources are available for its own residents, one Scioto Township trustee "took issue with the fact the township's three previous attempts at a fire levy had been defeated by voters," the article said. For more, read the full story.