Clark County has escaped budgetary cuts during the first six months of 2009 only because county commissioners extended the temporary one-half percent addition to the permanent one percent tax levy. According to Clark County Auditor George Sodders, revenue from the one percent permanent tax is down more than 5.5 percent compared to the same time last year.

“Sales tax collections from the permanent levy totaled just over $6.2 million for the first half of 2009 compared to over $6.6 million for the same period last year,” Sodders said.

“Additional revenue from the permissive one-half percent tax approved by commissioners has generated just over $3 million dollars through June of this year,” according to Sodders. “Without that added revenue, Clark County would have no choice but to make severe cuts in personnel and related services,” Sodders said.

“With unemployment above state and national levels and personal income below state and national levels, county government must come to grips with a shrinking local economy that cannot sustain the status quo of local government finances,” Sodders said.

“I am convinced that the county is at a crossroad where it must either ask citizens to approve a permanent increase in the local sales tax rate or begin trimming expenses before the current temporary tax rate increase expires,” Sodders concluded.

Before Ohio changed its Homestead Exemption qualifications, only 2,910 homeowners aged 65 or over received a reduction in property taxes in Clark County. That was in 2006 when taxpayers’ annual income could not exceed $23,700.

When the income requirement was eliminated in 2007, 10,501 homeowners received a tax reduction based on the first $25,000 of property value. That number grew to 11,162 last year and edged up to 11,424 in 2009.

The average annual tax savings is now $391 for homeowners aged 65 or over. The auditor’s Homestead Department is supervised by Gary Evilsizor.

1st Place

Student: Noelle Wiebeck
School: Snowhill
Teacher: Mrs. McHugh
Dog Name: Buddy

2nd Place

Student: Caitlyn Hobbs
School: Snowhill
Teacher: Mr. Larry Marple
Dog Name: Pixie

3rd Place

Student: Trev Ash
School: Possum
Teacher: Mrs. Teverbaugh
Dog Name: Remy

There were a total of 161 entries from 3rd, 4th and 5th graders in Clark County.

Snowhill 61
Possum 41
Rolling Hills 39
All Others 20