Bridgeport asks residents to approve 2-mill levy
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BRIDGEPORT - Village leaders hope residents will vote in favor of a new 2-mill levy at the polls on March 19.
Bridgeport Mayor Norma Teasdale and members of council and the administration say the measure is needed to support regular operations of the village.
At a council meeting held Feb. 20, Teasdale said a previous operational levy was allowed to expire in December. It had been taxing residents at a rate of 1 mill, rather than the 2 mills currently being sought.
According to information being distributed by the village, money generated by the proposed property tax could only be used for infrastructure improvements, such as streets, sewerage, utilities and daily expenses. Teasdale cited the need for street paving as an example why the levy is needed.
The mayor said the cost of asphalt has risen from $68 a ton in recent years to $120 per ton today. And while the village is entitled to money held by Belmont County stemming from license plate fees residents pay, it cannot be used to pave any dead-end streets - an issue in Bridgeport, where many neighborhoods are situated on steep hillsides.
"Every street needs paved," Teasdale added.
She also contends that the proposed levy would benefit the community more than the old one did.
"It's 2 mills, double the old, but it would do more for our village," she said, noting that, if approved, the levy would be in effect for five years.
Information being shared with residents states that an average home in the village has an assessed value of $100,000 for tax purposes, and that the levy would cost the owner of such a home 19 cents per day.
"If the homeowner is eligible for the Homestead Exemption, the cost is less," the literature states. "Some homes will be less, while others will be more."
Residents with questions about the proposed levy are urged to call Teasdale at 740-635-1244.
Early, in-person voting for the primary election is now underway at the Belmont County Board of Elections, located at 52180 National Road East, St. Clairsville. Absentee ballots can also be requested. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, March 19. The elections board can be reached at 740-526-0188.