Ohio § 1545.21

§ 1545.21.

(A) The board of park commissioners, by resolution, may submit to the electors of the

park district the question of levying taxes for the use of the district.  The resolution shall declare the necessity of levying such taxes, shall specify

the purpose for which such taxes shall be used, the annual rate proposed, and the

number of consecutive years the rate shall be levied.  Such resolution shall be forthwith certified to the board of elections in each county

in which any part of such district is located, not later than the ninetieth day before

the day of the election, and the question of the levy of taxes as provided in such

resolution shall be submitted to the electors of the district at a special election

to be held on whichever of the following occurs first: (1) The day of the next general election; (2) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in May in any calendar year, except that

if a presidential primary election is held in that calendar year, then the day of

that election. A resolution to renew, renew and increase, or renew and decrease any existing levy

shall not be placed on the ballot unless the question is submitted at the general

election held during the last year the tax to be renewed may be extended on the tax

list, or at any election described in division (A)(1) or (2) of this section in the

ensuing year.  Such a resolution may specify that the renewal, increase, or decrease of the existing

levy shall be extended on the tax list for the tax year specified in the resolution,

which may be the last year the existing levy may be extended on the list for the ensuing

year.  If the renewal, increase, or decrease is to be extended on the tax list for the

last tax year the existing levy would otherwise be extended, the existing levy shall

not be extended on the tax list for that last year unless the question of the renewal,

increase, or decrease is not approved by a majority of electors voting on the question,

in which case the existing levy shall be extended on the tax list for that last year. Except as otherwise prescribed in division (B) of this section, the ballot shall set

forth the purpose for which the taxes shall be levied, the levy's estimated annual

collections, the annual rate of levy, expressed in mills for each dollar of taxable

value and in dollars for each one hundred thousand dollars of the county auditor's

market value, and the number of years of such levy.  If the tax is to be placed on the current tax list, the form of the ballot shall

state that the tax will be levied in the current tax year and shall indicate the first

calendar year the tax will be due. (B) If the resolution of the board of park commissioners provides that an existing levy

will be renewed, increased, or decreased upon the passage of the ballot question,

the form of the ballot shall be the same as prescribed for such levies in divisions (B) and (C) of section 5705.25 of the Revised Code . (C) If a majority of the electors voting upon the question of such levy vote in favor

thereof, such taxes shall be levied and shall be in addition to the taxes authorized

by section 1545.20 of the Revised Code , and all other taxes authorized by law.  The rate submitted to the electors at any one time shall not exceed two mills annually

upon each dollar of taxable value unless the purpose of the levy includes providing

operating revenues for one of Ohio's major metropolitan zoos, as defined in section 4503.74 of the Revised Code , in which case the rate shall not exceed three mills annually upon each dollar of

taxable value.  When a tax levy has been authorized as provided in this section or in section 1545.041 of the Revised Code , the board of park commissioners may issue bonds pursuant to section 133.24 of the Revised Code in anticipation of the collection of such levy, provided that such bonds shall be

issued only for the purpose of acquiring and improving lands.  Such levy, when collected, shall be applied in payment of the bonds so issued and

the interest thereon.  The amount of bonds so issued and outstanding at any time shall not exceed one per

cent of the total taxable value in such district.  Such bonds shall bear interest at a rate not to exceed the rate determined as provided

in section 9.95 of the Revised Code . (D) As used in this section, “the county auditor's market value” and “effective rate”

have the same meanings as in section 5705.01 of the Revised Code .