8525-11 Oppose state control of municipal income tax collections

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WHEREAS, under the Ohio Constitution, municipalities are given the authority to adopt charters and exercise all powers of local self-government, including the levying of municipal income taxes; and WHEREAS, under the Ohio Constitution, municipalities may be restricted from levying certain local taxes, but no provision is made that prohibits municipalifies from collecting those taxes levied locally; and WHEREAS, a centralized tax collection system runs afoul of the spirit of the Ohio Constitution by abrogating the will of the people to govern themselves by adopting their own local charters and ordinances; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD, STATE OF OHIO: Section 1. This Council hereby (1) declares its strong opposition to any effort by the State of Ohio to take over the collection of municipal income taxes in Ohio; and (2) urges state legislators to reject and oppose any amendment to pending bills or introduc- tion of new legislation that proposes to transfer collection and/or control of municipal income taxes to the State of Ohio Department of Taxation. Section 2. The Clerk of Council is hereby directed to forward a copy of this reso- lution to Governor John Kasich, Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor, all members of the Ohio Senate and House of Representatives by their clerk, and the Ohio Tax Commis- sioner, Joe Testa. Section 3. It is found and determined that all formal actions of this Council con- cerning and relating to the passage of this resolution were adopted in an open meeting of this Council, and that all such deliberations of this Council and of any of its committees that resulted in such formal action were in meetings open to the public in compliance with all legal requirements. Section 4. This resolution is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and, provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least five (5) councilmembers, it shall take effect and be in force immediately upon its adoption and approval by the Mayor, or oth- erwise take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law. Adopted: ~ C/!iG"i~l~ 3/ 2U e~ ~- Approved: v ~ ~, ~ l Pre dent of Co Clerk of ouncil Mayor