To the editor:

The Liberty Township Trustees have placed a .1-mill tax levy for five years for maintaining and operating cemeteries on the March 15, 2016 primary ballot.

Currently, Liberty Township is not receiving any monies for its cemeteries in the township, namely Pleasant Hill Cemetery on Concord Road and Fall Creek Cemetery on Morrow Road.

Liberty Township Trustee Board President James Grove reminds township residents that, “This levy would allow trustees to honorably maintain these two township cemeteries to the highest standards of care that the public expects, and to honor the legacy of our township ancestors.”

The county auditor estimates that this levy should generate about $7,000 per year, which is approximately $3.50 per year on a $100,000 appraised property.

If a levy passes anytime during 2016, it will be on the tax bill in 2017. Liberty Township will not receive any monies until 2017, which means that they are receiving no monies in 2016 for cemetery maintenance whatsoever.

This levy is for Liberty Township residents only – the residents (taxpayers) in the city of Hillsboro will not vote on nor pay for this levy.

Liberty Township currently does not have a cemetery levy. The millage is a small amount – the cost of this levy will cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000 less than one penny per day, if successful. The money would be used for maintenance and mowing of its cemeteries. In 2015, we had a large tree uproot, damaging graves and headstones which the township is required to maintain. There are also other trees that are old and damaged from the ice storm and other storms in the past years that may fall at any time. The fence surrounding the Pleasant Hill Cemetery on Concord Road is in desperate need of repair as well as some other overdue and needed maintenance in all the cemeteries.

Please vote yes for Issue 2.

The Liberty Township Trustees thank you for your support.

Jim Grove

John “Jake” McLaughlin

Ron Ward

Liberty Township Trustees